Environmental Engagement Workshop Series – spp.agencypartnerinteractive.com

By Joslyn Rose Trivett and Erica Benoit, SPP at Evergreen
Photos by Joslyn Rose Trivett.

A Pacific red octopus uncurls its tentacles as it swims back in forth in front of the class at Mission Creek Corrections Center (MCCCW).

One of the best things that we have been a part of in 2020 was the launch of our workshop series at Mission Creek Corrections Center (MCCCW). Hard to believe it was only a month ago — life is so different today than it was then. Our main focus has to be responding and adapting to the COVID 19 crisis, and still it’s important to let ourselves focus on the good and the positive. For the sake of our partners in prison, we want to continue share some of the magic of nature and environmental education inside of prisons and the partners who make it possible. These programs are so valuable and important to us; we can’t wait to continue to support them inside prison as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Here are some of our favorite images from the first SPP Environmental Workshop at MCCCW, Octopus Intelligence. Rus Higley and Joanne Park of the Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center at Highline College facilitated an excellent session. Of course the real star of the show was the juvenile Pacific red octopus (the same species but a different individual than the one who visited a 2016 workshop at Stafford Creek…the MaST Center releases an octopus back to the wild when its behavior suggests that it is ready to go.)

Christina Flesner studies the octopus…while it studies her back! Can’t know for sure, but Rus Higley made a compelling case for high levels of octopus awareness and smarts.

MCCCW’s Lieutenant visits with the octopus. She has been a solid supporter of other SPP programs at MCCCW as well.

Jasmine Sabourin visits with the octopus. Several viewers showed similar happiness in the octopus’ presence.

Two officers stayed for the workshop and appeared to enjoy and appreciate the session as much as the incarcerated students.

Students’ questions were one of the best parts of the workshop. Some of the topics they asked about were how octopuses are affected by pollution (a lot), whether it’s possible to tag and track them (possible and really tricky), whether females can opt-out of reproduction, which is a mortal act (probably not), and the quality of life for octopuses in captivity at the lab.

The second workshop in the series took place only a week later and featured some local predator birds (an owl and a turkey vulture). Although the workshop series is currently on hold at all 3 facilities, we’re looking forward to continuing the series as soon as we can. Once it’s safe to do so, partners plan for the MCCCW series to reoccur on the first Friday of every month.

Hope all of our partners are staying well and safe. We are thinking of you more than ever.

Text and photos by Erica Benoit, SPP Environmental Workshop Series Coordinator

In July, incarcerated students at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center had the unique opportunity to participate in a screen-printing workshop through the SPP Workshop Series. Emily Adams of the Evergreen State College graciously offered two separate workshops so that a greater number of students could participate. Emily gave an introductory lecture on the history and process of screen-printing and then the students had about an hour to create their own prints.

Emily Adams describes the history of screen-printing in a classroom at Stafford Creek Corrections Center.

For inspiration, students had a variety of high quality images taken from SPP’s various programs to choose from as the subject of their screen prints. In some cases, the students practiced the skill of grid drawing while others relied on quick tracings due to limited time.

Once they had a drawing in hand, Emily put the drawing through a Thermo Fax Machine to create a “screen,” which each student ran ink through to create the final product. The image below illustrates this process, as one student uses a squeegee to push yellow-orange ink through his screen. For the first workshop, students were pressed for time, but almost everyone was able to complete a print before the session ended.

Emily and I worked through a few logistical challenges to make the second workshop an even greater success. Most of the students in the class were able to leave the workshop with two or more different prints. We hope you enjoy some of the great prints the students created, posted below.

Workshop student Colton Green happily shows off his first screen prints!

Text and photos by Erica Benoit, SPP Environmental Workshop Series Coordinator

Note: please be aware that at least one individual featured in this story and in these images has victims who are concerned about re-victimization; any sharing or promoting of images should keep that risk in mind.

The composting program started by two incarcerated men at the Monroe Correctional Complex (MCC) has fascinated many visitors and sparked international interest. Workshop students at the Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) were no less eager to hear about this program directly from one of the founders: Rory Brown. Rory is currently incarcerated at SCCC, where he is a regular at the workshop series. In May, Rory got his first chance to stand up in front of the men he usually sits alongside. His compost program origin story was one of determination and resourcefulness.

Rory recounted how he and his counterpart, Nick Hacheney, identified food waste as an issue at MCC. With staff support and no funding, they began to scrounge up discarded materials to create worm bins. After some trial and error, they were successful; from almost nothing, they created a system that limited the facility’s food waste. The program has continued to grow over the last 9 years and is now able to process 20,000 lbs. of food waste every month.

Along with his personal anecdotes, Rory brought an excellent demonstration that showed how worms break down organic materials and shredded paper to create high-quality fertilizer that can be used in gardens. He also passed around worm castings and the finished compost product for all students to examine.

The session was co-presented by Joslyn Rose Trivett. She provided an overview of SPP’s three spheres of sustainability as well as updates on MCC’s composting program since Rory left the facility in 2014. The current compost technicians at MCC also made an appearance through a video filmed at the facility back in January. In it, they talked through the process of composting with worms, as well as their most recent endeavors with other kinds of bugs that process food waste: Bokashi and black soldier flies.

The workshop concluded with an inspiring TEDx Talk by Nick Hacheney. One workshop student enthusiastically told us that the video should be required viewing at all prisons; it demonstrates that incarcerated individuals have the power to create sustainability.

