environmental education

Environmental Education & Outreach

Environmental education has always been at the center of my teaching philosophy and has guided my career and my own education. I believe that all students have the right to be exposed to the natural world in a safe, positive learning environment. I went into teaching because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of my students, but also because I wanted to instill in them a sense of stewardship and a connection to the natural world.  I have seen positive transformations in so many students over the years from the passion they have developed for conservation and environmental protection, and the confidence that they have gained through designing and executing their own scientific experiments and projects. I facilitated a wide range of student-led experiential learning projects and citizen/community science projects including:

• Nature trail and outdoor classroom design and build

• National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat

• National Wildlife Federation Certified Pollinator Habitat in partnership with Dropseed Native Plant Nursery

• North American Butterfly Association Certified Monarch Garden and Certified Butterfly Garden

• Bird-watching Program

• Vegetable and Fruit Gardens

• Stream studies, water quality testing, macroinvertebrate sampling

• Air quality/pollution monitoring

• Tree canopy and urban heat island effect studies, environmental justice studies

• Meadow, riparian, and forest habitat restoration projects

• Biodiversity surveys, botanical surveys

• Invasive species removal projects

• Student-led projects (bird blind design and build, bird house builds, recycling program, classroom grow station)

• Engineering and design of 3D printing projects

• Clean energy engineering projects

• Native plant landscape design projects, rain gardens

• LEED-certified sustainable affordable housing design projects

Community Science Program Participation: 

• Audubon Society’s Bird Census Program - collect and report biodiversity data of bird species

• Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count - collect and report migratory bird data

• Cornell FeederWatch Program - collect and report biodiversity data of bird species

• Monarch Watch Tagging Program - tag Monarch butterflies and collect data on their migration

• GO3 Project - global air quality monitoring

• AQTreks - global air quality monitoring

• EarthEcho Water Challenge -  global water quality monitoring

• Student-led community science projects

I was so inspired by the work that I have done over the years with a team of dedicated teachers and thousands of students, that I went back to school myself to deepen my understanding of the natural world and the scientific process. I completed a Master of Science degree in Biology focused on Plant Ecology. I examined the same relationships that we saw in our environmental education projects - the importance of biodiversity and native plants in ecosystems, problems caused by invasive species, the environmental impacts of these relationships, and their effects on human health. I aligned my studies with education and outreach practices, focusing on ways to integrate standards-based lessons into real-world experiences through STEM outreach and community science projects. I went on to enroll in a Doctoral program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavioral Biology focused on Plant Community Ecology, and have continued to teach and mentor the next generation of environmental scholars and leaders.