| Staff Bios |
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Name: Maggie
Age: 24
School and Degree: East Stroudsburg University of PA: B.A. in
Recreation and Leisure Services Management. Concentration: Outdoor Rec.
Experience: Many years experiencing the wonders of nature & the
benefits of outdoor recreation. 3 month internship at the Monroe Co.
Environmental Education Center in PA. Teaching and leading activities with
kids at nature camps while at MCEEC. Ropes course facilitator at Stony
Acres Wildlife Refuge in Marshall’s Creek, PA. Master site planning for
Resica Falls Scout Reservation- Resica Falls, PA.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids give a fresh
perspective to adults… they keep us all young! The moments when you share
something new with them and the energetic reactions you get as an educator
are priceless. Do what you love, and love what you do!
Interests: Running around outside, enjoying any form of live music,
swimming, kayaking, learning new things, reading, journaling, making
jewelry, being in the company of good people, singin’ and dancin’!
Sunshine!!!
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Name:
Emily Age:24
School and Degree: Florida State
University, BS in Biology and Philosophy
Experience: Summer Camp, Central
Florida Ballet School, extensive personal experience in the coolest outdoor
activities
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
People are capable of so much more than they
ever believe. Kids haven’t completely fallen into the world of excuses and are
willing to try new things. Their excitement when they succeed and about life in
general is very contagious! Plus, kids are really fun! “Live your life as an
exclamation, not an explanation.”
Interests: rock climbing,
photography, kayaking, knitting, mountains
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Name:
Amy Age: 23
School and Degree: Westminster
College, Major: Elementary Education, Minor: Childhood Development
Experience:
Newfound Harbor Marine Institute, 22
experiential-based years of life as a kid, 10 of which have been spent
babysitting, teaching vacation Bible school, scouting, and laughing.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Facilitating the learning process is a
unique opportunity I’ve grown to love. Kids constantly surprise me, making
each day of work a chance to do something meaningful with my life and to
enjoy instant entertainment. Mix in the chance to expose students to
nature and it’s hard to even call this a job!
Interests: Dominating all air
hockey challenges, being nature’s paparazzi, anything to do with the ocean
and being crafty
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Name:
Greer
Age: 22
School and Degree: Wheeling Jesuit University, BS. Biology
Experience:
Geer worked with Children
who have disabilities for 10 years. She was Head Moderator of an
after school program for at risk youth, and was part of the board
for Youth Social Services. She also did prison ministry for
incarcerated youth. She has been camping since the age of 4 and was
head counselor at a day camp for the past 3 years. In college she
was a TA in ecology..
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: “Kids totally
rock! I’m super stoked to be able to combine my loves for science
and the outdoors to impact youth in a positive way. Kids + Science +
Outdoors = Rockin!”
Interests: Being outside,
hugging trees, playing/attempting to play musical instruments,
music, writing, volleyball, tennis…anything that keeps life fun!
“Live the life you love, love the life you live.”
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Name:
Caitlin Eggimann
Age:
22
School and Degree:
Flagler College – Elementary
Education/ESOR Endorsement Experience:
Student teaching internship with 5th
grade, High Trails Internship, Elementary Teaching Assistant in St.
Augustine Florida, camp counselor, Independent Traveler, Taught
English in Peru, TEFL certified.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
You get to laugh really hard every day,
stay young, play outside, and mold young minds in a positive way!
Interests:
Swimming, climbing, ice cream,
sunshine, oceans, mountains, laughing, campfires, traveling,
cleaning bathrooms and puppies.
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Name: Molly Age: 23
School and degree: Northland College; Natural Resources
Experience: Working in the field with animals. Performing puppet shows for
San Francesco Bay children. Teaching gymnastics to Wisconsin children from the
ages of 2-17. Having fun in the woods.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: It allows me to continue to be
a kid at heart.
Interests: Backpacking, skiing, traveling the USA, hiking, working with
animals
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Name:
F. J.
Age:
22
School and Degree:
St. Joseph’s University –
Marketing,University of Metaphysical Sciences – Doctor of
Metaphysical Science (in process)
Experience:
Outdoor education on the eastern shore
of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Why I Enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
If you live to learn you learn to live.
Life is about finding out who you are
and how to become you dreams.
I love to provide an opportunity for
kids to have a unique experience and perspective on education and to
help them discover how to live their passion.
