How one retired engineer found her calling — and is now inspiring the next generation of conservation scientists.
What does a retired Lockheed Martin software engineer have in common with a boy scout planting pollinator gardens? For Jodi Morgan, SGI's Youth Outreach Coordinator, the answer is everything.
Jodi joined the Southeastern Grasslands Institute in January 2022, bringing with her a lifelong passion for butterflies that quietly guided her path — from butterfly-watching, to gardening, to native plants, and finally to the rich and often overlooked world of Southeastern Grasslands.
Photo from the Cherokee County Water & Sewage Authority Water Tower Competition. The students were simulating floods and droughts with string and the water jug from Project Wet.
That journey of discovery is exactly what Jodi hopes to spark in others. When she helped a local boy scout earn his Eagle Scout badge by designing and planting a pollinator garden, she saw something she couldn't unsee: a significant gap between young people and the native ecosystems right in their own backyards.
Jodi with adults at a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) night at Carmel Elementary School, before students arrived
Since then, she has made it her mission to close that gap. Through hands-on programs for youth in the Atlanta area, Jodi is working to inspire the next generation to explore plant biology, ecology, and conservation — making science feel as natural and wondrous as watching a butterfly land on a wildflower. Scroll down to see Jodi’s youth education events coming up in June, and follow along for updates on fall events where Jodi will be tabling and sharing with high school aged students about how to get involved with conservation and the importance of grasslands!
Upcoming events in Cherokee & Cobb Counties
Join Jodi and SGI this June for a range of free public programs. Something for every age and curiosity.
Jun 8 - Worms Adults
R.T. Jones Library
Jun 18 - Chickens Preschool
R.T. Jones Library · Morning
Jun 18 - Seed Distribution All ages
Kemp Library, Cobb · Afternoon
Jun 22 - The Incredible Journey: A Water Molecule's Story School Age
Hickory Flat Library
Jodi sitting in a chair reading at a preschool library program.
Jun 23 - Exploring Ecosystems All ages
North Cobb Library, Cobb
Jun 25 - Unearth A Story Preschool
Hickory Flat Library · Morning
Jun 25 - Bee Hotels All ages
West Cobb Library, Cobb · Afternoon
Jun 30 - Native Plants, Southeastern Grasslands & Pollinators Community
Milton Garden Club — Backyard Agriculture Education Station
Curious about what's growing near you? Check out SGI’s Events Calendar to learn more about the environment and our work across the Southeast: