Educator Spotlight: Krista Brinchek

Krista Brinchek, a science specialist at Abbotts Creek Elementary School, has completed her NC Environmental Education Certification. Krista serves more than 800 students each year! “I developed my curriculum through an environmental lens to teach the NC Science Standards and connect students to the natural world.”

When asked about her favorite part of earning her certification, Krista says the program profoundly shaped her growth as an educator. "It has deepened my knowledge of North Carolina's diverse flora, fauna, and natural systems while connecting me with an incredible network of educators across the state. Through these relationships, I have collaborated with environmental education professionals, gained valuable instructional best practices and strengthened my ability to create engaging, meaningful learning experiences that connect students with the natural world."

When asked what certification experience stands out for her, she says it was the workshops with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. “Through the certification process I was able to attend numerous workshops with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences which not only connected me with educators from across the state but gave me a deep dive into content knowledge about our unique flora and fauna in our state. My favorite experience was attending the museums Educators of Excellence Magical Migrations trip to Mexico!”

For her community partnership project, Krista spearheaded a nature-inspired professional development workshop in Cullowhee at the NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching. “The workshop brought together a diverse team of environmental education professionals to design and deliver meaningful learning experiences for formal educators. Through this collaborative effort, teachers gained hands-on strategies, field-based experiences, and connections to local environmental resources that empowered them to integrate environmental literacy and outdoor learning into their classrooms with confidence.”

When asked how the program led to changes in her approach to teaching others, Krista says it was the skill building. “This program and the workshops attended gave me so many new skills to incorporate hands-on learning within the classroom. The instructional workshops provided ready to implement lessons that not only taught environmental education concepts but directly connected with science standards.”