Interests:
Beauty, excitement, martial arts, new
experiences, traveling, music, stimulating interactions with
wonderful people.
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Name: Greg
Age: 26
School and Degree: Huron University London, BA.
Humanities, partial study MA international Conflict Resolution. Post
Graduate Work University of Edinburgh, Outdoor and Experiential
Education.
Experience: Two Years Senior Counselor and Activity
Instructor at Camp Friendship. 4H Canoe and Whitewater Kayak
Instructor. 2 summer seasons working with children with Additional
Support Needs at SOAR, Inc, Wilderness Instructor. 5 week work
placement at Harmeny Education trust. Wilderness First Responder,
and also Swift Water Rescue Technician.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: My
philosophy working with kids changed profoundly after working with
Children with Additional Support Needs. My philosophy is strongly
influenced by European philosophy, especially my time with Harmeny
Education Trust. My biggest philosophy is perhaps borrowed from my
Grandfather, a trapper and a Hunter of North Woods of Wisconsin. A
simple philosophy, get them out in the woods and introduce them to
the wilderness. That can be their friends fro and entire lifetime.
Interests: Avid white water rat, with a Kayak or in a
raft. Hunting, Fishing, Mountaining, Skiing, Snow shoeing,
international travel and playing traditional English and Irish Folk
Music on my Banjo, Guitar, and Irish Whistle and Flute. As well as
writing poetry.
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Name:
Bip Age: 41
School and Degree: Oregon
State University, BS Liberal Studies
Experience: Corvallis Outdoor
School Program, Educational Masters work: volunteer practicum/Westside
Village Magnet School, diverse populations practicum/Early Start Program,
Editor of Young Attitude (a child-written and –driven monthly
publication), subject tutoring in multiple subjects
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
opening eyes to the teachable moment and making connections between
classroom learning and the human condition allows me the opportunity to
feel productive and make personal connections to my world. The outdoor
school environment allows a bridge between sciences and the human role in
the world. Children also keep me feeling young.
Interests: Music, art,
literature, nature
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Name: Aaron
Age: 25
School and Degree: The University of West Florida,
Psychology
Experience: 3 Years at Gulf Breeze Recreation Summer
Camp.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Be the change
you wish to see
Interests: Frisbee, Surfing, Good Music, Some bad
music, Cooking & eating good food, promoting environmental
conservation.
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Name:
Logan
Age: 24
School and Degree: St. Mary’s College of MD, English and
French
Experience: Logan worked for 9 years at Henson Scout
Reservation in every capacity from Nature Instructor to Program
Director. He also spent one summer as a base camp coordinator for
the Maine Appalachian Trail Crew..
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: IU feel that
learning is best accomplished through a rotation of theory,
practice, experience and exposure to good examples. As a teacher my
goal is to be a good example and be able to be a conduit for
students to experience the ultimate examples of the natural world.
Interests: Reading, Writing, Watching the Cosby Show,
Hip Hop, Sports, Spelunking, Cooking.
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Name: Adam
Age: 23
School and Degree: University of Colorado Boulder, BA, Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology
Experience: Adam was a coach for a High School Cross Country
Team in Burbank Ca. He was a Population Research Conductor in the
woods of Nederland Colorado, and he is a life long Boy Scout.
.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: I believe
education is the best way to make the world a better place.
Education allows for one to develop personal interests, better
decision making skills and for a more fulfilled life. I love
education and I love kids, so what better way to them than here at
High Trails. =)
Interests: Archery, Bowling, Camping, Hiking, Reading,
Graphic Novels and electronics.
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Name:
Khrys Age: 25
School and Degree: Richard
Stockton College of NJ
Experience: Redwood National
and State Park – Education specialist/interpreter; SAVE (Stockton Action
Volunteers for Environment); NJ Community Water Watch; Clean Vibes
Recycling Company
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
If we raise kids with proper nurturing in
a friendly environment with the tools of awareness in themselves and their
surroundings, the future will be a paradise unlike anything imaginable.
Oh, yeah, and kids keep it real and are not yet assimilated with ego.
Interests: biking, hiking,
sports, Frisbee; traveling and exploring new cultures, new ideas, new
people, and of course friends and family.
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Name:
Liza
Age: 22
School and Degree: Pomona College, BA, Biochemistry
Experience: Liza spent ten years as a camper and counselor at
her childhood summer camp in New Hampshire, and she studied ecology
and conservation in Ecuador..
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: ‘”Kids are our
future and instilling an environmental conscience at a young age is
vital in order to protect our environment. I love working with kids
because they crack me up.”
Interests: Running, hiking, skiing, traveling, meeting new
people and animal style cheeseburgers from In–n-Out!
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Name:
Sue! Age:
22
School and Degree: Boston University, Environmental Science
Experience: 3 summers working as a girl scout camp counselor,
substitute teaching, counselor at NYS environmental education camp.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are hilarious. I
love having a job where I can act ridiculous, play games, sing songs and
teach about the things that are important to me.
Interests: Wearing underpants as outerwear and costumes, hiking,
camping, writing haikus, triathlons, volcanoes, baking deliciousness,
Celine Dion
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Name:
Carrie
Age: 22
School and Degree: Earlham College, Biology and Quaker Studies
Experience: Carrie has worked at Girls Incorporated of Wayne
County, The Science Factory summer program, B.E.S.T. After School
Program, and many other places-I just love working with kids!.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are cooler
than adults.
Interests: Science! Biology, Botany, Geology, Chemistry…bugs
and flowers and water and dirt and sticks! I also love biking,
basketball and Hannah Montana.
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Name:
Ian
Age: 26
School and Degree:
Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University, In
Recreation and Leisure Management with an Outdoor emphasis
Experience:
Over four years of working at a variety of camps, leading a
5 week adventure trip in Canada and the Pacific Northwest, and working on
a variety of ropes and challenge courses.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Kids are great! I love to
show them new things in life and to possibly change their perspectives.
Interests:
Love climbing, skiing,
and white water rafting; but just being outside in general. Most of all I
love to travel.
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Name:
Bryan Burnett
Age: 29
School and Degree:
University of Colorado, Boulder.
Experience:
teacher, camp counselor, snowboard
instructor, dive master, soccer coach, raft guide.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Working with kids makes it easy to
laugh and play and makes you feel like you did well at the end of
the day.
Interests:
Outdoors, music, art, good books, fun
people.
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Name: Mitch
Age: 25
School and Degree: Castleton State College, Political Science
and Journalism, Minor in Art
Experience: Mitch spent four years as a Camp Counselor, one
year outdoor education and a winter and a spring at Green Mountain
Children’s Center as a class room Teacher. 25 years of love for the
outdoors..
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: The greatest
education is nature. There is more truth in a sunset than in all the
wisdom of mankind. Working with kids is the most fun, challenging
and rewarding job out there.
Interests: Skiing, art, running, music and books.
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Name:
Milt
Age: 28
School and Degree: Hope College, BA English
Experience: Milt taught high school English in Battle Creek,
MI, trained teachers in Mongolia and taught at a hogwon in Korea
before journeying to California.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Walls and adults
tend to bore me. Nature and kids are fun to work with.
Interests: I enjoy ponies, unicorns, kittens and rainbows.
Rambo is my hero. I am also intrigued by the idiosyncratic
arrangements of twenty-six shapes guided by about five pieces of
punctuation.
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Name:
Milly
Age: 22
School and Degree: University of Tennessee, Geography
Experience: Milly was camp staff and a young life leader. She
has worked in after school program and been a bible school teacher
and a long time camp-goer.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: “Working with
kids is a win-win situation. I get to have a blast while being a
positive influence and getting kids excited about nature.”
Interests: Traveling, hiking, biking, learning about the
world, photography, practicing foreign accents, mountains, gas
station soda fountains, Chick-fil-a, Kittens and rainbows, and
memorizing random trivia to impress my friends and family.
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Name:
Aron
Age: 24
School and Degree: Palomar College, Anthropology
Experience: Aron started working in outdoor education at 14
in San Diego County, a Mataguay Scout Reservation as a nature
instructor. Since then, he has continued to work as an outdoor
educator and youth leader. Currently Aron is registered as a
counselor for the SCIC BSA council as an environmental science,
mammal study, and nature study, forestry and fish/wildlife
management counselor. In the summer of 2009, Aron will be working at
Mataguayas a nature and Communications Director.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: “Kids are
awesome! When you see the fire of learning ignited in a child, when
they have transcended goal based learning and begin pursuing
knowledge for its own sake, this is true satisfaction.”