Text and photos by Erica Benoit, SPP Environmental Workshop Series Coordinator

More than 70 students filled the workshop classroom at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) in Gig Harbor to engage with Professor of Landscape Architecture Daniel Winterbottom and his students from the University of Washington (UW) College of Built Environments. The students enthusiastically presented six proposals for a re-envisioned prison landscape, one that offers many ecological, psychological and emotional wellness.

Professor Winterbottom first came to WCCW early in 2016, along with Dr. Barb Toews of UW-Tacoma. Both academics saw potential for building restorative landscapes at the prison, for the benefit of both incarcerated individuals and prison staff. They also found willing partners among WCCW’s leadership, particularly Associate Superintendent Felice Davis, Facilities Manager Rod Coberly, and Superintendent Jo Wofford. Even so, it took three years of persistence before Professor Winterbottom had the go-ahead to make the prison the topic of his Therapeutic Master Plan Studio class.

Last month, he and his students presented their recommendations to WCCW’s leadership, which were met with further support and enthusiasm. The next step was to get feedback from the incarcerated individuals, the folks who might be most affected by the potential project. Luckily, there was an opening in the workshop series calendar, creating the perfect opportunity to bring everyone together!

The student groups, with architecture models and posters in hand, presented projects focused on designing a nurturing and healing environment as an exercise of rethinking the landscape of incarceration.

They proposed creating places that stimulate the senses, and that offer both respite and engagement through the garden. Each proposal offered different approaches and methods, but all were intended to create a more humane place for both residents and staff.

Workshop students were especially respectful of the time and effort the UW students put into their projects, and their comments and questions reflected that appreciation.

Overall, workshop students were engaged and excited to hear about the potential to transform their built living environment.

Text and photos by Erica Benoit, SPP Environmental Workshop Series Coordinator

Over the last two months, representatives from Wolf Haven International, a frequent partner in the SPP Workshop Series, led workshops about wolves of Washington at both the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) in Gig Harbor and Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) in Aberdeen. Both workshops were well attended at both facilities, and students were fully engaged, thanks to the great presentation skills of Wolf Haven staff members Chris Montero and Cindy Irwin.

Their presentations touched on the ecological importance of wolves, behavior of wolves and their packs, historical and current conflict between humans and wolves, as well as recovery efforts to reestablish wolf populations in Washington. Chris and Cindy showcased compelling videos of the wolves residing at Wolf Haven’s sanctuary, life-size cutouts of a wolf and a coyote, skull replicas, and plenty of brochures and bookmarks for the students to take with them!

Wolves are commonly confused with coyotes, which are much less afraid of humans and are responsible for most of humans’ fear of wolves! These life-size cutouts were used to explain the difference coyotes and wolves.

Chris Montero, Outreach Coordinator at Wolf Haven, enthusiastically presented to students at WCCW on October 2nd, 2018. From his ability to connect with the students, you can tell he’s done this before!

Cindy Irwin, Wolf Haven’s Director of Education and Volunteer Services, joined Chris at the workshop at SCCC on November 15th, 2018.

Chris was especially knowledgeable about wolf behavior. One student at SCCC noted: “Very informative. I’m amazed by the behavioral similarities that wolves and humans share.”

Students at SCCC were excited to hear about the opportunity for public tours at the Wolf Haven sanctuary in Tenino, Washington.

Students at WCCW asked so many wonderful questions, and related what they were learning to their lives! One student shared in writing”: “Loved this lecture! I am from Rainier, which is right by Tenino, and have been by Wolf Haven many times. I am looking forward to actually visiting it – so fascinating!”

by Joslyn Rose Trivett, SPP Outreach and Education Manager, and Erin Lynam, SPP Workshop Series Coordinator

Max Calloway is a Master of Environmental Studies candidate at Evergreen. Here he describes different types of native kelp to incarcerated students and staff at Washington Corrections Center. Photo by Erin Lynam.

On April 23rd, Washington Corrections Center (WCC) hosted their first workshop of SPP’s Environmental Engagement Workshop Series. This is our second try expanding the program to Shelton, but we expect it to stick this time! Staff supporting the program at WCC and Evergreen know better how to make it work, and everybody is on board with making it so.

A student talks with Max about about what impact climate change has had on local kelp. Photo by Erin Lynam.

We were lucky to re-launch the series with a veteran presenter: Max Calloway studies kelp in the Salish Sea, and he is a compelling and accessible expert. WCC Superintendent Dan White said, “The presenter was EXCELLENT! I learned some very interesting things today.”

The event was well-attended, with 27 incarcerated students and 14 corrections staff giving their attention to the topic. All present were fully engaged and the topic questions and discussions were lively and insightful.

We are grateful for Jeffry Sanders, Dean Mason, Jenn Bullard, and the Superintendent—they are great folks to work with. We know that their enthusiasm and dedication to programming will make this program an ongoing success.

Correction Specialist Jeff Sanders has only recently taken on the role of overseeing sustainability programs for the institution, and he is off to a promising start. He left the workshop with, “Thanks for all that came, and we look forward to next months’ workshop!”

Tag: Environmental Engagement Workshop Series

Join Our Newsletter

QUICK LINKS

PROGRAMS

PEOPLE AND PARTNERS

RESOURCES

PRESS & GALLERIES

A partnership founded by