Educator Spotlight: Julia Showalter

Julia Showalter, an instructor who teaches dendrology and environmental studies at Appalachian State University, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. 

In addition to teaching, Julia also leads outreach for the university’s biology department at community and school events. She says her favorite part of earning her certification was the workshops. “I loved doing the workshops! I really gained a lot by meeting other teachers, learning more about pedagogy related to outdoor education, and I had some wonderful experiences that taught me a lot about different parts of North Carolina.”

When asked about an experience that stood out to her, Julia says it was the Sea Turtle Ecological Adventure for teachers at Fort Fisher Recreation Area led by Gail Lemiec, the Unique Experiences Coordinator at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. “The workshop was an incredible experience that I will never forget. I feel so fortunate that I got to participate and learn so much about sea turtles -- shout out to Gail Lemiec! She was amazing!” 

For her community partnership project, Julia partnered with High Country Forest Wild, a forest school on 35 acres of forest near Jefferson NC, to create tree identification and programming for their students. “More kids from Forest Wild are now getting excited about tree ID.  There are several that have become very interested and are sharing their knowledge with their families and friends. They are now more confident with their trees and are sharing their knowledge as well.”

Julia says the program changed her approach to teaching others. “I am now much better at outreach. I do more hands-on activities, and I let the kids explore and come up with their own answers. I have also started nature journaling with our Costa Rica Tropical Forest Ecology course. This is a great way for students to have more time and a different and more meaningful interaction with different organisms and ecosystems that we see. For my dendrology class, I spend more time with them in groups and discussion and observation rather than lecturing to them. I really feel that it helped me grow in my outdoor teaching!”

She also says the program changed the way she thinks about environmental issues. “I learned a ton about forestry in the state. It was awesome to go to a plywood factory and to see various forest management practices, and I have directly incorporated some of the information into my course. I also learned more about sea turtles than I ever thought I could. The experiential learning really made the information stick too! The BEETLES course also really made an impression, and I have really tried to build that positive relationship between kids and the environment both with my own kids and with my students to improve connection to and stewardship of the environment.”

Melanie Buckingham Recognized for her Contribution to Environmental Education

Melanie Buckingham, Environmental Resources Librarian for the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library in Greensboro, was recently recognized by the Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) for her contributions to the field of environmental education. Melanie received the 2025 Outstanding Practitioner award which recognizes a member of EENC who works regularly as an environmental educator, lending their skills to the growing body of environmental education as a profession. It recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to EENC through statewide participation, leadership in their region, and being an advocate for high quality education through how they teach, live, and do.

Melanie is widely known in the environmental education community for transforming the Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Library into a hub for regional and statewide environmental education programming. Melanie offers programs for both the public and for educators who are seeking professional development opportunities. She is one of the top providers of credit experiences for the NC Environmental Education Certification program in the state and is one of just a few facilitators for the program's required--and rigorous--Methods of Teaching Environmental Education workshop. "Our program has more than 800 people actively seeking certification and rarely does a week go by that we don't receive several credit forms with Melanie's signature," notes Marty Wiggins, Program Consultant for the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. "Without her efforts, our program participants in the greater Triad area and beyond would have to travel much father and would have a difficult time finding quality experiences."

The environmental education programming is a natural fit for the library given its unique location on a 98-acre tract in Price Park. The site includes walking trails, a bird and butterfly meadow, a reading garden, ponds, and wetlands. The library collection has a wonderful selection of nature, gardening and environmental resources for children and adults.

A Certified NC Environmental Educator herself since 2000, Melanie is also a strong supporter of many of the state and national professional development workshops that provide training to teachers, nonformal educators and conservation outreach professionals, facilitating or coordinating many herself or in partnership with other local environmental educators. These workshops have included the Leopold Education Project, Wonders of Wetlands, Project WET, and various Air Quality workshops.

Project Learning Tree's state coordinator Renee Strnad says Melanie has facilitated more than 20 workshops, training over 250 educators across the state. "Melanie has always worked to provide PLT workshops that are tailored to her community and very few of her workshops are the same! She has led PLT workshops that are tied to children's literature books, worked with city planners to bring an urban spin to PLT workshop, and is currently engaged with Greensboro's Office of Sustainability and Resilience to lead a workshop based on the benefits of trees and the ecosystem services they provide. It is always fun when Melanie reaches out and says she has an idea for a workshop, and we work together to figure out what PLT materials will best suit her needs," says Strnad. 

Lisa Tolley, program manager for the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, has seen an increase in the interest in outdoor and nature programming from libraries. "At a time when libraries are finding new ways to be relevant for the audiences they serve, Melanie was one of the first leaders in this movement and continues to show how a library can serve an essential local and regional conservation and environmental education role, while still enhancing the experiences of its community patrons."

The Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch is a branch of the Greensboro Public Library, City of Greensboro, NC. 

The Environmental Educators of North Carolina is a nonprofit professional development organization that supports environmental education and educators across the state. They serve as the state affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education.

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification program is administered by the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, a state agency within the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. The Office encourages, supports and promotes environmental education programs, facilities and resources and equips educators with the skills and knowledge to improve environmental literacy, stewardship of natural resources in North Carolina.