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.”