IslandWood's Education for Environment and Community Class of 2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
IslandWood’s Education for
Environment and Community
Class of 2021
I am from Duluth, Minnesota, and I have spent
my life growing up next to Lake Superior. The
last few years I have graduated my undergrad at
the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the
following year I have spent some time working
at a local cafe and living up in Grand Marais. For
the last month, I went on a Boundary Waters
Canoe Area Wilderness trip.
I decided to attend IslandWood because I would
love to work with children with an emphasis in
outdoor education and social justice. I hope to
Anna Nordin continue to work with youth.
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Gender and Women’s Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison, WI
Born and raised in Portland, I first discovered my
love for working with youth as a camp counselor.
After graduating from the University of Oregon, I
served as an AmeriCorps member with Playworks
in San Francisco and later worked as an after-
school program coordinator.
As an aspiring elementary school teacher, I am
excited to join IslandWood for its emphasis on
justice work as foundational to environmental
education, and to continue learning about being
in community with each other and the land
around us as a pathway to collective liberation.
I’m an avid runner, a sporadic fiddle player, and
Carlisle ‘Cali’ Hodge love to cook!
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Educational Foundations
University of Oregon; Eugene, OR
I’m a Vietnamese American, daughter of
refugees, aspiring environmental educator, and
artist-activist from Houston, Texas. I attended
Rice University where I studied Studio Art and
Psychology and became involved in peer
mentorship and community organizing. In 2018, I
became a Roger Arliner Young Conservation
Fellow where I discovered my passion in
advocating for diversity in conservation.
I found my way to IslandWood to learn how to
deliver education that is culturally relevant and
inclusive of all communities.
I love to draw, hike, go to art museums, make
smoothies, watch movies, spend time with
Cindy Nguyen family, and go exploring!
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Studio Art, Psychology
Rice University; Houston, TX
I am a recent graduate of Bates College in
Lewiston, Maine. I majored in Environmental
Studies with minors in rhetoric and religious
studies. Postgrad I took a gap year, during which I
worked in the education department at my local
aquarium and also spent two months in South
Africa working on my field guide qualifications.
I was drawn to IslandWood because so much of
my identity has been shaped by my passion and
understanding of the outdoors. I want to help
instill these values in others.
I’m a huge movie buff and love learning about
niche and obscure things.
Claire Naughton
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Environmental Studies
Bates College; Lewiston, ME
Hi, I’m Courtney. I’m originally from Issaquah, but
I also call Seattle and San Juan Island home. Over
the last few years, I’ve worked as a nanny, a
bartender, an after school program manager, an
outdoor preschool teacher, a kayak guide, and a
high school Spanish and health teacher. I have
always been passionate about environmental and
social justice, and I enjoy sharing these passions
with people.
Through the IslandWood program, I hope to
expand my skillset to better serve this world and
all her inhabitants.
Courtney Leake I love gardening, snorkeling, backpacking,
(she/her/hers) friendship, stewardship, the moon, mountains,
B.A. Environmental Education forest, ocean, and sun.
Western Washington University; Bellingham, WA
I'm from California, and for the past year, I've
been teaching in South Korea. I spent my
childhood summers at an outdoor camp, and
those experiences shaped my love of the
environment and inspired me to pursue a degree
in Environmental Science.
I chose the IslandWood program because I want
to take my teaching beyond brick and mortar and
inspire kids to be curious about exploring their
natural environment.
In the future, I hope to work in outdoor
education and eventually direct my own outdoor
camp.
Diana Krichevsky
(she/her/hers) As for hobbies, I love to hike, snowboard, shoot
B.S. Environmental Science archery, and pet goats!
University of California-Los Angeles; Los Angeles, CA
I grew up on Bainbridge, but was recently
working in Nepal, teaching English and science to
4th-8th graders as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Prior
to this, in a different part of Nepal, I conducted
ethnographic research on how rural kids learn
about the environment and taught primary-level
science.
At IslandWood, I hope to learn new hands-on,
environmental education methods, and to hone
my abilities to cultivate positive learning
communities and meet students’ diverse needs.
