Educator Spotlight: Katie Zimmerman

Katie Zimmerman, the Assistant Park Manager of Programming and Administration with Lake Johnson Park, recently completed the NC Environmental Education Certification. Katie says the certification program helped her find a job. 

“My passion is connecting the community to their environment, so my favorite part of my job is coordinating programs, teaching when I can, and helping visitors create an experience at our park to meet their needs. On my own time, I love camping, finding new trails to explore, and searching creeks and streams for critters with my daughter Sawyer. Otherwise, you can find me climbing the crags, snuggling with my two cats, reading, or crocheting!

Katie says her favorite part of the certification process was learning and expanding her knowledge. “Before I was working on my certification, I already enjoyed visiting nature centers and taking professional development classes, so I appreciated that I could keep doing that and earn credit towards something that could help me in my career.”

When asked about an experience in the program that stood out for her, she said it was the community partnership project. “The community project was a unique part of the experience. My project allowed me to connect with my neighborhood in a way I wouldn't have otherwise.” 

For her partnership project, Katie worked with her neighborhood's HOA to turn one of the neighborhood’s most popular trails into a nature trail. “The HOA was immediately interested - apparently it was something they'd already been thinking about doing, especially since there is a large white ash tree on the trail that has been protected from the emerald ash borer, and the HOA wanted our residents to be able to find the tree more easily. I walked the trail with one of the park committee members, and we worked together to identify additional features of the trail that we thought our community would appreciate. It created a way to engage our neighborhood in learning about their environment, the opportunity to work together and to find members of our community who are also passionate about our trails.”

Katie says the certification program changed her approach to teaching. “Through the program, I learned more about teaching through discovery. This has influenced how I teach other topics as well. Rather than simply sharing the information, I focus on asking questions, making connections, and guiding others to make conclusions for themselves.”

Katie says the program also changed the way she thinks about environmental issues. “A big thing I learned about environmental issues through this program is how everything is connected. Not just in the ecological sense, such as human impact on one species affecting the entire ecosystem. The connections are "cross-curricular." Environmental issues span into math and literature, as well as into local government, social justice, human rights, and national policy.”

Educator Spotlight: Sarah Goldsmith

Sarah Goldsmith, environmental educator for Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Sarah teaches more than 3,000 participants a year and works with many different types of organizations and groups. “I work with a variety of groups such as homeschool, bilingual, senior care, government, and students on field trips, and more. I focus heavily on inclusive programming with a love for increasing accessibility to outdoor learning.”

When asked about her favorite part of the program, Sarah said it was the opportunity to network. “I enjoyed the networking. I was able to meet amazing people, found a part-time job and expanded my knowledge of the state we are in.” She also said that the instructional workshops were particularly helpful. “The depth we went into during the instructional workshops were helpful for answering some of the random, out of left field questions kids love to ask.” 

For her community partnership program, Sarah worked with several partners including Activate Good and Kids Marble Museum to provide a service-learning project focused on native pollinator plants. The event was held at Marbles Kids Museum. The participants learned about the importance of native flowers for pollinators, and they created hundreds of native wildflower seed bombs that were dispersed at different parks in Wake County. 

Sarah says the program changed the way she approaches education. “It opened my eyes to the “Universal Design in Learning” way of creating programs to help streamline how I can create inclusive programming. I appreciated the details that went into that course.”

As far as how see views environmental issues, Sarah said the program provided a lot of content that she could use when teaching. “I have a wider understanding of the endangered species of our area, as well as the river basins, which is something I never found interesting until I took a workshop about it and gained a new appreciation for the topics.”

Educator Spotlight: Katherine Wombwell

Katherine Wombwell, a student at Montreat College, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Katherine will graduate this spring and would like to work in the outdoor education field. “I enjoy working with a variety of age groups and I hope to work at a site that encourages direct engagement with non-captive audiences. During my time studying environmental education, I have enjoyed leading nature walks and providing scientific and historic information about sites for my participants. In my free time, I really enjoy hiking and backpacking with my friends.”

Katherine says her favorite part of certification was the site visits. “I really enjoyed going to the different sites. I feel like my experience was unique because I went to most of the sites with my friends, which was so fun.” She also enjoyed the instructional workshops especially when they provided a curriculum guide.

For her community partnership project, she created a freshman-college experience, the Montreat Outdoor Recreation Studies COMPASS Program that is designed to introduce students to the outdoor education field. Katherine says she chose to work with college students because of the opportunities they have to work directly with their communities. “This past summer, we introduced students to rangers, nature guides, and what it looks like to study the outdoors. As a result of the program, we saw a tremendous increase in students' appreciation for nature and interest in outdoor education.”

As part of the five-day college immersion students were able to travel throughout North Carolina and the eastern part of Tennessee while being introduced to the fields of adventure recreation, outdoor ministry, conservation law enforcement, and environmental education. “The students were able to engage with one another in new, unique, and novel experiences that created a strong sense of community within the group. On a broader level, students engaged with the larger North Carolina community by learning from outdoor recreation professionals, visiting museums, and attending tours in various locations across WNC.”

Katherine says the certification program helped her become a teacher. “I started this program when I was learning to be an educator, so it established a foundation for who I am.” She says the program also changed the way she thinks about environmental issues. “I think that the idea that we teach students how to think, not what to think, is what has stood out to me the most. It is a concept that I think about regularly and really value in my own teaching methodology.”

Educator Spotlight: Brittany Fairfax

Brittany Fairfax, a fourth-grade teacher at Acme Delco Elementary School in Columbus County recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Brittany strives to integrate environmental education into her classroom every day and encourages other teachers to do the same. “When I’m not teaching, I enjoy nature walks and visiting parks to photograph and classify plants. I love experiencing nature and learning how it is connected, and I am always engaging my students with that same passion so that they become more environmentally literate adults.”

Brittany says her favorite part of earning her certification was participating in the Schools in Parks Collaborative, a partnership between NC State Parks in the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the UNC Institute for the Environment. She also enjoyed the Sustainable Forestry Teachers Experience which is provided by the NC Forestry Association.

When asked which certification experience stood out for her, Brittany was learning about the longleaf pine. “I loved each class and experience, but I would have to say learning about the longleaf pine ecosystem from seed to mesh pulp really stands out as something that connects with my daily world. This experience came from my time in the Sustainable Forestry Teachers Institute. I had the privilege of joining the institute in my hometown area and learned so much about the tree mills that are literally a mile from my school. I got to see every aspect of what they do with trees and how they are practicing sustainability.”

For her community partnership project, she built an outdoor classroom for her school. “My students along with members of the community worked together to plant trees and build outdoor plant structures. We completed an outdoor classroom shelter so that any class can take their learning outside. Since then, an environmental class has been added to the school that regularly cleans up the schoolyard and manages the greenspace. The students learned to value their hard work and how to care for a garden.”

Brittany says the program changed her approach to teaching others. “Before the certification program, I did not teach professional development or have the knowledge base and passion to help others in science-based curriculum. Since then, I feel confident and look for an opportunity to teach other professionals. I use my Project Wild and other curriculum guides to provide engaging science lessons that teachers can use inside and outside the classroom. I strive to get my students outside to learn ask questions about what they see when outside. I provide regular lessons from all my curriculum books and my students love being able to simulate the content we are learning. I also take all the pictures and knowledge I gain while at state parks and science museums and make slideshows for my students to view which really gets the excited about having their family then go visit these places.”

Brittany believes that becoming an environmentally conscious person starts when people are young. “It is our job as adults to provide children with the love and compassion for the environment and the living creatures within it. Because if they don't learn to love the planet as a child what is going to make them love it in this fast-paced world of adulthood. As adults we need to find ways to live and work sustainably to protect the environment.”

Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School Named Top Magnet School of Excellence

Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School in Fuquay-Varina has been named a 2025 Top Magnet School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America (MSA).

This is not the first time the school has been recognized for its magnet program. On Earth Day 2024, Lincoln Heights was selected to host the kick-off event for North Carolina's revised State K-12 Environmental Literacy Plan (ELP). Lincoln Heights was chosen for the release because the original Environmental Literacy Plan was used to develop the school's “environmental connections” magnet theme and curriculum. 

Lincoln Heights has truly embraced the ELP and “environmental connections” magnet theme by providing all students with hands-on learning and by nurturing students’ strengths and interests through real-world connections with professionals and the community. The impact on the school has been significant. Its overall school performance score rose from a "D" in 2017 to a "B" score in 2024. Science scores rose from 57 percent in 2022 to 82 percent in 2024, and the school saw notable increases in reading and math scores as well. 

"Lincoln Heights made the vision of the Environmental Literacy Plan a reality, and the Magnet Schools of America recognition strengthens its role as a model for schools across the state and nation," notes Lisa Tolley, Environmental Education Program Manager for the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. "It’s so exciting to see the plan come to life in the classroom, the community and on the school grounds. The students here are making observations, conducting investigations and developing important critical thinking skills needed to solve the the environmental challenges facing our state.

The first K-12 environmental literacy plan was released in 2010 at Wiley Elementary in Raleigh with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and Governor Josh Stein--then a state senator--among those in attendance. Since then, the ELP has provided guidance to schools and nonformal educators for increasing environmental literacy and preparing students for environmental and STEM careers. The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, a part of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, developed the original and revised ELP in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the nonprofit Environmental Educators of North Carolina, based on feedback and input from teachers, agencies, organizations, universities and colleges, nonformal educators and program partners from across the state. 