Interests: Kittens, rainbows, the Cartesian divide that exits
in the psychological structure of modern society and dirt.
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Name:
Ian Age: 24
School and Degree: Universtiy of North Carolina Major:
History (American)
Experience: NOLS Alumni-Semester in the Southwest- Spring 2004. “I’ve
worked with lots of kids for quite a while.”
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are amazed by
amazing things. They are fun and often funny. Teaching kids to respect
and appreciate nature and teach others will lead to a cleaner and better
future.
Interests:
I like to climb, backpack, hike, snowboard, read, chop wood, eat good
food, be in the company of good people, jump off high things into water,
watch movies, and laugh and oh yeah, I like to listen to good music,
preferably live.
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Name:
Joe
Age:
21
School and Degree:
Shippensbug University of PA –
Geoenvironmental Studies B.S.
Experience:
Eight years at Goose Pond Scout
Reservation ranging from Nature Staff to Outpost Director and other
positions.
Two weeks of National Camping School.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Passing on my outdoor experience to as
many kids as I can is the most rewarding responsibility and always
makes me feel good at the end of the day.
Interests:
Reading, hiking, climbing, camping, so
on and so forth.
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Name:
Christy
Age: 22
School and Degree: Lake Forest College, Environmental
Studies
Experience: Christy worked at Colorado Camps for two years
was a horseback-riding counselor, leading trips through the
beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park. She also worked with the
Lake Forest Open Lands Association as an environmental education
intern, teaching lessons to students.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: “I love being
outdoors and teaching kids about the environment and how to
enjoy nature while respecting it.
Interests: Basketball, softball, and volleyball, teaching
kids, getting to act like a kid, horseback-riding, camping canoeing,
fishing, hiking, and curling up with a good book!
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Name:
Jordan
Age: 22
School and Degree: University of Richmond, B.A. in Leadership Studies, Journalism
Minor
Experience:
Counselor at Gates Camp for Boys and Girls, Program Assistant at St.
John’s Camps, Assistant Director to Study Abroad Prague, Cz Nanny
and Babysitter for life!
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Learning
and discovery are two constants in our ever-changing world. Kids
remind me what it means to explore and expand our minds while having
fun. I believe in the value of intrinsic motivation and teaching
kids lets me focus on what is really important. Plus, I get to play
in the woods all day!
Interests:
Keeping it real! I love to play and to make a fool of myself because
no one should take themselves too seriously. I also enjoy reading,
writing, and extemporaneous vocabulary. Photography is pretty sweet
and I want to learn to make flour out of acorns. Travel gets my
adrenaline pumping and there is nothing better than a deep
philosophical discussion with friends. Mostly though, I’m just
interested in LIFE! Oh, and playing turtlemaster….
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Name:
Mark Age: 85
School and Degree: Fitchburg
State College; BA Professional Writing
Experience: I am fortunate to
have hiked/camped/and backpacked throughout America for the past 20 years.
Taught children ages 3-13 in Montessori settings for the past 6 years.
Coached children in a variety of sports – hockey and football included,
voluntarily since 1993. Former news and sports writer.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
A child’s enthusiasm, joy, spontaneity, and fun-loving attitude fuel my
zeal for Outdoor Science Education. I believe all children deserve to
stroll through America’s wondrous backcountry areas, learning firsthand
about nature and the environment. Besides, kids are super-cool and awesome
people!
Interests: Hiking, camping,
backpacking, motorcycling, stick and ball sports, ice skating, skiing, and
mountain biking; also known to hug (or try to) Giant Sequoias and other
trees.
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Name:
David
Age: 23
School and Degree: St. Norbert College, Communication
Experience:
Worked at 3 Golf Clubs and interned at G2 Insurance Company in my
hometown. Also, I spent a year working at a horse ranch.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are
our future. It is important to focus on community and teaching our
youth about our environmental concerns, so we can have the best and
brightest future for earth and its people.
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Name:
Serena Age: 24
School and Degree:
New York University, B.S. in Communication Studies and Graphic Design
Experience:
after school program counselor, lifeguard, 5+ years caring for children in
NYC and various other places
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
“Live for the moment and never let the moment pass you by”. I love
the energy that kids carry with them and how contagious positivity can be.
Interests:
swimming,
hiking, arts & crafts, music, snowboarding, telling stories, cooking
really great pescetarian food, laughing, never feeling old!
