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Women of Distinction

Penny Bauder

HELPING TO SAVE THE PLANET

By Judith A. Habert

Photos courtesy of Penny Bauder

company that has, to date, sent
out over 2 million packages to
kids all around the world since
their launch in 2009.
“The mission of the
company is to create a genera-
tion of environmental lead-
ers through these hands-on
STEAM (science, technology,
engineering, arts, and math)
activity kits. We send out a dif-
ferent themed box each month.
For example, our summer box-
es include Rainforest Science,
Desert Science, Amphibians,
Save our Oceans, and The Hu-
man Body Lab. This is a way
of introducing kids to these
concepts. I really care about
the state of our environment,
and it is the goal of Green Kid
Crafts to pass the torch on to
the next generation of creative
leaders through our kits.”
enny Bauder was born as a Park Ranger. I’ve worked Penny’s job was full of The mission statement of
and raised in the tiny in a number of different parks adventure; she even dealt with Green Kid Crafts is “Helping
Plittle town of Zeeland, throughout the US, finally charging bears. When she got to raise tomorrow’s leaders,
Michigan, located in Southwest settling in Alaska. pregnant with her first child, artists, scientists, designers,
Michigan. “It’s a town of corn- She stayed in Alaska for 11 she knew it was time to change and engineers.”
fields with a church on every years and earned her Master’s careers. “Although I left my Green Kid Crafts provides
corner. Most of the people Degree while there. “I loved Park Ranger job, I still had the kits based on age. The boxes
there were Dutch and German. it in Alaska. You spend a lot drive to make a difference, to are created specifically to meet
Most people never leave the of time outside, and there is do something environmen- the intellect and agility of chil-
area. I have a huge extended a great sense of community. tally positive.” This was when dren of different ages. There
family that still lives there. I We all go through the dark- Penny founded Green Kid is a box for 2-4-year-olds, one
am the oldest of 60 grandkids, ness and the cold together. Crafts (https://www.GreenKid- for ages 2-10+, and a sibling
and the only person actually Most people who live there Crafts/). “I tested my idea to box that contains two kits in
to leave the area, let alone the are adventurers. At that time, send out craft kits and science each box so siblings of varying
state.” I was working for the National kits for my friends and family ages can enjoy age-appropriate
Penny left home at 18 and Park Service, and I was flying once a month. This is how the projects together.
never really looked back. Her planes to different parks all business began, and it evolved As Green Kid Crafts grew,
career took an exciting direc- over the area. I was working as from there.” Penny knew she couldn’t
tion, “After I earned my degree a biologist on the same team Penny’s company grew handle it all by herself if she
in environmental management, of field scientists as my future from an idea that was being wanted to provide an excellent
I obtained a position working husband, Jeff” sent out to kids she knew, to a product. “I had to learn how

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