Educator Spotlight: Cassie Payne

Cassie Payne, the education specialist for the Friends of the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville recently completed her Environmental Education Certification. As an education specialist, Cassie leads education programs for the center. “Our outreach programs are designed to foster a deep appreciation for the unique plants and animals of the Southern Appalachians. I collaborate with local schools, libraries, and community centers, building long-term partnerships through immersive educational experiences.”

In addition to outreach programming, Cassie offers behind-the-scenes and private tours, that allow visitors to connect with the natural world in a more intimate and impactful way. In her personal time, she enjoys exploring the region through backpacking, trail running, and enjoying time on the river.

Cassie says her favorite part of the certification program has been the opportunity to learn and grow in environmental education alongside the community. “I particularly enjoyed my time during the Criteria II workshops and classes. I’m excited about continuing my educational journey and taking more of these enriching classes in the future.”

When asked about an experience in the program that stood out for her, Cassie says it was the time she spent earning her Forest Kindergarten Certification which earned her credit towards her environmental education certification . “Not only did I gain a wealth of knowledge and practical skills, but I was also deeply inspired by the passionate educators dedicated to creating environments that foster hands-on, experiential learning from a young age. This experience played a pivotal role in shaping my career path and ultimately led me to the WNC Nature Center. It’s incredibly heartening to know there are so many educators committed to introducing environmental education to students at such an early age, and it fills me with excitement for the future of this field.”

For her community partnership project, Cassie piloted the Eco-Watch program in four 5^th grade classrooms in Avery County. “The program provided six in-person programs which I developed based on the NC Standard Course of Study and two field trips to Grandfather Mountain. The program covered the 5th grade weather and ecosystems units. Students' knowledge of related science concepts increased from a pre-program assessment average of 72 percent to a post-assessment average of 86 percent during the piloted year. The program was expanded to four out of the five elementary schools within Avery County's public school system. The program still continues at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.”

Cassie says the program changed her approach to teaching. “As educators, it's easy to fall into familiar teaching patterns, but this program encouraged me to observe and explore new methods ultimately expanding my educational toolbox. One of the most valuable aspects of the experience was the opportunity to reassess and evolve my own teaching style, making it more inclusive and adaptable to diverse learners.” 

Educator Spotlight: Amelia Gallina

 

Amelia Gallina, a park ranger at Grandfather Mountain State Park recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. As the lead interpretation and education ranger at the park, Amelia is the point of contact for programming and field trip requests. “ I love teaching people about the natural communities and endangered species that call them home on Grandfather Mountain. My main environmental interests are birds, trees, and wildflowers, and I try to offer programming on these topics to help others become passionate about them. In my free time I enjoy hiking and kayaking.”

Amelia says her favorite part of earning her certification was the site visits. “I completed many of my site visits with friends or family, and I enjoyed sharing a piece of my world with them. Getting to see my friends so excited to learn and asking me questions fueled my passion for environmental education.”

When asked about a certification experience that stood out for her, Amelia says it was the teaching component. “All of the teaching stands out to me. I love teaching programs, especially the monthly ranger workshops that I do with The Town of Seven Devils. There is usually a group of people that come to every program, and I love getting to see them each month and teach them something new.”

For her community partnership project, Amelia enhanced the native pollinator garden at Grandfather Mountain State Park. With donations from a nursery and the help of local community organizations, we were able to plant almost 200 plant plugs to increase the diversity in the garden and add a matrix layer for stabilization. We were also able to add signs and plant plaques with pictures and QR codes describing some of the plants. The garden is used to promote planting native species to help pollinators, and many of the plants in the garden are found on Grandfather Mountain, allowing people who aren't able to hike to see some of the diversity the mountain has to offer.”

Amelia says the certification program gave her access to resources. “Participating in the certification program has given me a plethora of new knowledge and skills to help teach others. I've learned new games to play with school groups for field trips, new methods for making online lectures more interactive, and I've learned about new topics that I can now help others learn about as well.”

Amelia says the program also changed her approach to environmental issues. “I have changed the way that I think about teaching future generations. Instead of piling on all of the problems past generations have caused and expecting future generations to solve them, we have to show people the joys in nature first and help them create a connection. We have to teach people about nature and make them comfortable in nature, before we can begin to expect them to fully care about nature.”

DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson Recognizes Jillian Daly, communications specialist for the NC Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve with Environmental Education Certificate

Secretary Reid Wilson visited the NC Coastal Reserve in Beaufort on Sept. 19 to meet with staff and to present Jillian Daly with a certificate for completing the NC Environmental Education Certification Program. As a communications specialist for the NC Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve, Jillian is responsible for communicating science to the public. In her role as a science communicator, she shares information on the reserve’s research, education and stewardship activities.  

“I have the opportunity to engage with folks through our social media channels, lead field trips, participate in public outreach and create accessible materials to share our work. In my free time, you can find me kayaking in the marsh, looking for marine invertebrates, and hanging out with friends in Beaufort, North Carolina,” said Jillian.  

“Completing the NC Environmental Education Certification Program is just another example of Jillian’s dedication to marine science education and to her craft as a science communicator. Her close connections to the coastal conservation and science communities, combined with her talented use of print, video and social media make her an asset to DEQ and to the state as a whole,” noted Secretary Wilson.  

Jillian says her favorite part of earning her certification was participating in workshops like Project WILD offered through the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Project WET (Water Educator for Today) which is coordinated out of DEQ’s Division of Water Resources.  

“These experiences introduced me to new skills and concepts that complemented my background in marine science education,” Jillian said. “It was exciting to expand my understanding of terrestrial ecosystems and explore how to integrate this knowledge into my teaching and outreach efforts.” 

Jillian says she came into the program from a science background but not as a trained educator. She appreciated the opportunity the program presented to connect with people from different backgrounds.  

“I think this certification is special because it recognizes that the folks getting certified come from all types of backgrounds and experiences, and the certification process reflects this,” she said. “It was eye-opening to be in workshops with classroom teachers, homeschool teachers and informal educators alike to hear their experiences. I also appreciate how the certification encourages us to explore environmental education centers around the state instead of only in our community. I learned a lot from visiting different centers that I may not have made time to visit if it weren’t for this certification!” 

For her community partnership project required for certification, Jillian created a day-long coastal environmental educator exchange for coastal educators to share program ideas, outreach materials, experiences in the field and to become a more cohesive community of educators.  

“The day was full of productive conversations, learning, and connection. We have now scheduled this to happen annually, and I look forward to hosting the 2025 Coastal Connections Environmental Educators Exchange here at the Reserve in October,” said Jillian.  

Jillian says the program changed her approach to teaching and changed the way Jillian views environmental issues. 

“I feel well equipped to lead my own environmental education programs independently and have sought out opportunities to create my own lessons and programs using the knowledge I’ve gained throughout the certification program!” she said. Coming from a science background and degrees in Environmental Science and Marine Science, it was helpful to complete this certification and be reminded that environmental issues are not top of mind for everyone. It is easy for me to believe everyone knows about environmental issues and thinks about them as much as me, but when I take a step back from this, I am a more effective teacher and can start with bottom-up teaching methods.” 

The NC Environmental Education Certification Program is  administered by the NC Dept of Environmental Quality’s Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs in partnership with organizations, agencies and institutions of higher learning across North Carolina.  

Educator Spotlight: Sarah Baldwin

Sarah Baldwin, an elementary school teacher at Brevard Elementary School, recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Sarah has taught for over 20 years. When she isn’t teaching, she enjoys reading, gardening and live music.

Sarah says her favorite part of earning her certification was the instructional workshops. “I loved all the classes I took. It was interesting to me on a personal level, as well as an educator. I feel very enriched by the knowledge gained during my certification.”

The certification experience that stood out to Sarah was the 2024 Ground Level Ozone: Advanced Air Quality workshop facilitated by Keith Bamberger who is an information and communication specialist with the NC Department of Environmental Quality. “I’ve never had air pollution so succinctly explained. Also waking up to the sun rising over the Smoky Mountains was absolutely breathtaking,” says Sarah.