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Name:
Melinda
Age: 23
School and Degree:
Paul Smiths College, Recreation Adventure travel and Ecotourism
Experience:
summer camps, working as a kayak instructor and outdoor living skills instructor
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Kids keep me excited about things I would normally overlook. I
enjoy making a difference with children in their everyday lives.
Interests:
Laughing, hiking, kayaking, anything outside, chocolate milk!
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Name: Raychel
Age:
28
School and Degree: University of Washington B.A. European Studies,
Spanish
Experience: Lots of time spent digging around in the forest, former
outdoor school counselor and camper, English as a second language staff
assistant and 26 years of being fascinated by people, nature and life.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: I enjoy working with kids
because they think I’m tall! Also, they are so curious and excited about
the world around them and I love sharing that with them. Hopefully they’ll
be interested enough to pass on the information they are learning and make
a difference in their communities. Bonus: kids are the easiest people to
make friends with – all you have to do is tease them about their socks,
build a fort together or just act silly and you’re instant buds!
Interests:
You are chipper, easily approachable, some form of the zodiac that is
probably a natural leader. Other hobbies include long kayaks on the lake,
road trips and healthy eating. You're spunky. Kids love you. There's
probably a school infirmary or two with 18' bronzed trophies of you with
thermometer and radio in hands with a calm, yet confident gaze over the
room. You aren't just any medic, you're The Little Short Medic (LSM for
short).
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Name:
Matthew
Age: 25
School and Degree: Bethel University; Educational Studies, Minor in Biology,
Hamline University; Master’s Certificate in Environmental Education
Experience:
While studying to be a H.S. Biology teacher I worked in several
nature centers besides working in the mandatory field experiences in
college. After graduation, I worked full time in environmental
education.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: I enjoy
teaching experiential education classes with students because I see
how they retain their knowledge if they actually do something about
their education. Students are not sponges in which they need to have
an active part of their schooling to retain and appreciate the
knowledge around them.
Interests:
Dancing, Running, Hiking, Exploring, Traveling, Reading, Writing,
Archery, Climbing, Kayaking
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Name:
Jeanine
Age: 23
School and Degree: Cornell University, Natural Resources, Applied Ecology
Experience:
Over the last few years, I have done ecological research and am now
glad to be on the teaching end. I have always enjoyed teaching and
working with kids.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Teaching
about the natural environment to kids is both fun and something I
believe to be important.
Interests:
Painting, Rock climbing, cooking, mushroom hunting, exploring,
cheese making.
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Name: Jake Age: 24
School and Degree: East Stroudsburg University
Experience: Crew Leader with Montana Conservation Corps. Challenge
Course Facilitator Stoney Acres, PA
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are crazy nuts
with energy to spare and creativity to boot. They remind me of what we as
adults forget sometimes.
Interests:
Climbing mountains, coming back down them, playing in snow, napping in the sun,
and reading interesting and compelling novels. In general, doing what I
love and loving what I do.
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Name:
Morgan
Age: 25
School and Degree: University of California, Davis –Community and Regional
Development
Experience:
UC Davis Children’s Garden Program, Students for Environmental
Education at Davis (SEED), UCD Project Compost, USD Whole Earth
Festival, UC Berkeley Recycling Program
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids are
the future! They are uber-great to work with!
Interests:
Mycoremediation, actinomycetes, subsoil hydrolysis interactions,
soil food web interworkings, chillin’ with my homies in Oaktown.
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Name:
Matt “The Shark” Age:
22
School and Degree: Longwood
University- BA in communication studies, minor in Outdoor ed.
Experience: Various outdoor camps, nature specialist for YMCA, teaching
assistant for outdoor ed. Minor.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
They have great energy to feed off of and it’s
a great opportunity to inspire and lead the next generation.
Interests: guitar, fly-fishing,
climbing, music, learning how to fix stuff, especially cars.
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Name:
Johanna Age: 24
School and Degree:
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, B.S. of Psychology in 2006
Experience:
worked for a mental health agency conducting group and individual meetings
in various school districts with students grades 6-12 as part of the
Student Assistance Program, also babysat over the last year for 2
elementary-aged children.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
I enjoy working with kids because they bring out the childish side
of me. Watching kids explore and discover new things reminds me that life
is an exploration and that it doesn’t have to stop just because you get
older. Children help inspire me so I can believe it is my dusty to create
more opportunities for them to learn.
