Meet Jaidyn Kee, a key member of the Alice Ferguson Foundation team! Jaidyn is a 2023-2024 Chesapeake Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps member spending the school year with us at the Foundation. She brightens your day when you see her and is always ready to take on any challenge. We’re excited for you to know Jaidyn in our Staff Spotlight series.
This past summer we welcomed Jaidyn Kee to our team. As a member of the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps, Jaidyn supports our programs team with projects such as outreach to schools throughout the region, refreshing the Children’s Garden, and revamping parts of the Foundation’s website. She also assists with various administrative, development, and facilities-related tasks when needed.
Jaidyn was searching for internships related to environmental causes when she applied for this opportunity through the Chesapeake Bay Trust. After the application submission and initial round of interviews, the Foundation reached out to Jaidyn to join us at Hard Bargain Farm.
“I am appreciative to find a space so welcoming and accepting of who I am,” shared Kee. “The past few months have given me an insight into the behind-the-scenes of nonprofits and how this area of work could lead to a future career.”
During her time at Hard Bargain Farm so far, Jaidyn has found herself connecting with her inner child, expanding her knowledge, and exploring the natural world surrounding her Washington, DC home.
“I’m in a season of growth in life right now, and this is the best place for me to be,” said Kee.
Jaidyn’s favorite spots around the property include enjoying a nice walk along the winding ravine road and spending time in the Children’s Garden.
One of Jaidyn’s main focuses here has been to rejuvenate the Children’s Garden by making a clear plan for how it should be utilized with programs and the community. Most of last fall she spent weeding and while we are waiting for spring, Jaidyn is working with our educators on a planting schedule to bring the garden back to life. Once the spring planting is complete, Jaidyn will assist with the care and upkeep of the gradient through the duration of her Corps experience, ending in August.
“Thinking back to when I first got here and now seeing the hard work I’ve put into this space was really a confidence boost because I cultivated that,” said Kee. “There’s more progress to be made, but what we have already done is very rewarding.”
In her recent interview, Jaidyn shared that it’s important to educate others about the environment because climate change is real and there’s a big disconnect across generations. Teaching students how they can help our Earth and make a difference is crucial for our future.
“I’ve seen it with my own two eyes,” shared Jaidyn. “From the time I was a young child, it was snowing and we made so many snow angels. Fast forward to present day, it’s January and we are lucky to see snow at all. It’s concerning.”
In her free time, Jaidyn enjoys chatting with her cat, Jules, walking her dogs, Zyna and Yogie, hiking nearby trails, and her new hobby, rock climbing. She also loves watching movies and is a pop culture guru – describing herself as an “all-around Gen-Z’er.”
Jaidyn plans to finish her degree in pre-radiology at the College of Southern Maryland and attend Prince George’s Community College to continue her studies to become a radiologist. After college, Jaidyn wants to travel the states in an RV while caring for others as a contracted travel radiologist.
Jaidyn’s advice for future Corps members is: “Have an open mind and be ready to make connections with everyone you meet. There are opportunities I would have never known about if I had not become a member of the Corps.” You can learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps here.
Thank you so much Jaidyn for being an integral part of our team this year!