While the ELP provides important guidance, the success of the school depends on the dedication of parents, teachers, administration and staff. Laura Wood, the school’s environmental connections integration specialist and Annette Steele, the Academically Gifted and Talented teacher, are both North Carolina Certified Environmental Educators through the Department of Environmental Quality. These teachers have nurtured important relationships with state agencies, professionals in STEM fields, and environmental educators, which demonstrates how important professional development is for academic success and innovative teaching strategies. In 2024, Wood shared the story of Lincoln Heights in this Earth Day Lunchtime Discovery Livestream Show. 

Lincoln Heights will formally receive their National Magnet School of Excellence Merit Award during a ceremony held during the Magnet Schools of America’s National Conference on April 7-10, 2025, in Nashville. Magnet School of Excellence Awards are only given to a select group of magnet schools. To learn more about the national merit awards program, please visit magnet.edu.

The North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan and supporting implementation guides can be found at www.eenorthcarolina.org/resources/k-12-environmental-literacy. This guiding document can be used by public, charter, and private schools, as well as homeschools and other programs and groups that provide k-12 education in North Carolina. 

Lincoln Heights Magnet Elementary School is a North Carolina Public School in the Wake County Public School System. Learn more about their environmental connections programs and curriculum on their website.

Educator Spotlight: Jessica Davis

Jessica Davis, an environmental educator with Randolph County Soil and water Conservation District and the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts education coordinator recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Jessica provides environmental education programs for the local school system and youth organizations in Randolph County. “In my role as the association education coordinator I provide resources for other soil and water educators and develop curriculum that reflects the work we do in Soil and Water Conservation districts. This curriculum will eventually be offered as an instructional workshop for environmental education certification. In my off time, I enjoy going camping and spending time with my family. I love to paint and do woodworking projects as well.”

When asked about her favorite part of the program, Jessica says it was the instructional workshops. “Coming from a teaching background, I always went to workshops and trainings that I felt had little value or that I could implement in the classroom. These trainings were the complete opposite and so valuable. Anytime I talk to someone, I always brag about how good these trainings are and how I can easily use them for school programs.”

She said the outdoor experiences really had an impact on her. “The outdoor experiences stand out to me because I was able to participate in workshops that got me comfortable with doing programming outside. The online trainings through the NC Museum of Natural Sciences helped me get outside and pay attention to the incredible things that are happening around me.”

For her community partnership project, Jessica worked with the Asheboro Housing Authority and Randolph County 4-H to create lessons to educate children in one community about the environment and how to protect natural resources around their home which led to a nature play day. “After teaching the first lesson about water quality, I realized that the kids living in the neighborhood did not play outside much and that is where I got the idea to do a nature play day with them.  Allison, the 4-H agent has helped them install raised beds to grow their own vegetables, so I did lessons on soil properties to help them further understand how the soil quality helps plant growth.”

Her overall goal for the project was the help the kids living in the community create a bond with nature.  “I wanted them to understand why we need to protect our natural resources and how you can enjoy the outdoors. Through a series of lessons, I was able to educate the kids about water quality using the EnviroScape watershed model to show the impact of not cleaning up after pets or how harmful chemicals can enter the water supply.  This was critical because of the creek that flows through the property and eventually leads to a large river.  I then did a lesson focused on nature play where the kids got to participate in various stations based on different nature related activities.” 

Jessica says the certification program helped her teaching become more inclusive. “When designing lessons, I became more conscious of how to make sure that all students participating could have the same experience. Things I considered was how we would access outdoor areas, how to divide tasks so that each student can participate and breaking down lessons into smaller segments to hold students’ interest.”

She says the program also changed how she thinks about environmental issues. “I am now more aware of human impact on our environment. I like to stress to education program participants on how they can help decrease our human impacts on water quality, air quality and other environmental issues. I also try not to present environmental issues from a one-sided perspective, I provide information for participants on the issues and allow them to form their own opinion." 

Educator Spotlight: Moriah Owen

Moriah Owen, educator and technical conservationist intern with the Wilkes County Soil and Water Conservation District, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Moriah is the lead educator for the district’s Mobile Soils Classroom, a trailer that has been designed to depict the biological, chemical and physical properties of soils, creating an immersive learning experience for students of all ages. She also assists with contracts for implementing best management practices that protect natural resources. “Teaching is my passion, and I love to educate students of all ages about forestry, aquatics, soils, wildlife and ecology.” In her personal time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and exploring nature.

Moriah says her favorite part of the program was the different educator trainings, particularly one on geology in Gold Hill. “It was a relatively new topic for me, and it expanded my horizons. Plus, we got to pan for gems.”

The experience that stood out for Moriah was the opportunity to create and teach her own Project WET (Water Education for Today) lesson on riparian buffers. “Trying it out with fifth graders was a blast! They understood the water quality concepts better than I had anticipated.”

