Kara Shemeth, class of 1998, found high school a time when she “grew into herself.” What a neat way of describing those growing years, when she played several sports, joined the National Honor Society, participated in band, and took many art classes. Following graduation, she attended Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire. It was a good experience: She continued to play soccer, met people who would become lifelong friends, and majored in international business.
After college, she applied to Americorps, a domestic Peace Corps run by the U.S. government. She had heard about this program as a sophomore at MVRHS when a former volunteer, MVRHS graduate Damien Harris, came into her Social Studies class to talk about Americorps and national service. Kara served for two years outside Boulder, Colo., primarily involved in wildland firefighting and conservation. She loved the work, and this began a deeper connection with the land and environment.
Upon returning to the Vineyard, she applied for a position in surveying at Schofield Barbini & Hoehn, and attained the necessary certifications allowing her to work there, which she did for the next 16 years. Then she was granted a Vision Fellowship (the M.V. Vision Fellowship is a nonprofit that “empowers promising Islanders who are committed to the environmental and social sustainability of Martha’s Vineyard”).
While working full-time, Kara completed a master’s in environmental management and policy online from American Public University. During this time, she met her husband, Tom, who had served with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua. They were kindred spirits who continue to be committed to community work as they raise their two young children on the Island.
Today, Kara is the conservation agent for the town of Edgartown. She sees this role as a means to serve and protect our Island community, but also to protect nature and the environment. I am so impressed at the number of our graduates dedicated to nature and environmental issues. Hopefully, we at MVRHS played some small part in their development. Thank you, Kara, for stepping up to this important role and in doing so, truly serving our island.
Marge Harris was a teacher at MVRHS for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month.
