Our member interview today features not one but TWO environmental educators, Michelle Goble and Tony Grubb of Floyd County Conservation District. These educators strive to help their fellow citizens conserve natural resources through many programs such as school presentations, soil sampling, tree camp, seed giveaways and more.
First let’s chat with Michelle Goble....
KAEE: What is your current role at Floyd County Conservation District?
Michelle: I am the Education Coordinator at FCCD. I also assist with the bookkeeping and administrative duties within our small organization.
KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you?
Michelle: I am currently working on expanding my preschool head start program. This program revolves around common story books, but I expand on them to include Kentucky wildlife and nature around us. I also enjoy updating and expanding on presentations that complement conservation.
KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field?
Michelle: I strive to bring joy and understanding of the environment that surrounds us to the children of Floyd County.
KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators?
Michelle: I feel that it is important to stay in contact with others in my field to gather new or updated ideas.
KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network?
Michelle: Don’t forget to reach out to your local homeschool groups. Most are very receptive to outside presenters.
KAEE: Share one fun fact or random tidbit about you would like to share with the group!
Michelle:I like raised bed gardening using the squarefoot method and I love raising and spoiling my Nigerian Dwarf goats.
Now let’s meet Tony Grubb... KAEE: Where do you work and what is your current role? Tony: I currently serve as the office manager, conservation technician, and maintenance specialist at Floyd County Conservation District. KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you? Tony: I enjoy the various programs that allow me to work one on one with landowners. I enjoy helping folks implement best management environmental/agricultural practices on their property (soil sampling, site visits, etc). I also enjoy working with the University of Kentucky educational programs such as community giveaways (vegetable seed, cover crop seed, fruit trees, etc.). KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field? Tony: I’d love to see our district ranked and considered one of the best educational programs within the Commonwealth of Kentucky among all the conservations districts. We have been able to incorporate an early childhood program for our preschoolers and head start students and wish to expand on this program every year. KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators? Tony: It would be very helpful to have a list with brief descriptions of the unique programs other members are implementing in their areas so that we could use them for ideas of ways to do similar programs in our region. KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network? Tony: We have been successful in our endeavors due to our many partners. You are not alone in this journey, and if you would like to discuss some of the things we do, please give us a call. Please also contact your preschool teachers and head start teachers to see if you can correlate your programs with their students. Getting the students to start thinking at an early age about EE is very important. KAEE: Share one fun fact or tidbit about yourself with the group! Tony: I recently enjoyed biking 34 miles of the Virginia Creeper trail in several hours.