Terrain V01 - Journal - Page 31
Sterling College | 29
Community Care
Written By
Julian Sharp, Outgoing Director
of Community Outreach
The communities in which Sterling exists in and learns from are at the heart of
the student experience. Our experiential
nature means that the greater community is not only a laboratory for learning,
but is inextricably linked to our collective wellbeing. Community-centric and
project-based learning opportunities are
educationally effective, contribute to the
common good, enrich personal development, build relationships, and result in
work-ready graduates with significant
real-world experience.
For those learning alongside Farley
Brown, faculty in Ecology, they are a part
of a long lineage of students who for decades have designed and implemented
community centered ecological restoration projects along the Black River in
Craftsbury, Vermont. Student-collected
data and conservation implementation
has contributed to the important work of
others such as the Craftsbury Conservation Commission, the US Department
of Fish and Wildlife, conservation districts, and Vermont Coverts: Woodlands
for Wildlife.
In Henry County, Kentucky—the site
of the Wendell Berry Farming Program
(WBFP)—students and faculty in their
first two years have already initiated
planning efforts with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to enhance riparian function and
showcase agricultural approaches that
conserve soil and water resources. Last
year, WBFP students and faculty provided public testimony regarding the
transport of “sludge” from a food processing plant in Oldham County for disposal in Henry County. Their testimonies
addressed a host of concerns including
social aspects of the community and
physical impacts on a critical watershed.
These opportunities to engage with
the community help students find their
voices and thus move forward the College’s ten year strategic initiative which
uses education as a force to address the
various eco-social crises at play. As our
country grapples with the realities of
racial injustice and other forms of oppression, our local communities are no
exception. Sterling staff, students, and
faculty have been involved in pushing for
change at the local level to encourage a
more welcoming place for people of all
backgrounds and identities. This work
happens with our neighbors through
Craftsbury’s town equity initiative and
the National Association of Black Veterans (NABVETS) in Henry County. The
College’s ongoing Abenaki-Dawnland
Heritage Garden project in Craftsbury
continues to generate relationships with
Abenaki tribal partners and contributes
to state and region-wide seed conservation efforts that further contribute to
research and outreach projects focused
on the intersection of climate resilience
and local food and seed sovereignty.
Food sovereignty and access are challenges that impact our communities in
both Vermont and Kentucky. Economic
inequality has created a dire food security issue that the pandemic only exacerbated. In Vermont, students volunteered
with our local food pantry to cook meals
and distribute food on a weekly basis and the student-run CSA increased
its capacity to provide free or low-cost
shares. The WBFP currently provides
labor and other support to Our Home
Place Meat, an initiative of The Berry
Center, whose mission is “to offer excep-
tional meat to customers, ensure stable
income for small family farmers through
good farming practices and a cooperative culture, and continue the legacy of
Wendell Berry’s agrarian vision.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Our
Home Place Meats provided in excess of
$40,000 of high quality beef to low income families, local schools, and communities in West Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite all the challenges we face, Sterling recognizes the importance of socializing and celebrating and working
together. This happens through the annual Pancake Breakfast on Town Meeting Day, gathering with the Center for
an Agricultural Economy to bake pies
to benefit Pies for the People, donating Sterling technology to enable virtual Craftsbury Select Board meetings
during the pandemic, and participating
in the Henry County Harvest Showcase
that brings people together to celebrate
a rich agricultural heritage.
Thank You
Julian
Julian Sharp has represented Sterling well on numerous
boards and committees in the
greater Craftsbury area, served
on the College’s Equity Council,
been a member of the faculty,
and hosted more community
events than can be counted.
Thank you for being a part of
Sterling and best wishes in your
future endeavors.