Interests:
My interests
include enjoying the outdoors, loving sunshine and blue skies. I love
being with friends and being a goofball. I love music and dancing, trying
new things and challenging myself. I love coffee and chocolate ice cream!
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Name:
Annie
Age:
22
School and Degree: Hamilton College; B.A. Philosophy and Creative Writing,
currently working on M.A. in English Literature at Middlebury
College
Experience:
Camp counselor, super babysitter, worked for Boston Museum of
Science, worked for New Zealand Environmental Group
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy: Kids share
my love of animals, good stories, candy bars, and enthusiasm for
nature. They keep me young!|
Interests:
unicorns, peanut butter, travel, reading books and writing stories
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Name:
Luke Edens
Age:
25
School and Degree:
Western Washington University – B.A.
Political Science/Philosophy/Economics
Experience:
“OutTrip Director” for YMCA Camp Orkila
Expedition program, Outdoor Education Instructor for YMCA camp OEE
program, lots of institutional kitchen work.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
working with kids gives you a great
perspective.
Watching and helping people function
outside of their element is as amusing as it is rewarding.
Interests:
Books, messing around outside, science
fiction, music, film, zombies, travel.
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Name:
Curtis Schwartz
School and Degree:
Brevard College, Brevard NC.
B.A. Religious Studies, Minor –
Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education
Experience:
Worked as lifeguard, cabin counselor,
and climbing guy at multiple summer camps in MI and NC.
Lead at risk youth on 22-day wilderness
trips.
And lots of time just running around
the woods and mountains learning as much as I can!
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Kids teach me!!
Kids are awesome because they are so
excited to experience new things and learn as much as possible.
They make learning fun and help look at
things with a different set of eyes.
Interests:
Pretty much everything in the mountains
and woods!
Rock climbing, hiking, biking, and
finding awesome swimming holes.
I also love playing ultimate Frisbee
and slacklineing.
And anything else new is worth trying
at least once!
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Name:
Pat
Age:
28
School and Degree: University of
Alaska; B.S. Health and Fitness Leadership
Experience:
Over ten years experience working in youth development
programs.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Working with kids is rewarding!
It is exciting to know that we are teaching children things
that they will always remember.
“Stay positive and love your life.”
Interests:
Outdoor adventure, reading, movies, good friends, and making
music.
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Name:
Heather Gunther
Age:
28
School and Degree:
Penn State University – Psychology
Bioscience
Experience:
I first started teaching in an
orphanage in Kabul.
I still miss my first students.
I’ve worked for ARC and with the State
College High School Special Education students, where I participated
in many a karaoke night.
For the past year, my home has been the
Pisgah National Forest working as a wilderness therapy instructor.
I’ve received a back massage from an
elephant and laughed in many places.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
We care about what we know.
I love having the opportunity to be a
catalyst for knowledge.
The more fun we make leaning the more
likely we remember what we’ve learned.
I still remember the first time I
realized I had taught a girl something, it was a powerful moment.
Interests:
Photography, anything outdoors,
reading, kayaking, skiing, traveling, learning, teaching, new
experiences, fun times with fun people.
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Name:
Emma Emmerich
Age:
20
School and Degree:
Antioch College /(In Progress) Early
Childhood Education.
Experience:
I have worked with Blind and disabled
children education at the Clovernook Center for the Blind in Ohio
for three years.
I also enjoyed working at an outdoor
education camp called the Cincinnati Nature Center for three
summers.
I also worked with children in an after
school program with Family Service Agency for two years.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
I love working with children because
their perspective on life is so refreshing and honest.
I also really enjoy how much fun I have
when being silly and goofy while teaching.
My philosophy is learning by
experience, when you get your hands dirty you really experience the
outdoors for what it is.
Interests:
I love to cook and bake whenever I have
free time.
I love bike riding, scuba diving,
playing soccer, swimming, going to the ocean, gardening, reading and
listening and dancing to music.
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Name:
Stephen
Age:
24
School and Degree: Northern Michigan
University; B.S. Environmental Science and Policy
Experience:
Spent a year at the Cincinnati Nature center as an education
intern and camp counselor.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Kids are hilarious! I
enjoy being able to hike in the woods and open kids eyes to the cool
things going on in their outdoor environment.
