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 says it 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.”