Community Outreach Assistant II (Casa Grande, AZ) (On-Call) (Part-Time) (Multiple Positions)

The Pinal County Cooperative Extension is looking for two part-time, enthusiastic Community Outreach Assistants II for the Ag-Venture program, which is housed at the Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) in Maricopa and is part of our department in Casa Grande, AZ.

This position will work with promoting the Ag-Venture Ag-Literacy program, including instructing student participants in the program. The incumbent will set-up and take-down the classrooms at the Ag-Village learning sites, assist with developing educational materials, and work with evaluation and feedback for classroom presentations.

The Maricopa Agricultural Center (MAC) strives to be at the forefront of disciplinary field investigations, as well as develop, deliver and service the best integrated agricultural technologies. Home to the USDA ARS Arid Land Agricultural Research Center, MAC's main focus is on cotton, small grains, alfalfa, and new specialty crops that could be used to provide fibers, oils, pharmaceuticals, and other biological products.

Beyond research and development, MAC provides a community hub for Cooperative Extension and 4-H agricultural literacy programs including a hands-on Ag Ventures demonstration area available for school and group tours. The facility also provides a plant diagnostic lab, cactus garden, demo garden and orchard provided by the Master Gardener program.

This is an on-call position, and hours may fluctuate depending on workload.

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• Provide support for the instruction of students that participate in the MAC Farm Ag-Venture program by contributing to teaching the programs.
• Responsible for teaching assigned programs, such as a field trip or a class at a facility, and implementing the set curriculum for the program.
• Understand the existing curriculum and materials to effectively plan, deliver, and educate the program participants.
• Promote the of Ag-Venture Ag-Literacy program through community outreach.
• Assist with outreach at the library, recreation centers, or special events by working a table and handing out fliers to recruit teachers and parent. Provide information about the Cooperative Extension, and what the specific program offers.
• Go to assigned schools to hand out fliers on the programs, and answer questions on the programs.
• Provide classroom set up and take down of Ag-Village learning sites.
• Make sure the classrooms have water and cups, and set up the activities, including putting up flags, putting all materials for activities out, and setting up the trash cans.
• After the program is over clean the area up, put activity materials and trash cans away, and empty water container.
• As teachers and youths enter for the program do a count to get total number of participants.
• After completion of programs distribute evaluations to teachers and youths. May assist youth with reading the questions.
• Assist with development of educational materials for instruction by watching training videos with the team, and brainstorming as a group how to incorporate the information into the curriculum.
• Assist with transitioning the training materials to an early learning level, or to a more advanced learning level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Understanding of agriculture fundamentals, including food systems, plant science, and farm-to-table processes.
• Ability to maintain student engagement and order in a rotating, short-duration classroom setting.
• Capable of presenting hands-on, interactive lessons within tight time frames (e.g., 45 minutes).
• Ability to spark interest in agriculture through storytelling, visuals, and hands-on demonstrations.

Physical Requirements:

• Must
  be able to carry up to 50 lbs.

• High school diploma or high school diploma equivalency is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Experience working with youth, the public, and volunteers.
• Experience instructing small groups and facilitating hands-on demonstrations.