For her community partnership project, Moriah worked with the Wildlife Resources Commission to build stream viewer buckets. These were two- and five-gallon buckets with plexiglass bottoms that allowed the students to see a stream bed with very little disturbance. “The viewers reduce turbidity and the need for every student to flip multiple rocks to study aquatic organisms. The teachers who attended my trainings loved the concept and are excited to use the buckets with their students.” Moriah says the buckets help teach water quality concepts in North Carolina’s science standards. She also created a curriculum to go along with the viewers to make it more accessible for teachers who are new to the subject.

Moriah says the program changed her approach to teaching. “I have really put into practice the “Methods of Teaching Environmental Education” training concepts. I am careful about my personal advocacy when interacting with students, and I am more aware of how to answer certain questions. One of my favorite exercises has been to ask students critical thinking questions during a lesson. It's truly incredible to see their wheels turning, their brain working. They are so eager to share their own experiences and connect what they know to what they are learning.”

She also says the program changed the way she views environmental issues. “I learned that it's okay to express my opinions when appropriate, and I can still maintain a positive and professional attitude when educating on any topic. I also learned the importance of showing kids the beauty of nature, not just the threats to conservation. It makes total sense that we need to first help them love the environment before they can save it. And furthermore, it's not their job to save it--yet. We can encourage small changes they can make themselves to empower them without overwhelming them.”

 

Educator Spotlight: Matt Florez

Matt Florez, an outdoor nature education instructor for the town of Holly Springs, recently completed the NC Environmental Education Certification program.

As a instructor, Matt leads environmental education programs for all ages and is also responsible for archery programming. He says that the certification program gave him the opportunity to travel around the state to different environmental education centers and to network with other educators in the program.

The certification experience that stood out to Matt was the "Methods of Teaching Environmental Education" (MOTEE) workshop. “I think it was particularly impactful because it spanned multiple days and included pre-work, which helped solidify the content. The material was taught in a way that was easy to digest, allowing us to elevate our programs to the next level. Additionally, it taught us how to conduct assessments, interpret the results, and adjust our programs as needed.”

Wetland Treasures Sign for Hemlock Bluffs - Town of Cary Parks and Recreation

For his community-based partnership project, Matt designed and installed interpretive signs for the Carolina Wetlands Association’s “Wetland Treasures of the Carolinas” program, an initiative that increases awareness of the importance of wetlands for flood prevention, habitat and biodiversity. “Initially, the project spanned three sites, each managed by different organizations: a municipality, a county, and a non-governmental organization. I believe it positively impacted the community by highlighting the local wetlands, providing information on their importance, and fostering an emotional connection through the inclusion of charismatic animals.”

Matt says participating in the program changed his approach to teaching. “It has broadened my understanding of why we teach environmental education and how we can make it more relevant for formal educators who visit our sites seeking an environmental connection to their current subject matter. Additionally, the MOTEE program has provided me with the tools to manage classroom behavior and properly assess the programs I have developed.”

He also says the program changed the way he views environmental issues. “I've learned to avoid a doom-and-gloom approach, especially with younger children. Instead, I focus on highlighting the positive aspects of nature, educating students about the benefits of nature and offering a positive goal to strive for, rather than emphasizing the 'if this doesn't happen, we'll lose all these species' mindset.”

Educator Spotlight: Amanda Strickland

Amanda Strickland, conservation education specialist for Cleveland County Soil and Water Conservation District recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Amanda is a nonformal educator who works with schools and community-based groups and organizations. “I work with people who are interested in learning about our natural resources and how to protect them. I work with all ages and love the opportunity to get students outside to learn about their environment.”

Amanda says her favorite part of earning her certification was attending programs and meeting people working in the environmental education field. She says the experience that stood out for her was her community partnership project. “My community partnership project is an ongoing project that has been a learning curve for me. A lot of effort has gone into this project, and I hope to continue it into the future.

For her project, Amanda worked with teachers, parents and Rutherford County 4-H agent Cynthia Robbins to form a new 4-H club, the Wilderness Habitat Education Program team at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, a public charter school in Rutherford County. “I was approached by several parents and a teacher about starting this club for elementary age children to help get them outside, make observations and learn more about nature and their environment and our impact as humans on our environment.”

Amanda taught the students how to identify different animal and plant species and what they need to thrive in their habitats. Another bonus is that this knowledge will help these students with their End-of-Grade (EOG) testing in science and in reading. We spent time with students and helped them gain practical knowledge that they can retain, and I think that is fantastic. This benefits the community and offers some like-minded students the opportunity to form strong bonds with one another and maybe become our future environmental leaders!”

Amanda says the certification program changed her approach to teaching. “It has taught me how to be better organized and how to better develop programs that meet the standards of environmental education. I like the structured way of developing and teaching programs that I learned as well as alternate ways to teach topics and variations of the same program that can be adapted to age and competency level of the audience.”

Amanda looks forward to preparing these students for the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat Education Program Competition in the spring. 

Educator Spotlight: Adrian Chamberlin

 

Adrian Chamberlin recently completed his NC Environmental Education Certification. Adrian is a nature instructor for two municipal parks in Wake County - Walnut Creek Wetland Center with the City of Raleigh and Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve with the Town of Cary.

