Tag: Department of Corrections

Text by Emily Passarelli, SPP Program and Outreach Manager

Emily Passarelli, SPP Program and Outreach Manager. Photo by Aarudra Moudgalya.

Emily Passarelli is a native of Rantoul, a small rural village in East Central Illinois. Growing up in Rantoul, Emily was very active in her local community. She joined just about every community group or school club she could, but her main passion was acting in theatre. Emily participated in every one of her high school’s plays and musicals, and even arranged for an additional play to get an extra opportunity on stage her senior year. 

After high school, Emily went on to pursue her interest in theatre at Knox College in Galesburg, IL, but life had other plans for her. To earn a required science credit, Emily took Environmental Studies 101 and quickly realized she was exactly where she needed to be. This led her to become interested in how environmental issues disproportionately and consistently affect underrepresented populations. Emily then decided to double major in both Theatre and Environmental Studies.

After graduating from Knox in 2015, Emily began to pursue her Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree at The Evergreen State College. Before arriving in Olympia, Washington, Emily accepted a position as the Green Track Coordinator at The Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). In this position, she coordinated the Roots of Success program and was the first coordinator to work on the Beekeeping program. One of her favorite moments was helping plan the first Beekeeping Summit at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in 2017. She also appreciated the opportunity to visit 11 of 12 Washington State prisons, as well as McNeil Island, and experience the distinctly different cultures of each facility. SPP helped Emily find her passion for developing and maintain partnerships with some of the most interesting and passionate people she’s ever met!

Emily Passarelli gazes at Oregon Spotted frogs before they are released back to the pond. Photo by SPP staff.

While in MES, Emily studied subjects such as Traditional Ecological Restoration and Environmental Education, and researched how a major earthquake in the Pacific Northwest would affect different populations. Her time at SPP also inspired her to focus her graduate thesis on the lasting effects of environmental education on formerly incarcerated individuals. The results of this research showed even more evidence to support the transformative effect of environmental education in prisons.

Emily Passarelli and fellow MES Cohort members, Melanie Graeff and Liliana Caughman (also former SPP coordinator), at their graduation ceremony in 2017. Photo by Allison Diamond.

Once Emily completed her time at MES and SPP, she felt compelled to continue her work in corrections education however she could. Emily then took on the role of Education Program Coordinator at The Washington Corrections Center (WCC) through Centralia College. After two years working inside WCC in this role, Emily was promoted to Program Manager. She has loved the opportunity to work closely with DOC staff, custody, and leadership, support and expand all types of education for students, plan graduation events to celebrate student success, and work with the wonderful Education Department team at WCC. 

Emily Passarelli GED Testing at the Washington Corrections Center in 2020. Photo by Aundrea Lund.

After 3 years at WCC, Emily has now returned to the SPP team as the new Program and Outreach Manager. She’s still pinching herself to make sure she’s not dreaming! Emily is so grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to see what the future holds. In her free time, Emily loves spending time with her husband and sweet, shivery chihuahua.

Emily and her chihuahua Penny. Photo by Aarudra Moudgalya.

Text and Photos by Anna Duron, EVM Program Coordinator

EVM Technician Josh Hieronymus showing off microgreens ready to be sent back to the Stafford Creek Kitchen

Generally in the Emergent pre-Vegetated Mat (EVM) nursery, we grow native emergents, grass-like plants that are important for Oregon Spotted Frog habitat. These emergents, though, are dormant in the winter, which leaves the EVM empty of plants and things for us to do during the darker months. This year we decided to work on a new project: growing microgreens.

EVM Technician Josh Hieronymus training other incarcerated men how to harvest microgreens

Microgreens are nutritionally dense and have a mild, fresh taste similar to salad greens. They have a quick germination and growth rate, which makes them a perfect project for the few winter months we are free from growing emergent mats.

Just one of the many bins filled with microgreens after a day of harvest

This was a brand-new learning process for everyone. It gave the EVM program team the chance to learn how to grow edible plants, plus how to safely process and handle the greens. The microgreens grown out in the EVM are being put back into the kitchen at Stafford Creek Corrections Center for the incarcerated men to enjoy.

EVM Technician Joseph Oddo spin-dries microgreens so they can be packaged and sent to the kitchen.

We discovered that growing and harvesting of microgreens is a tedious process. Many steps and careful observations are needed for these tiny plants to succeed. 

Carl Elliott, SPP Ecological Conservation Nursery Manager, and Josh Hieronymus, EVM Technician, discuss the health of microgreen plants.

We harvest about every two weeks. With each harvest, we get approximately 15 pounds of greens — that’s about 16 gallons! These microgreens have been a great addition to the salad mixes in the SCCC  kitchen.

At the beginning of the project, EVM Technicians Joseph Oddo and Josh Hieronymus sowing microgreen seeds.
After sowing, we cover the mats with plastic to keep moisture in and ensure germination.
Josh Hieronymus and Scott sifting through harvested microgreens before they are sent to the kitchen

Blog post by Project Manager Jeff Muse:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ3Mt-8IjYE[/youtube]