Plastic-Free Schools Internship

Wisconsin Sea Grant and Milwaukee Riverkeeper seek a student hourly to help develop and implement their recently funded project Plastic-Free Cleveland: An Expansion of Coalition-Based Efforts to Reduce Marine Debris Throughout the Great Lakes Region.
Wisconsin Sea Grant is part of a network of 33 state-federal partnership Sea Grant programs across the country that support diverse coastal ecosystems and communities through research, education, and outreach. Milwaukee Riverkeeper® is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect water quality and wildlife habitat and to advocate for sound land use in the Milwaukee River Basin. Wisconsin Sea Grant and Milwaukee Riverkeeper are members of the Plastic-Free MKE Coalition, a network of businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies working to eliminate single-use plastics in Milwaukee and the surrounding area. The Coalition is part of a wider movement within the community that also includes a robust group of volunteers actively engaging the community in initiatives to reduce plastic consumption.

Project Description
Single-use plastics and marine debris are a critical threat to water quality, human health, and fish and wildlife, and the production and disposal of plastics are a major driver of climate change. This project seeks to engage Milwaukee’s youth in order to build awareness and education about marine debris in order to reduce the amount of marine debris and single-use plastics that are released into the Great Lakes. There are three main components of the project: update existing and create new plastics education materials, conduct plastics outreach and education to Milwaukee schools and educators, and collaborate with Milwaukee and Cleveland partners to enhance plastics education in both communities. The Plastic Free Schools Intern will work closely with Wisconsin Sea Grant and Milwaukee Riverkeeper staff to support the Plastic-Free Schools initiative of the Plastic-Free MKE Coalition and coordinate with Ohio Sea Grant and other Plastic-Free Cleveland partners to create a Plastic-Free Schools initiative in Cleveland, Ohio.

Required Qualifications
The successful candidate will be a current student at a Milwaukee-area based college or university and have the following qualifications:
●Ability to work independently with limited supervision
●Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate new ideas/perspectives
●Excellent written and verbal skills
●Attention to detail
●Interest in sustainability, the environment, and social/environmental justice
●Basic computer and typing skills
●Someone who fosters and promotes the values of diversity and inclusion including the ability to effectively work with people from different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other aspects of human diversity.

Desired Qualifications
While not a requirement for this position, these qualifications are a plus:
●Experience working with K-12 students and/or teachers
●Experience creating outreach materials (flyers, social media posts, etc.)
 

Position Responsibilities
●Maintain regular communication and meetings with project supervisors and community partnersincluding local K-12 school teachers and staff
●Update list of existing educational resources on plastics and marine debris, including student-ledschool audits, and identify gaps in existing resources
●Be an active member of the Plastic-Free MKE Coalition Education Working Group
●Work with local school programs and partners to create lesson plans and educational materials thatmeet State Standards for Environmental Education
●Create outreach and advocacy tools and templates for students to use to build awareness withintheir schools
●Teach lessons to students grades K-12 online or in a school setting
●Evaluate and update the Plastic-Free Schools toolkit resources
●Collaborate with Plastic-Free Cleveland partners to increase plastics education materials andopportunities in both Milwaukee and Cleveland
●Be flexible to take on additional duties as assigned according to needs, skills, and abilities

Additional Information 

This is a part-time year-round position, with an hourly rate of $18, and the potential for two years of funding. Hours and dates of internship are flexible but will average 20 hours / week with a max of 1,040 hours. The position is a student hourly position/internship and does NOT include any benefits or tuition reimbursement. The Plastic-Free Schools Intern will report directly to the Wisconsin Sea Grant Social Science Outreach Specialist. 

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute is committed to supporting and training students of all identities and backgrounds who are interested in exploring and/or pursuing science or communication careers. We strongly encourage applicants who are interested in Great Lakes environmental, social and economic career pathways and particularly students who are from groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences, including: African-American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic and Latino/a/x, female, first-generation college students, veterans, LGBTQ+, and students with disabilities. The program is also open to college students who have experienced and worked to overcome educational or economic disadvantages, and/or who have personal or family circumstances that may complicate their career path. 

How to Apply 

Please submit a one-page resume and cover letter explaining your background and why you are interested in the position to Dr. Deidre Peroff at dmperoff@aqua.wisc.edu and :cc Leah Holloway leah@milwaukeeriverkeeper.org with the subject line “Plastic-Free Schools Intern.” If you need assistance compiling a resume and/or cover letter, we encourage you to reach out to your faculty advisor or consult online resources. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed beginning September 29, 2023.