As a nature instructor, Adrian is responsible for educational programming, but his duties sometimes also include being a private chef for animals, a Chinese privet slayer, and a box turtle wrangler. “Primarily, I teach middle school students through the Neighborhood Ecology Corps environmental literacy program, run by the City of Raleigh. When I'm not flipping rocks in streams or trying to identify plants, I enjoy reading, writing, and playing video games.”

Adrian says his favorite part of the program was “seeing the same people in workshops and getting to check in on their professional and certification journeys. It made the process fell collaborative and makes the field feel like a tight-knit network of collaborators and friends.”

When asked about the certification experience that stood out for him, Adrian says it was completing the Basics of Environmental Education through a college course. “It was the first time I was able to engage with a variety of different educators in an academic setting. Until then, my classmates had been almost exclusively my age (18-22), but there was a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, many of the latter having well-established careers. The unique feeling that we were simultaneously students and teachers garnered a lot of mutual respect, and it was deeply empowering as someone surrounded by people more accomplished than me.”

For his community partnership project, Adrian developed a series of nature programs, “Out in Nature,” designed to welcome people in the local LGBTQ community and to encourage them to explore their interest in nature in a safe space. “As an openly queer person in natural resources, there was not a lot of representation in my programs or mentorship, but I discovered a lot of myself through learning and the outdoors. I wanted to provide that for others. Our most successful session was the adult audience, which included chances to play indoors and out, and discuss how our identities connect us to nature.”

Adrian says the program changed his approach to teaching. “As my educational background is in Wildlife Biology, I had a lot of the knowledge needed but lacked ways to engage with it outside of just rattling off facts. Through the program, I received so many different resources for activities and methods of approaching different audiences. Now, I'm able to create much more structured, targeted programming, that balances the “edu-tainment” aspect of informal education.

The program also changed the way he thought about environmental issues. “In wildlife and conservation biology (among basically every other field), there's a lot of contention with best practices, level of importance to issues, and how to most effectively engage with stakeholders. With that comes a lot of strong opinions, and that tended to show through in my education, then how I approached teaching. I also did a lot of activism work throughout schooling, where hard stances need to be taken for change to happen. As someone with a lot of feelings and opinions, this is something that's been difficult to balance, when our job as educators is to create informed citizens about the issues without telling them what to think. In this process, however, I've also been able to open my mind to more nuance regarding environmental issues and how others view them as well.”

Educator Spotlight: Abigail Ridge

 

Abigail Ridge, Education Programs Coordinator for the North Carolina Forestry Association, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Abigail graduated from NC State University with a BS in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology and minors in environmental education, entomology and plant biology. Students who minor in environmental education at NC State University are given the opportunity to earn their NC Environmental Education through a partnership between the university and the Department of Environmental Quality.

In her role with the association, Abigail develops and implements education programs including the Sustainable Forestry Teachers Experience. She participates in statewide career development events and education conferences and helps administer the association’s scholarship program. Abigail has also helped coordinate the development of a high school forestry course for NC Agricultural Education and with the adoption of the ForestryWorks Forest Worker Credential Program. This credential is for students who plan to go directly into the workforce after graduation and those going on to higher education for either forestry or another natural resource based major.

Abigail says her favorite part of earning her certification was the opportunity to explore different parks in the Raleigh area that she could later visit on her own. “Obtaining the environmental education certification has given me the opportunity to step outside of my typical job requirements and to gain valuable information. It also meaningful to be part of the larger environmental education community and will be beneficial to have as my career progresses.”

When asked about an experience in the program that stood out for her, Abigail says it was a birding experience at White Deer Park in Garner. “The instructor was an absolute delight and treated everyone the same regardless of their level of bird knowledge.”

For her community partner project, Abigail collaborated with her colleague, Jessica Ireland, who was also working on her certification, to install a native pollinator garden at Follow the Child Montessori School. “We partnered with the school to plan workdays for faculty and families to establish the garden and we planned a celebration for all the students. This provided the community with a wonderful hands-on, outdoor learning space for their botany and entomology lessons.”

Abigail worked with a local nursery to secure native pollinator plants and developed a planting guide based on the site. “The school was excited for the opportunity to engage teachers and students in ongoing learning opportunities related to pollinators, habitat, and botany. Abigail learned from discussions with the Director of Curriculum at the school that their curriculum contains a focus on botany and therefore, the garden would be an excellent experiential addition.

“This garden is beneficial as a resource to the community as an outdoor learning experience for the students. The garden will also provide teachers with hands-on materials for teaching botany lessons for the students during the school year.”   