Elsie Love
(she/her/hers) After IslandWood, I hope to return to Nepal to
B.A. Government continue collaborating with kids, teachers, and
Hamilton College; Clinton, NY communities to connect environmental learning
to students’ cultural and lived realities.
Before studying Outdoor Leadership in Yuchi and
East Cherokee territory, I was born and raised on
Kickapoo, Peoria, Sioux, and Potawatomi
territory. I’ve spent the last 6 years on Duwamish
land as an educator, conservation worker,
behavior therapist, and gardener.
Hoping to develop my skills in curriculum design
to better suit the needs of survivors of sexual and
domestic violence, people with disabilities, and
other minority groups, I was drawn to
IslandWood's commitment to social justice and
student-centered education.
In my free time I can be found in the woods, in
my garden, or at the skatepark.
Grace Crowley
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Outdoor Leadership
Warren Wilson College; Asheville, NC
Growing up in rural Illinois, my nature exposure
consisted of corn, a small creek, corn, a prairie
preserve, and corn (so much corn). I quickly
began to take notice of the way the dry corn
sways in the wind in late fall, the distance a single
leaf will travel down the winding creek and the
unique educational opportunities in the
outdoors.
At IslandWood, I hope to gain skills that'll allow
me to return to the National Park Service as an
educator who is intentional about weaving social
Grace Merrett justice issues into programming.
(she/her/hers)
B.S. Recreation Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign;
Champaign-Urbana, IL
So excited to meet you all! I'm from Saint Paul,
MN. Highlights of my past three years include
facilitating Girl Scout groups in Minneapolis
public schools, guiding middle-school
backpacking trips with Outward Bound California,
and paddling the Mississippi River with three
dear friends. I studied biology at the College of
Saint Benedict (class of 2017).
I can't wait to participate in a program that sees
justice-oriented leadership and facilitation as its
priority (that is why I chose IslandWood).
Few things I'm passionate about- learning
communities :), coffee, picnics, poetry, red pines,
and canoes.
Grace Werner
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Biology
College of Saint Benedict; St. Paul, MN
I grew up in the Bay Area and moved to
Washington in 2010. My love for the ocean and
SCUBA diving helped me design my
undergraduate degree studying marine science
and education. I’ve spent the last four years
teaching programs all around the Puget Sound,
from Olympia to Seattle, and even sailing around
the San Juan Islands.
My love of adventure brought me to IslandWood
where I look forward to challenging my teaching
skills and growing as an educator.
I plan to pursue a career in nonprofit work.
Hanna Jones
(she/her/hers) In my free time I enjoy hiking, cooking, and being
B.A. Interaction of Science, Policy, and Community creative!
Education for the Protection of the Oceans
Western Washington University; Bellingham, WA
Grew up in Michigan, but I've spent the last few
years working in environmental and outdoor
education in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City,
and western Massachusetts.
I chose IslandWood and UW's program because
the unique layout will help me achieve my goal of
operating my own science and education center.
I enjoy hiking, camping, going to the movie
theater, cooking, and exploring the city that I'm
Jacob Kreuzer living in!
(he/him/his)
B.S. Natural Resource Management
Grand Valley State University; Allendale, MI
Originally from Massachusetts, I spent my
younger years outside in New England, hiking,
canoeing, camping, and developing a general love
and appreciation for nature. After college, I
worked with the National Environmental
Education Foundation in Washington, DC,
connecting educators nation-wide to place-based
environmental knowledge.
The first of two cross-country road trips landed
me in Seattle, where I've since been supporting
expanded learning opportunity programs as a
Coach with School's Out Washington.
I love sketching and art of all kinds, am always up
for a jam session, and will gladly add a loaf of
fresh sourdough bread to any community
Jeff Chandler potluck!
(he/him/his)
B.A. Creative Writing
Hamilton College; Clinton, NY
I am from Auburn, WA and am happy to be on
the west coast again after being in Wisconsin for
undergrad. Since graduating in May 2019, I have
been working at the Pacific Science Center as an
educator, teaching science to museum visitors as
well as students all around WA with the Science
on Wheels team.