Interests:
Playing guitar, skiing/snowboarding, mountain biking
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Name:
Chris
Age: 25
School and Degree:
University of Wales Aberystwyth, BSC Countryside Management, Post Grad
Certificate in Education for Geography.
Experience:
Oudoor Education intern-Sierra Nevadas,
Adventure Director-Nova Scotia, Overseas Expedition Leader, Mexico, Venezuela,
India, Geography teacher, Wales, England
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
The world is an awesome and diverse place. I love sharing that with
people.
Interests:
climbing, mountain
biking, backpacking, mountaineering, surfing and anything that is cool outside
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Name:
Christina
Age:
24
School and Degree: Kansas State
University; B.A. English Literature and Spanish, Prescott College;
M.A. Environmental Writing
Experience:
Americorps NCCC, a year teaching in the South Bronx with the
New York City Teaching Fellows.
Living life and learning form everything in it.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Our generation is the next generations of leaders,
environmentally, politically, etc.
Now is an opportunity to positively affect the generation
below us so they can carry on the change we need to implement.
Kids are guaranteed to keep you on your toes.
Interests:
Living life and hanging with people who do the same!
Reading incessantly to learn all kinds of new stuff and
writing so that someday I can get a major book deal someday.
Rock climbing, drinking awesome coffee, going outside,
looking up at the stars, just being awed at how awesome my life is
and how big the universe is!
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Name:
Lauren
Age:
23
School and Degree: Skidmore College;
B.A. Environmental Studies, minor in Geoscience
Experience:
Worked three summers at Rye nature center summer camp.
Created an environmental science curriculum for two
elementary schools in the Saratoga Springs, NY area.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
I feel it is important for kids to explore the natural world
outside the traditional classroom.
Self-exploration in a controlled and guided environment is
key to understanding the consequences of human activity on our
remaining wilderness.
Interests:
Tennis, hiking, camping, wild animals, and obtaining the title of
turtle master.
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Name:
Emily
Age:
22
School and Degree: University of Mary
Washington; B.A. English and Studio Art
Experience:
University Orientation leader, Hemlock Overlook Center for
Outdoor Education, multiple and various sundry camps and babysitting
jobs.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
Working with kids means I get to run around the woods and act
like a complete goofball having a great time everyday and call it
work. Kids teach us so
much, I really think that the influence that kids have on us is
equal to the influence we have on them.
Interests:
Photography, jewelry making, reading, fishing, arts and
crafts in general, wearing ridiculous outfits, stargazing, board
games/games in general, singing out of tune, and adventures.
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Name:
Erin
Age:
22
School and Degree: University of
California Berkley; B.A. Developmental Studies
Experience:
Years of tutoring and volunteering in classrooms, a few
summers spent working at day camps, several months aiding at a
school garden, and 22 years of learning about the natural world.
Why I enjoy working with kids/my philosophy:
The energy and creativity of kids has always inspired me.
I love to share my own passion for learning about the natural
world with children.
Interests:
Backpacking, berry picking, tree-climbing, vegetable growing,
moon bathing, star gazing, music-making, book-reading, picnics,
laughter, and adventures of all kinds.
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Name: Jana
Age: 26
School and Degree:
Brevard College, Wilderness Leadership and Experiential
Education
Experience: Summer
camp counselor, WIlderness Therapy Field Instructor, Teacher
Aide in an alternative school, Outdoor Educator in Western North
Carolina.
Why I enjoy working with
kids/my philosophy: Kids keep my spirit alive when I
see the innocence in their faces when they learn something or
try something new.
Interests: Hanging
out with friends and family, walruses, live music, and chillaxin'.
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Name: Emily
Age: 24
School and Degree:
Pomona College, BA in International Relations; Central European
University, MA in Human Rights
Experience:
I've worked at summer camps for several years teaching students
in everything from basketball and lacrosse to pottery and
writing.
Why I enjoy working with
kids/my philosophy: I love working with
kids because they're not afraid to have fun and be goofy. Their
eagerness and enthusiasm to learn is amazing as well as their
honesty and curiosity. I believe that a teacher can learn just
as much from their students as a student can learn from the
teacher (and they can all have fun in the process!)
Interests: Taste
testing gelato, biking, frogs, hazelnuts, meeting new people,
reading, and dark chocolate.
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