Andrea Zanatta
I participated in the AmeriCorps Stream Team program from September 2006 – August 2007 in the Kansas City area. Prior to this, I received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in May 2006 and have always had a great interest in taking care of the environment. My full-time position was split between Stream Team and local nonprofits, Blue River Watershed Association and Kansas City WildLands.
As a Stream Team assistant, I made welcome phone calls to new Teams and assisted Teams in the Clay, Platte and Jackson Counties. I also worked with teams who had already established organizations and projects, such as Missouri River Relief, Little Blue River Watershed Coalition and South Grand River Watershed Alliance. With Blue River Watershed Association, I assisted with stewardship and education activities such as an annual metro-wide student litter pick-up and the T.R.U.E. Blue Program which gets students out into the creeks to learn about and test the quality of water. With Kansas City WildLands, I assisted in workdays that involved removing invasive species such as honeysuckle, planting native plants and educating citizens in order to restore and manage original landscapes of the KC area.
My year as an AmeriCorps assistant has not only given me the opportunity to be involved in some great stewardship projects and learn about water quality, but also has given me the opportunity to meet some individuals in the community who have inspired me by the way they are making a difference in the water quality of Kansas City. As a result of my AmeriCorps experience, I hope to continue work in water quality in the KC area. It is a possibility that I may stay on board with one of the nonprofits for a part-time position, but for now I am patiently waiting as well as keeping an eye out for other openings in Kansas City or the surrounding communities