Educator Spotlight: Jessica Ireland

Jessica Ireland, director of education programs for the NC Forestry Association, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Jessica oversees the education and workforce development program for the association and their more than 4,000 members. “Our programs include the Sustainable Forestry Teachers Experience, a week-long professional development program that provides teachers with first-hand experiences learning about North Carolina forests, sustainable forest management, and the forest products industry. In addition, we oversee the AN53 course in North Carolina, a semester-long Career and Technical Education forestry course for high school students that includes a certification. We also work closely with Project Learning Tree in North Carolina, teach forestry-based environmental education programming to all age levels, and develop forestry educational materials.”

Jessica said that her favorite part of the program was networking with professionals in the field. “I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with environmental education and natural resource professionals across the state working in all facets of both fields. I learned so much from interacting with these individuals, including learning about flora and fauna and gaining ideas for new ways of thinking and teaching about natural resources. I thrive on collaboration and engaging with other professionals, so the opportunity to do this throughout the certification was extremely beneficial to me.”

For her community partnership project, Jessica teamed up with fellow educator Abigail Ridge on a pollinator garden project at Follow the Child Montessori School in Raleigh. “I received a notification from my neighborhood about my community being established as a Monarch Waystation, so I did some research into this initiative. I learned that, in 2017, the City of Raleigh was established as a Bee City USA, which means the city is committed to creating sustainable habitats for pollinators, working with community partners and providing support for pollinator projects around the city.”

Jessica said the Montessori school’s campus was the perfect place for a pollinator garden. “The campus has a wonderful outdoor learning environment that consists of a variety of play and learning areas that foster imagination and development for the children, including climbing areas, bars, sand play areas, a learning greenhouse, and gardens. The gardens on the campus are annual gardens, so I really liked the idea of establishing a perennial garden with native, pollinator-friendly plant species to provide opportunities for ongoing learning and to nurture conservation values related to the importance of native plant species, pollinators, and the role that humans can play in supporting healthy pollinator populations.”

Jessica says the program changed her approach to teaching. “My participation in the certification program really brought home for me the importance of taking into consideration the experiences and backgrounds of the individuals I am teaching. I've always known that 'knowing your audience' is important, but I think I mostly thought about this in terms of the age level, what subject they wanted to learn about, etc. I believe that getting an understanding of the knowledge as well as the values and interests that each individual brings to the program is important. Providing a space for participants to share this with others is an opportunity for everyone to learn and practice the skill of truly listening to understand. This is something I have been working to better incorporate into all of my teaching and programming.  

Jessica says her experience changed the way she views environmental issues; she said it helped strengthen some of her beliefs. “I have always been someone who values collaboration, so I wouldn't say that the program changed me in this way, but it further solidified my belief that it is critically important for all stakeholders to be engaged in exploring ways to address environmental issues. I get frustrated when I see one group blaming or bad-mouthing another group. We need to respect multiple perspectives and positions on the issues and understand that these are based on the underlying interests. When we can find common interests, we can work together. We may not agree with everything another person or group believes, but we need to be open to listening and taking into consideration their perspectives. I think my experience, throughout my participation in the certification program, of interacting with environmental educators and natural resource professionals across the state and listening to the way they present a topic really brought home for me the importance of collaboration when it comes to environmental issues.”

In AWE of DEQ Educators

Last week, four educators from the NC Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) led a “State of AWE Workshop” for K-12 classroom teachers and nonformal educators at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Lab in Beaufort.

The “State of AWE (Air, Water, and Earth)” workshop highlighted some of the incredible education programs offered by several NCDEQ divisions. This professional development opportunity gave educators content and lessons on topics such as soil, sediment, geology, and air and water quality.  Educators participated in fun activities that they can use to meet the required K-12 standards, in both the formal classroom or in nonformal settings such as museums, parks, and science and nature centers.

Janina Millis, Community Engagement, Education and Outreach Specialist with the Division of Air Quality shared her “Whirling Swirling Air Pollution” activity that looks at the various sources of air pollution, but also explores the ways that individuals can make daily changes to improve air quality. Educators also got the chance to explore the outdoors and look for lichen through a Lichen Citizen Science Survey, emphasizing the role of lichen as bioindicators for air quality.  

Amy Pitts, Senior Geologist for Education and Outreach with the NC Geological Survey provided educators with hands-on activities for plate tectonics, rock identification, soil analysis, and even beta tested her latest activity, an earth science escape room, to great reviews.

Rebecca Coppa, State Sedimentation and Education Engineer with the Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources shared two activities from the Project WET (Water Education Today) curriculum and challenged the educators to complete a stormwater bingo hunt developed by the Clean Water Education Partnership.

Lori Davis, Education Coordinator for the Division of Coastal Management took educators on a field trip to the Rachel Carson Reserve to learn first-hand about coastal ecology.

When asked about their favorite part of the workshop, one educator said, “Visiting the Rachel Carson Reserve and discovering new plants and animals. Also learning new lessons about geology, water quality, and air quality that I can use!”

Other educators said the workshop was “wonderfully done” with “awesome presenters” and commented on the geology activity. “I loved learning about the ingredients that make up rocks. That was such a unique and understandable way to present that idea.”

