When I Grow Up I Want To Be An Environmental Educator!
We asked our NatureBridge educators to describe how their childhood love of nature influenced their journey to become the environmental educators they are. Here's what they said! Photos depicted are them immersed in nature as kids and adults: then/now.
In sixth grade, I spent five beautiful days at Whiskeytown Environmental School in Northern California. Despite the rain throughout the week, I did not want to leave, and when I went back as a camp counselor in high school, I began to dream of some day being an outdoor educator myself. Well, I didn't really plan for it, but five years later, the opportunity came and a dream came true! Life has a funny way of doing that.Karen Gallardo Cruz, NatureBridge educator
I hope to share my passion for the outdoors with youth through environmental education and inspire their own connection and stewardship for the earth. As a Latina in this field, I hope to be a role model for young students of color to explore natural protected areas near their homes and also science careers.Lesly Caballero, NatureBridge & Latino Outdoors educator
Growing up, camping and going on outdoor adventures were things I considered a hobby. I never knew these experiences would lead me to a career where everyday I get to teach other young adults the same 'lessons' I learned about caring for themselves, others, and nature.Lisa Ribaric, NatureBridge educator, Yosemite
I have always had a love for nature. My appreciation and respect for the natural world came later, as I became more educated. My goals are to educate students, in the hope that they too will love the natural world and want to preserve it. If I can inspire a handful of kids, hopefully they will be able to inspire others and that ripple effect will continue on, leading to a generation of conscious and responsible people.Missy Cottone, NatureBridge educator, Santa Monica Mountains
My dream to impact the environment and be involved with nature and youth is to help young people of color feel comfortable in spaces that may not always feel comfortable to them. I hope to provide comfort through my own presence as a person of color, former English language learner, and someone from a low income background with immigrant parents. I hope that my presence in an outdoor space as an educator can help other youth not represented in the outdoors feel empowered to pursue outdoor activities recreationally and/or professionally.Alejandro Granados, NatureBridge educator, Yosemite
Stories
In Memory of Ty Cobb: A Visionary Leader of Resilience and Impact
Ty Cobb, former CEO of Yosemite National Institutes (now NatureBridge), passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2024 in Reno at the age of 84. Known for his visionary leadership, resilience, and ability to inspire collaboration, Ty guided YNI through some of its most difficult moments while building a foundation for its future growth and success.
WildLink November 2024: Woodlake High School
This November, Woodlake High School students and chaperones arrived in Yosemite for their first year as a WildLink school, and we are so excited to have them on the team! That means that the brave students who signed up for this expedition had virtually no idea what to expect before signing up for the trip, because none of their peers had experienced it before them! The week, although quite frigid, was full of lovely views, learning about Wilderness, spending lots of time by the river, and enjoying the beauty of Yosemite Valley and Wilderness. Their educators Sarah and Amelia were excited to help this group feel a sense of belonging in this place. They were also lucky enough to be joined by Ranger Lissie on their first day in the Wilderness!
Fall Reflections from NatureBridge Yosemite
As an environmental science educator, I spend a lot of time teaching about nature, but this season I’ve been finding that as it turns out, nature has a lot to teach us, too. Sometimes I can let the trees, the meadow, and the lichen teach for me. They show us how to respect each other’s boundaries, how to celebrate differences, how to work together, and how to lean on each other’s strengths in order to exist in a new place. These lessons felt incredibly relevant to me heading into the first week of November, a notoriously busy time at NatureBridge Yosemite. I wanted to focus on messages of kindness and inclusivity with my students, I wanted them to feel a sense of belonging in this new space, and I also hoped that they would share those messages with others.