Educator Spotlight: Leeah Sutton

Leeah Sutton, a nonformal educator in Guilford County, has completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. She recently completed a seasonal environmental education position at Haw River State Park and is now open to opportunities to apply environmental education across the Piedmont, Triad and surrounding communities.

In her work with North Carolina State Parks and as an outdoor adventure education instructor, Leeah leads NC curriculum-aligned programs, facilitates outdoor skill-building experiences, and supports learners across a range of age groups. Outside of work, she enjoys whitewater kayaking, volleyball, and listening to audiobooks.

Leeah shared that her favorite part of the program was the community partnership project. “I appreciated the opportunity to make a tangible community impact by developing and delivering programming on an invasive species recently established in North Carolina and that is actively spreading.” For her project, Leeah created age-appropriate spotted lanternfly education materials for Haw River State Park in partnership with North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Rockingham County Center.

Leeah reflected that the certification program influenced her approach to teaching and program design. “I learned to prioritize curiosity, connection, and hands-on participation in environmental education before asking learners to take conservation action. The program also expanded my access to educational resources and allowed me to learn from observing other educators in practice. Overall, this process has reinforced the importance of meaningful outdoor experiences as a foundation for environmental stewardship. ” She noted that workshops focused on teaching methods and adaptable materials for different age groups were particularly valuable in strengthening her planning and facilitation skills."