Through a partnership with MNSU's Nutrition and Dietetics Program LEC is excited to announce that we have three interns working with us this summer! Jeana and Jean are working with Program Manager Cora helping with our Seed to Sauce Program They are working hands-on with the students during Seed to Sauce classes and also behind the scenes to develop nutrition curriculum for the program. Rukayah is working out at the Community Farm with Farm Manager SkyAnne. She is helping manage the Seed to Sauce plants growing out at the Farm as well as with general farm operations.
Meet the LEC Interns:
Jeana: I am originally from Atwater, Minnesota and will be starting my Masters in Dietetics this coming fall semester. I am enjoying learning about how to grow different plants and flowers right along with the kiddos we have seen so far this summer, as well as being a helping hand for Cora and the other Living Earth Center staff. It is fun to incorporate different nutrition aspects into the lesson plans for this summer as no one is ever too young to start learning about the importance of nutrition to fuel, grow, and energize your body!
I am surprised at how much I am learning myself! It truly is easier than I thought to grow your own healthy food and beautiful flowers. I am excited to contribute my knowledge of nutrition with the staff and kids here at the Living Earth Center. It will be fun to put my skills to use and share the power of nutrition with as many people as I can. I am thrilled to have that opportunity here this summer.
Jean: I’m a senior at MNSU and my major is Dietetics. My hometown is St. Louis Park. So far, I enjoy being outside and getting my hands dirty in the garden. I really enjoy working with kids of various ages and seeing their excitement learning about plants. It’s so fun how many different things we get to grow in the garden. I look forward to eating and being able to share my knowledge about how the food we grew fuels our bodies. It has been fun getting to know the staff and the different parts that come together to make such a great community garden run. Working with Cora is great because she is so knowledgeable about growing plants along with how to develop an educational program and I have learned a lot working with her.
I’m surprised how little I knew about gardening. I love learning more about how to grow the food we eat! I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing. Can’t wait to meet more people in the community!
Rukayah: I'm a Master’s student in Nutrition & Dietetics at MNSU my hometown is Seattle, WA. I really enjoy being involved in the farm work and actively participating in tasks like weeding and planting plants. Engaging directly with the soil and seeing the plants grow helps me feel connected to the entire process. Breathing fresh air and connecting with the earth has been both refreshing and fulfilling. Overall, working at the farm has been grounding, physically rewarding, and mentally refreshing.
Before this experience, I didn’t realize that community members could grow their own food outside of their private backyards. Seeing community gardens, such as those at the Living Earth Center, shows how accessible and empowering shared growing spaces can be. Through my time working at the Living Earth Center Farm, I’ve learned from local growers that it’s possible to grow culturally specific and international vegetables locally, especially those that can be difficult to find in stores. This experience has truly expanded my understanding of community-based food systems and the impact they can have on health, culture, and food security.