As a Khmer-American woman in science, I aim to
support and inspire students of color, particularly
those entering traditionally white-dominated
fields of study.
A few of my passions are writing, fungi and
bacteria, tea, curating music playlists, and
collecting cool rocks!
June Pen
(she/her/hers)
B.S. Plant Pathology
University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison, WI
I’ve always lived in Washington (I have a BA in
biology from UW). I loved working in
microbiology labs, but I knew I needed to do
more than bench work to feel like I was making
an impact, so I’m now doing my dream job at a
lab in Seattle, developing STEM curriculum for
underserved high school students.
I am excited to keep learning and to join a
community that is like-minded but also
challenges me to explore different perspectives.
I love drawing, playing guitar, taking pictures of
mushrooms, and hanging out with my three cats:
Linnea Stavney Chicken, Acorn, and Bunny.
(she/her/hers)
B.S. General Biology
University of Washington; Seattle, WA
I am originally from the Twin Cities in Minnesota,
grew up in Richmond, Virginia and have spent the
last three years teaching Kindergarten in Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
My two biggest passions are teaching kids and
being outdoors, so I felt extremely fortunate to
find and join the IslandWood community that
prioritizes teaching kids in and about the
outdoors!
In the future, I hope to teach elementary
environmental education in some capacity. I
would like to explore alternative school settings.
Some of my recent and lifelong hobbies include:
walking and running outside, reading, cooking,
traveling, and spending time with friends and
Megan Wing family.
(she/her/hers)
B.A. Environmental Studies
University of Richmond; Richmond, VA
I grew up in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. I
enjoy hiking, making art, and baking for others
(most recently, I've been experimenting with
brownies). Since completing my self-designed
Bachelor's two years ago, I have volunteered with
a natural history museum and worked in both
higher education and a nature center.
I chose the IslandWood program because of its
commitment to justice in education.
In the future, I hope to continue to grow as an
educator and leader and would love to start my
Meryl Haque own educational resource center for youth to
(they/them/theirs) organize around social and environmental issues.
B.A. Individualized Studies-Identity, Culture, and Place
Miami University; Oxford, OH
I’m 24 years old and from Winston-Salem, North
Carolina! I graduated from Wofford College in
South Carolina and majored in Environmental
Studies. These past years I’ve interned on the
Wind River Reservation and worked as the
environmental educator at an Outdoor School in
SC.
I chose the IslandWood program because I
wanted more experience in
teaching/environmental education and loved the
community aspect of it.
Natalie Lassiter I hope to eventually become a high school
(she/her/hers) teacher and a NOLS field guide during the
B.A. Environmental Studies summer.
Wofford College; Spartanburg, SC
In my spare time I love to write music and run!
I am from Lexington, KY, lived in Columbia, SC,
and moved to Seattle, WA, in February 2018.
Most recently, I was an Administrative Assistant
at Neighborcare Health.
I am attending IslandWood because the academic
rigor and experiential education will help me to
become an effective environmental educator.
In the future, I want to be the director of a
government environmental education center.
Interests include Islam, Minimalism, cooking,
Spring Miles hiking, long walks, podcasts, reading, and music. I
(she/her/hers) recently got a puppy (Shih Tzu/Yorkie mix). I
B.S. Public Health prefer phone/video calls and in-person
University of South Carolina; Columbia, SC communication. ENFJ personality type. Fluent in
French and learning Arabic.
I am a Marine Scientist from CA with a focus in
environmental education. In the future I desire
to hold a position of power where I can create
change on a broader scale and have the platform
to echo equity.
IslandWood will ensure I receive the proper
training and experiences I need to reach my
career and personal goals to contribute to a
more equitable and just society.
I like to travel, watch anime, dance in the dark,
sleep and be outdoors. My favorite treat is mochi
Tiffany Barber ice cream. My self-care routine is sleep, eat, knit,
(she/her/hers) repeat.
B.S. Marine Science
California State University-Monterey Bay; Seaside, CAYou can also read
