Student Educators
Partner Coordinators
In providing Student Educator positions, our goal is to increase access to environmental education and green spaces to people who have historically been excluded. We prioritize community partnerships with organizations providing enrichment services to youth and families from culturally diverse backgrounds.
We want to provide monetary compensation for youths’ time, support and training in the ecological story of salmon, hands-on leadership experience, and references and support for resumes or college applications. Our organization feels that this is a meaningful way to support local youth, provide mentorship and leadership opportunities, and teach youth that there are meaningful job opportunities in conservation, ecology and education.
It is our hope to use the Student Educator program to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Interested in getting involved as a partner organization? Please learn more about our program below and fill out the interest form at the bottom of the page.
Our Intentions and Goals
Student Educator positions offer:
- Leadership experience
- Mentorship and career development
- Training in outdoor environmental education
We focus on working with youth and young professionals from culturally diverse backgrounds, increasing access to green spaces, and creating future career pathways in conservation, ecology, and education.
Our Goals:
- Foster inclusive access to environmental education
- Provide mentorship, leadership, and career skills
- Train students in outdoor ecological education
- Inspire stewardship and leadership
- Offer meaningful volunteer or paid opportunities
- Create welcoming and representative learning spaces
Student Educators
What Student Educators Do
- Teach at field trips (small group sizes, about 7 students per educator)
- Help at pop-up events (tabling, demos, info-sharing)
- Support classroom visits (hands-on activities and demos)
Expectations of Student Educators
- Attend two mandatory training sessions (held annually in September)
- Work with their group coordinator to attend at least one field trip
- Minimum commitment: 15 hours (trainings + field trip)
- Opportunity to do more trips if interested!
What Student Educators Receive
- Full training and support in ecology, education, and safety
- Opportunity for one-on-one mentorship with Salmon Watch staff
- Experience in leadership, teaching, STEM, and career building
- Travel support (currently mileage reimbursement)
- Resume building, professional references, and networking opportunities
- Fun experiences outdoors!
Expectations of Partner Coordinators
- Recruit 5–10 youth interested in participating (high schoolers and recent grads are ideal)
- Serve as main contact for youth (WSC staff won’t contact students directly unless necessary)
- Share a student roster with Salmon Watch one week before trainings/trips
- Ensure at least one staff member attends trainings and field trips with youth
- Help arrange travel (carpooling, mileage reimbursement, rentals, etc.)
- Support youth by minimizing travel barriers
- Help youth plan for meals (we provide breakfast snacks at training; youth bring lunch)
- Field trip/training locations are about 1 hour from Portland
- Partner organizations are asked to provide some support (staff time, mileage, or other match)
Current Partners
Are you interested in becoming a student educator? Fill out the form below.