This program provided teachers with credits for Professional Educator’s License renewal in addition to credit for the North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program.

You can find out more about the department’s educational programs at https://www.deq.nc.gov/outreach-and-education

Educator Spotlight - Marie Noel

Marie Noel, a volunteer docent from Guilford County, recently completed the NC Environmental Education Certification Program. Marie is a retired registered nurse but has always been interested in the environment. She volunteers for Haw River Assembly, the City of Greensboro’s water resource department, the All Souls Natural Burial ground and the NC Native Plant Society. “I give presentations and do outdoor education regarding the importance of native flora and fauna to the ecosystem, the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and local water quality issues. I am hoping to do more public education as a naturalist in the future.”

When asked about her favorite part of the program, Marie says it was all the learning opportunities. “I loved the opportunities for learning that I would have never been exposed to if I hadn't decided to earn my certification. I have learned so much about North Carolina wildlife and ecosystems. I have met so many like-minded, wonderful people.”

Marie says the experience that stood out for her was the Growing Up WILD program because it fostered a love for working with children. “The program was fun, and I have shared the book, activities and program information with many elementary teachers. It also introduced me to the idea of involving parents to continue nature education at home. Most of my past teaching history is with adults and this program helped me be comfortable with including younger children.”

For her community partnership program, Marie created a native plant pollinator garden at All Souls Burial Ground. “The garden is open to the public and can be used for education workshops and as an example of a native pollinator garden. The garden is heavily populated with pollinators and is a good example of the biodiversity of insects and birds when native plants are used. The garden is between the burial ground and a church parking lot so it can be enjoyed by many. Its presence has led to an increased awareness of the importance of native plants to the biodiversity of an ecosystem, and of the importance of identifying and controlling invasive plants and staying open minded to a less formal style of landscaping. It was also an excellent learning project for me in understanding how to organize various groups to work together and how to encourage volunteers.”

Marie says the program changed her approach to teaching. “  As a non-formal volunteer educator, I had a lot to learn! Since participating in the certification program my teaching has become more interactive and hopefully, more interesting. I use less lecture style teaching and more hands on and interactive teaching. I have learned how effective it can be to let people work through problems and reach solutions on their own. I also gained a much deeper understanding of the difference between educating and advocating. Sometimes education can be spontaneous and happen in the moment, and I feel the focus on flexibility during the program has helped me be more effective in those moments. I was pleasantly surprised to realize through the program that what applies to children often applies to adults too! Adults love games, play and hands-on activity as much as the children and the knowledge gained is more likely to be retained.”

The program also changed the way Marie views environmental issues. “I have always been very serious about environmental issues which can lead to someone being "preachy". I realized that promoting the fun, beauty and enjoyment of nature is a vital first step. Once people appreciate nature and all it offers, they begin to care, and environmental issues become more of a priority. It is vital that children are exposed to the outdoors early if we want new generations of environmentalists and stewards. I still am very concerned about the state of the environment but have learned a new approach to facing the issues. The En-Roads Climate Interactive program also made me aware that no single solution is going to solve issues, it takes multiple approaches and a lot of cooperation to make significant changes.”

 

Educator Spotlight: Anna Scotton

Anna Scotton, an educator at Lake Johnson Park in Raleigh, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Before beginning a new position with Lake Johnson Park and with the Girl Scouts, Anna worked as a high school biology and earth science teacher at Durham School of the Arts. “I really loved getting to know my students and teach about my favorite topics in science every single day. However, I am taking a break from teaching in the classroom to get back outside and into the field of environmental education.” In her personal time, Anna likes to dance, garden, needle felt, read and write, sing karaoke, and pet her two cats - Pickle and Pangea!

Anna says her favorite part of earning her certification was doing the outdoor environmental education experiences and the site visits. “It was great to have an incentive to visit some of the environmental education centers across North Carolina that I have wanted to see. North Carolina has so much to offer!"

When asked about the experience that stood out for her, Anna says it was the Advanced Air Quality instructional workshop. “I visited The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob near Maggie Valley, and it was such an immersive experience. I experienced gorgeous mountain views, met fellow educators, and learned through hands-on activities that I took back to my students.”

For her community partnership project, Anna co-directed the Fall Arts Festival: Dia De Los Muertos as the lead for community engagement and education. “I helped the Fall Arts Festival student ambassadors develop educational materials, prepare for the day of the festival, and facilitate education stations. Our education stations connected festival attendees with the cultural significance of monarch butterflies to the holiday, as their annual migration to Mexico symbolizes the spirits of ancestors returning home. With this, we taught about the life history of this special butterfly in hopes to engage community members to plant milkweed and other flowering natives to support monarchs. Following the festival, the school Garden Club planted a pollinator garden, which continues to grow today!”

