Educator Spotlight: Savannah Lytle

Savannah Lytle, the Southwestern Watershed Outreach Coordinator for Mountain True recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. In her role at Mountain True, Savannah works directly with the region’s water quality programs, including Adopt-A-Stream, microplastics monitoring, and the Swim Guide in addition to other education programs. “I lead education and outreach programs that help connect communities with local environmental issues and conservation efforts. Outside of work, I enjoy reading, developing my naturalist skills, and spending time outside hiking, backpacking and paddling. I also love baking, crafting and exploring new places with my husband.”

Savannah says her favorite part of certification was participating in the guided outdoor experiences. “These experiences gave me the opportunity to explore and learn about North Carolina's natural environment firsthand. Through a variety of trainings, I developed a deeper appreciation for everything ranging from mosses to insects. From the coast to the Southern Appalachians, North Carolina is an incredibly diverse and beautiful state, and these experiences helped me see and appreciate that diversity in new ways.”

When asked what experience in the program stood out to her, Savannah says it was participating in a variety of instructional workshops. “The workshops challenged the way I plan environmental education lessons and introduced me to new strategies for making them more engaging and effective. In particular, the Universal Design for Learning training changed the way I approach lesson planning. I now intentionally incorporate accessibility considerations into all of my environmental education lessons, so they are more inclusive for every learner.”

For her community partnership project, she collaborated with the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher and Cape Fear’s Going Green Magazine to host the first science festival in Wilmington. “The festival created a central place for community members to learn about local community science projects directly from the organizations that lead and support them. Attendees could explore volunteer opportunities, learn how project data is being collected and used, receive information about required training and connect with project leaders to ask questions. By increasing awareness and participation, the festival aimed to expand volunteer recruitment, strengthen community engagement and broaden the reach of local environmental monitoring efforts.”

Savannah says the program changed her approach to teaching in many ways. “One of the biggest ways is that I now better understand developmental stages when I work with various age groups and am able to better tailor my lesson plans to meet their developmental needs and keep students engaged. Additionally, I have a stronger understanding of the importance of evaluation and assessment, recognizing that they can be used in a variety of ways to measure program effectiveness and improve educational programs.”

She says the program also changed the way she views environmental issues. “I now have a much better understanding of the difference between environmental education and environmental advocacy. I appreciate that environmental education is about helping people explore environmental issues from multiple perspectives and use critical thinking to form their own conclusions, while environmental advocacy focuses on promoting a specific viewpoint or course of action. Understanding this distinction has helped me be more intentional about how I approach my work at an environmental advocacy organization and recognize when each approach is most appropriate to use!”