June 18, 2024 | By Emilie Jacques
New position at Copper Shores to lead Farm to School efforts
Copper Shores is thrilled to announce the addition of Karyn Juntunen to the team. She is the Farm to School Coordinator, a brand new position at Copper Shores. Farm to School programming is now in its beginning stages, and Juntunen has been tasked to further develop.
“We originally received a $150,000 grant through the Michigan Health Endowment Fund,” said Meghan Jaszczak, Copper Shores community health educator. “We matched the grant to leverage the money to go further, with a focus on administrative level conversations surrounding Farm to School in our region.”
With funding secured and the planning phase under way, Jaszczak began to meet with school administrators to discuss their vision and assess boundaries and needs. Despite different goals from each school, one unifying need was clear.
“It actually stemmed from the school administration,” said Meghan Jaszczak, Copper Shores community health educator. “I had many conversations with them on what their needs were and how each school could get closer to their goals. They overwhelmingly said staffed support.”
Before working for Copper Shores, Juntunen spent more than 25 years teaching at Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD). During her time at CCISD, Juntunen became the leading advocate for the greenhouse program after being gifted the old Copper Country Mental Health greenhouse. Through gardening in the greenhouse and working the annual greenhouse fundraiser, the adults that Juntunen worked with were able to develop new skills and gain confidence in themselves. The greenhouse eventually was moved to the CCISD’s Hancock campus through a grant by Copper Shores that Juntunen spearheaded.
“I was taught how to grow plants by my paraprofessional,” said Juntunen. “She taught me how to grow them under lights in the classroom. My husband, CTE volunteers and I rebuilt the greenhouse on the ISD grounds and I started using it for all the students and became the coordinator. If she had not taught me how to plant a seed, I would not be sitting here.”
Juntunen will be working with three area schools: Adams Township Schools - 5th and 6th grade, Houghton Portage Township Schools - kindergarten and 1st grade and Stanton Township Public Schools, 3rd and 4th grade. Juntunen will be organizing Farm to School resources and working with school administrators and staff to identify which resources meet their needs. In the fall, Juntunen will use her teaching experience for gardening demonstrations, hands-on learning and more.
To learn more about Farm to School work by Copper Shores and the support for local food systems, visit coppershores.org/food-initiative.