For her community partnership project, Sarah partnered with Erica Brock, the Youth Services Manager at the Transylvania County Library to create a program called EARTHour. The program took place during the 2024 youth summer reading initiative at the Transylvania County Library and included lessons as well as a day of volunteering at Riverfest. Sarah says she saw a need for more environmental education for students in first to sixth grades. “By working with 3rd graders as a teacher, I recognize the need for more environmental education in the curriculum. I contacted Erica at the library who agreed that the programming I had in mind was valuable in supporting their summer reading program. I was able to teach environmental education to a number of different students with a wide range of ages and backgrounds. I hope these students became excited by these lessons and will continue to learn more about the topics.”

Sarah says that the certification program changed her approach to teaching and the way she views environmental issues. “I feel my knowledge base was broadened and deepened and I hope to bring more environmental education into my own classroom whenever I can. The program also made me aware of many formally unfamiliar local and state resources. I'm humbled by the natural beauty of NC.”

 

 

 

Educator Spotlight: Brianne Godwin

Brianne Godwin, an education and outreach specialist with the Roanoke/Cashie River Center in Windsor recently completed her NC Environmental Education Certification.

Brianne works with students and engages the community in events. “I lead students through a variety of science programs related to watersheds, ecosystems, life cycles, honeybees, soils, trees, and so much more. I also get to work with high school students in the area through our Teen Science Cafe program that allows students to explore STEM careers directly from experts who work in a STEM field." She also works with after-school students to develop their observational and critical thinking skills through nature journaling. "We spend our time outside noticing small bits of nature and we share our wonders and connections. The River Center also works closely with the Town of Windsor to provide quarterly community events like the Riverfest in early Spring that celebrates the natural beauty, culture, and people.”

Brianne says her favorite part of the certification program were the instructional workshops. “Each workshop gave me an opportunity to learn a new curriculum, visit an environmental education facility, discuss ideas with other educators, practice lesson implementation, and develop my educator abilities. These workshops became my self-care! I felt rejuvenated after each workshop and was reminded time and again that environmental education is exactly what I want to spend my time doing.”

When asked about an experience that stood out to her, Brianne said it was an experience she had when teaching 5^th grade at a local elementary school before her current position. “I had just taken a Project Learning Tree course and was excited to try out a couple lessons on my students that would support our study of the water cycle. I set up the classroom for the activity,  “Water Wonders” and the students had been prepped on how the activity was run and they got started. After about 10 minutes, I checked in and asked how things were going. Some students were moving to different stations rapidly while others were “stuck” at certain stations. I asked why that was? And a wonderful discussion was created about glaciers and clouds and about why the rain that was currently falling outside could move from place to place faster than water in a glacier. We talked about why rising temperatures could create heavier rainfall. We talked about the influence of fresh water versus salt water on the water cycle. It was so wonderful to see the students’ connection with a natural cycle and to hear their curiosity about this cycle and how humans are influencing it and how it influences humans! Educators always say these are the moments that sustain us, and I couldn’t agree more.”

For her community partnership project, Brianne created a program, “Life of a Honeybee” which explored all aspects of honeybees and was designed to dispel myths and encourage curiosity and intrigue. 

Working with Jean Richter, a retired National Wildlife Refuge biologist and beekeeper, the Cashie Beekeepers Association and the Chowan County Beekeepers, she obtained a honeybee hive, set up bee boxes and an exhibit at the Roanoke/Cashie River Center and provided the programming at local schools, libraries and for the public. The Life of a Honeybee curriculum that Brianne created for the program includes the life cycle of the honeybee, information on how people can help honeybees and the importance of native plants. “We talk about ways to reduce our dependency on pesticides and instead plant native plants that attract other insects that might prey on insects we are trying to kill. Native plants will also provide food sources for many larval stages of other pollinators that increase the biodiversity in a habitat leading to a more balanced and sustainable ecosystem.”

Brianne says the certification program changed her approach to teaching. “I’m much more aware of changing my lessons to be more inclusive for people that have learning differences, sensory or mobility impairments, or language barriers. I do my best to learn from my audiences about how I can better support them.”

Brianne says the program also changed the way she views environmental issues. “My overall feeling of despair regarding the state of the environment has been abated after participating in the certification program. This program has empowered me with the education and experience that I need to make a difference in my community. I truly believe education is key in combating environmental issues. It might not be the quickest or most expansive method, but education is key to lasting engagement.”