Educator Spotlight: Jennings Storie

Jennings Storie, an education manager for the Catawba Riverkeeper and Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Jennings oversees field trips for both organizations and for the CREEK (Community Resources in Education, Engagement, and Kayaking) program with Catawba Riverkeeper. Jennings says the nature walks, pond sampling and kayaking are the parts of her work that she enjoys the most. “I am so thankful for the opportunity to facilitate positive outdoor experiences with the hope that the students I have worked with will be encouraged to love and protect the environment around them." In her personal time, she enjoys volunteering with the animals at the Schiele Museum of Natural History, camping with friends, and looking for shark teeth on the beach.

Jennings says the site visits were her favorite part of earning her certification. “I always had a few  certification forms ready to go in case I stumbled upon an aquarium, museum, or zoo. It was fun to have another motive to visit some of my favorite places, and to talk with the staff that worked at them. I often would find some environmental education places on trips that had already been planned, which made it an even more fun experience to be able to bring my friends and family along, so they could learn with me.”

The experience in the program that stood out for Jennings was earning her “Dune Ranger” badge at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. The badge is part of the Junior Ranger Program offered through NC State Parks and even though the program is created for kids, Jennings said it works for adults too. “During my site visits, my husband and I, discovered the Junior Ranger Program and even though it is directed towards children, it was a great way to learn about and connect different environmental topics to certain places for all ages. We were able to learn all about the ecosystem around the sand dunes and even do our best at drawing some of the native birds there. The 'Dune Ranger' badge was the first one we earned with our friends, and it was a memorable experience to have the opportunity to be sworn in by the park ranger at Jockey's Ridge.”

For her community partnership project, Jennings created a backyard habitat area that included a bat box, bug hotel and a lizard lounge. “Once the habitats were built and installed, I hosted two programs for the community to discuss what animals they might find in their backyards and how we can protect their habitats.”

Jennings says the environmental education certification program changed her approach to teaching. “Since my certification program started while I was in college, it has been great to look back and see how much I have learned and changed in that time. I remember learning lessons through various workshops, and how amazed I was at the amount of information that I gained from them. Now, that I am working in environmental education, I am excited to host my own programs to help other people take a closer look at what is around them and share my love for the nature. Environmental education is beneficial and needed for all ages, so I am happy to be able to do my part and try to create positive outdoor experiences for others.”

Jennings says the program also changed the way she thinks about environmental issues. “When I started the certification, I honestly did not really know about many environmental issues or topics. Going through the classes, workshops, site visits, and teaching programs myself has really opened my eyes to all the amazing things the environment does. It makes me even more passionate about teaching environmental education, so that other people can see why conservation is so important.”