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.”