Educator Spotlight: Caitlyn Heney

For Caitlyn Heney, a senior studying environmental geology at Appalachian State University, earning her North Carolina Environmental Education Certification has been more than a professional achievement. It has opened doors to new opportunities, strengthened her confidence, and connected her with a supportive network of environmental professionals across the state.

Caitlyn, who plans to graduate in December 2026, says one of the most valuable aspects of the certification program has been the relationships she has built along the way.

"The program connected me with an incredible network of people who will continue to support me as I move into my career," she shared.

Last summer, Caitlyn interned with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality as an erosion and sediment control education and outreach intern. The experience became the foundation for her community partnership project, a key component of the certification program.

"During my internship, I redesigned the Erosion and Sediment Control Program's curriculum, The Erosion Patrol," Caitlyn said. "Starting with an outdated packet from the 1990s, I expanded and modernized the curriculum by creating new activities, a comprehensive educator guidebook, a student workbook and a comic book that I wrote and illustrated. All these materials align with North Carolina's interdisciplinary fourth-grade standards, and my work isn’t finished yet. I am currently completing a third-grade curriculum and will soon begin developing a middle school curriculum as well."

Among the highlights of the certification process, Caitlyn says connecting with classroom teachers and nonformal educators from across North Carolina was especially meaningful.

"Hearing about people's different backgrounds, making connections and forming new friendships was wonderful," she said.

When reflecting on her certification journey, Caitlyn said one of the biggest surprises was discovering that environmental education was much more than a backup plan.

"When I started the certification program, I honestly saw it as a backup plan," she said. "I wasn't sure what my future would look like, so I wanted to build my environmental résumé and create more options after graduation. Over time, though, I fell in love with environmental education and realized this was the path I was meant to follow.

"Somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like a backup plan and became something I was genuinely excited about. I love combining my passion for the environment with art and creativity and then sharing that passion with people of all ages. Environmental education has shown me that science does not have to feel intimidating or inaccessible. There are so many creative ways to take complex environmental topics and make them engaging, understandable and even fun. Discovering that has been one of the most meaningful parts of earning my certification."

One experience that particularly stood out was attending three Project WET (Water Education for Tomorrow) workshops.

"These were some of my favorite workshops throughout the entire process," Caitlyn said. "I've always been passionate about water, especially coastal environments, but these workshops helped me realize how much I enjoy water education in general. They also showed me just how interconnected geology and water really are.”

Caitlyn said that water is connected to all the topics that interest her from erosion and sedimentation to groundwater, watersheds, coastal processes and environmental conservation. “Through hands-on activities, I realized that environmental education was not separate from my interest in geology. Instead, it became a way to bring all of those interests together."

The certification program also transformed Caitlyn's approach to teaching and helped her gain confidence as an educator.

"When I entered the program, I had very little experience and didn't really know what environmental education looked like," she said. "I knew how to talk about my interests and share what I knew, but I didn't know how to structure that knowledge into meaningful lessons.”

Caitlyn says after earning her certification, she feels confident planning lessons and leading groups on environmental topics, both indoors and outdoors. “My public speaking skills have improved tremendously, and I'm much more comfortable answering questions and adapting when things don't go as planned. One of the biggest things I've gained from this program is confidence. I've learned that it's okay to make mistakes, learn from them and keep moving forward."

Beyond teaching skills, Caitlyn says the program also changed the way she views environmental issues.

"Before I started the certification program, and honestly before I even began my degree, I was extremely pessimistic," she said. "I viewed environmental issues as black and white, and everything felt like the end of the world.”

After completing the prerequisite for enrolling in the program, the "Basics of Environmental Education,” she says her perspective began to change. “I realized environmental issues are more like a rainbow. They are complex, and there is hope. There isn't always a single problem, a single solution or one person to blame. There are many perspectives, experiences, and factors to consider.”

She also says that realization has completely changed how she approaches environmental issues, and how she hopes to teach others about them. “As an environmental educator, I want to inspire empathy and compassion while encouraging action and positive change. The topics we teach can be difficult and sometimes overwhelming, especially when it's easy to focus on everything going wrong. But there is still hope, and I want the people I teach to leave feeling empowered to be part of the solution. Hope is incredibly important right now, and I believe environmental education can help create more of it."