Jonah Haase, 31, of Beaver Dam, has been accepted into the Peace Corps.
Haase left for Panama on Wednesday to begin pre-service training as a sustainable agriculture Peace Corps Volunteer. Upon graduation from Volunteer training in July, Haase will be training indigenous farmers in the jungle to use sustainable farming methods and develop international markets for their crops.
Haase is the son of Steve and Marcia Haase, and a graduate of Beaver Dam High School. He then attended the University of Wisconsin Madison, where he earned a bachelor's in economics and Spanish, graduating in 2008. Haase previously worked in Ecuador as the operations manager of the capital's emergency response center. He also taught English to the natives in Ecuador and helped manage a homeless shelter for the indigenous poor.
"The duty of all Americans is to step out of their comfort zones and strive to be better, whether this is through military service, civil service, or local volunteering. Joining the Peace Corps is my method of fulfilling this duty," said Haase.
During the first three months of his service, Haase will live with a host family in Panama to become fully immersed in the country's language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary to assist his community, Haase will serve for two years in Panama, living in a manner similar to people in his host country.
Haase joins the 255 Wisconsin residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 5,345 Wisconsin residents have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.