Anna says the program helped her build the confidence needed to develop and teach age-appropriate lessons. “I have learned that the same curriculum and topics can be adapted in vastly different ways to engage and impact a specific audience. After taking the workshop “Trees and Me” which adapts Project Learning Tree to an early childhood curriculum, and then taking a Project Learning Tree workshop developed for high schoolers that focuses on climate and climate change, I feel equipped to understand the developmental needs of different age groups and how to serve them best.”

Anna says the program changed the way she views environmental issues. She realized that individuals also have a role and responsibility for environmental issues in addition to corporate and governmental systems. “These roles must be considered when teaching the public about environmental issues and civic duty. I have learned how important it is to instill a connection with nature before focusing on environmental issues, but I have also learned that real change can come about when individuals are empowered and equipped with knowledge and skills through environmental education. It is important to me as an educator to ensure that learners feel neither defeated by placing all the blame on systemic issues, or shame by placing all the blame on individuals, regarding environmental issues, but to help learners see the full picture and their role within it.”

Educator Spotlight: Bryce Tholen

Bryce Tholen, the environmental education coordinator and stewardship assistant for the NC Coastal Land Trust, recently completed his NC Environmental Education Certification.

Bryce especially enjoys getting students outdoors. “I connect with schools across multiple coastal counties to offer free in-class teaching programs as well exciting field trips to various preserves, gardens, and forests. I have many hobbies that include outdoor recreation, from surfing to hiking to fishing and hunting, so being able to share my love of the outdoors with students across North Carolina is truly special.”

Bryce says his favorite part of the certification program is the amount of information he learned. “Throughout earning my certification, I took courses on everything from the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion workshop and Methods of Teaching Environmental Education to butterfly identification. In hindsight I am amazed about the variety of information I learned throughout this process.”

The experience in the program that really stood out for Bryce was the bat and amphibian identification course he took at Carolina Beach State Park.  “The tools used to identify bats based on their echolocation was fascinating. And learning the sounds of all the local toads and frogs was great too.”

For his community Bryce coordinated both the environmental education activities and the volunteers for Wilmington’s “Fire in the Pines” festival in 2022. The festival educates the local community about why prescribed burns are important for the longleaf pine ecosystem and includes a small, prescribed fire demonstration. Bryce organized field trips with local Title I schools to Halyburton Park and they participated in an outdoor field trip hosted by local organizations including The Coastal Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, The City of Wilmington, The NC Forest Service, and The NC Longleaf Coalition. “The fire in the pines field trips were exclusively offered to these schools for free. We wanted to provide outdoor educational opportunities for students who do not generally have the resources to participate in such field trips.”

Bryce says the program changed his approach to teaching. “Beyond increasing my knowledge of many topics, the program has also taught me better teaching methods. The way I approach each student is different than before I started my EE certification.”

Educator Spotlight: Abbie Joines

Abbie Joines, a senior at NC State University in agricultural science and a substitute teacher for Alleghany County Public Schools, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Abbie also is a volunteer with the Alleghany 4-H program and the leader for a water education club called the Alleghany 4-H River Otters. In her personal time, she enjoys being outdoors hiking, kayaking or playing pickleball.

Abbie says her favorite part of earning her certification was connecting with educators in the environmental education field and learning about all the career opportunities in the field. “The knowledge and advice that I have gained from talking to other educators while completing this certification has been so valuable to my success within any environmental educator role that I have played. I have connected with other educators that share the same interests as me, and that values teaching about the environment as much as I do.”

The experience in the program that stood out to Abbie was the Sustainable Forestry Teachers Experience. “This experience allowed me to connect with other environmental educators from different backgrounds and learn new ideas about teaching forestry. I learned about the forestry industry in North Carolina and the Project Learning Tree curriculum. I enjoy incorporating the PLT curriculum into programs that I do with Alleghany 4-H participants.”

For her community partnership project that is required for certification, Abbie designed and installed educational signage on water quality topics at Alleghany Memorial Veterans Park. The signs give an overview of the stream at the park and include the components of the stream, the stream’s water quality, efforts to restore the stream, and macroinvertebrates and the biodiversity of the stream. “I partnered with Alleghany Parks and Recreation to utilize a community space for the signage to be displayed. I also partnered with Alleghany 4-H by creating a Stream Strides scavenger hunt.”

Abbie says the program changed her approach to teaching. “Before participating in the certification program, I had very little experience with environmental education and teaching. I started my certification during the summer before my senior year in high school while interning with the Alleghany Cooperative Extension staff. I feel that this certification helped me to learn about the importance of experiential learning and sparking a student's curiosity about what they are learning. Throughout this certification, I have learned about curriculum, standards, objectives, and evaluation.”

She says the program also changed the way she views environmental issues. “I think about environmental issues completely different than before I started this certification. Now I think about environmental issues with a systems approach, and I look at the complexity of issues. Instead of looking at a big picture environmental issue, I look at the different aspects of an issue, and what can be done on small and large scales to improve the issue.”