My name is Rebecca Janssen and I am an AmeriCorps member serving with UW Botanic Gardens as the Adult Environmental Education Coordinator. The day that this is posted, August 15th, is the final day of my service. I was looking recently at a little half-sheet flyer promoting summer and some fall adult education programs. As I was reading through the list, it was really exciting to realize how many of those I had been involved with – 15 of the 22 classes listed! 

AmeriCorps volunteer Gretchen Rude is the Education Outreach Specialist for UW Botanic Gardens. She will be pioneering a youth leadership program over the summer that will aim to bring a diverse group of students to the Washington Park Arboretum. The program will build leadership and team working skills, as well as provide experience working in outdoor education. Gretchen moved up to Seattle from Portland where she graduated from the University of Oregon.