While Kira Stearnswas told early on by school counselors that she "didn't know what marine biology was," she did not let discouraging words stop her.
Today, she is a sea turtle educator at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center in Jekyll Island, Ga. Kira has her dream job, educating people about the loggerhead sea turtle and working to protect this endangered species.
Growing up in Rochester and loving the outdoors, Kira spent many days at Quarry Hill Nature Center, exploring with her family, attending summer day camp, and working as a teen camp assistant. She was also fortunate enough to travel around the globe.
On a family trip, Stearns visited the New England Aquarium and met Myrtle, a green sea turtle. "Something about the encounter with Myrtle led me to the path of sea turtle conservation I'm in today," she said.
Kira has kept up with Myrtle via the internet and is happy to report the turtle is still healthy and nearing 90 years of age!
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A 2001 John Marshall graduate, Kira earned a degree in biological science (with an emphasis in zoology) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2005. In 2008 she received her teaching license credentials from Winona State. She gained tremendous knowledge about education while working in schools in Rochester. Kira is particularly grateful to mentors Cheryl Moerteland Jan Lundat Century High School.
Kira's job is filled with variety. While she has the title "educator," some days she finds herself working in the turtle rehabilitation hospital, caring and feeding for turtles. She also occasionally "moonlights" as a sea turtle patroller with a research team at night during the nesting season.
"Flexibility is the name of the game with informal education because nature operates on its own time, but an educator still needs a plan," Kira said.
Whether she is writing curriculum, overseeing weeklong summer day camps, or coordinating special sea turtle events, Kira is happy working in her element.
"It may be exhausting with such variety and the long, crazy hours at times, but it's hard to consider it a job when I love going to work every day to teach about my favorite animal in the world," she said.
Kasson's got a 'Friend' in Pat
While library funding typically comes from local government, tax dollars don't usually cover all of the needs, which is why libraries need "friends." The Friends organization is comprised of volunteers working toward the common goal of advocating for libraries, organizing special events, and fundraising.
Friends of the Kasson Public Library recently announced the winner of the 2017 "Friend of the Year," Pat Baldwin. Pat embodies all that a Friends group strives to achieve.
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Baldwin, originally from Lawrence, Mass. (she firmly states, "No, I did not like the outcome of the Super Bowl."), moved to Rochester in 1979 when her husband, Duane, took a job at IBM. The couple settled in Mantorville in 1990.
She retired in December 2012 after 14 years in the stockroom at Target North. Shortly thereafter, Pat was asked to fill a vacancy on the Friends board as vice president, joining the organization in February 2013. She jumped in with gusto and within a year began serving as president of the Friends, a position she held from February 2014 through February 2017. During her tenure, she oversaw fundraising for the new Kasson Public Library by coordinating used book sales and enrolling the Friends in Amazon Smile, a program which donates to nonprofits. The end result: Baldwin presented the library with a check for $23,000.
The Kasson Public Library, now housed in a new building, was once located in an old post office. The building lacked the necessary space for present-day library needs, had limited storage, and only one bathroom for both staff and library patrons. The new library opened in August 2016.
Pat was instrumental in many aspects of the opening of the library. Whether she was painting walls, coordinating the relocation of books, DVDs, and CDs, or literally shelving books until 1:30 a.m., she pitched in so that the grand opening would take place as planned.
While Friend of the Year, Pat is no longer president of the board but remains an active volunteer with the library.
Naturally, someone so committed to libraries is also a book lover. Pat says, "I read most genres: thrillers, science fiction, history, biographies, but my favorite is mysteries. The only thing I don't read is romance."
