Green Iowa AmeriCorps has several high school students serving across the state of Iowa, and Caroline Mascardo has interviewed and put together profiles for all 7 Members. Today, we are meeting the interviewer themself, Caroline Mascardo, a Sustainable Schools Member serving with the Clear Creek Amana School District.
Caroline Mascardo is a rising senior at Iowa City West High School. After hearing about Green Iowa AmeriCorps Sustainable Schools in both their French and AP Environmental Science classes, they readily applied as a summer member in the Clear Creek Amana School District (CCASD) in Tiffin, Iowa where they will serve until school resumes in August.
“French and environmental science are both subjects that I enjoy, so hearing about this opportunity with Sustainable Schools from both of these avenues made me interested in applying,” Caroline said.
During the application process, Caroline was most fascinated by the level of independence the summer member role provided.
“As I interviewed for my current position, I became more excited about it because of the creative freedom; I can pursue French translation, graphic design and sustainability initiatives for the purpose of one job,” they said. “Green Iowa AmeriCorps is driven by members’ specific passions, which I think makes the program very successful.”
The CCASD is much smaller than the Iowa City Community School District that Caroline attends. While some may see this as a potential barrier to their work with Green Iowa AmeriCorps, Caroline sees it as a benefit.
“Coming from a much larger school district, I appreciate the CCASD’s tight-knit community,” they said. “Everyone seems to know everyone, and that helps when building relationships and pursuing projects to further increase the district’s sense of community.”
Although they plan to study international relations with a focus on environmental policy after high school, Caroline hopes to bring their current and future interests to their work with Green Iowa AmeriCorps this summer.
“I most look forward to improving my graphic design and French translation skills throughout my term,” Caroline said. “I am also excited to forge new relationships with people in the CCASD, whether students, teachers, administrators, parents or other people living in the Tiffin area.”
Fin.