Teacher Spotlight: Maryhien Pham
One of the many joys we get to experience at NatureBridge is the frequent return of supporters and friends who have had a lasting impact on students as well as our staff. Such is the case with Maryhien Pham, an eighth grade teacher at Lawson Middle School in Northern California who has been bringing students to our Yosemite campus for 10 years. In fact, Ms. Pham was the sixth grade teacher of one of our current Environmental Science Educators in Yosemite, Linnea Pierson, with whom Ms. Pham regularly reconnects during her visits to our campus.
Although Ms. Pham does not consider herself an “outdoors person,” that doesn’t stop her from taking her students on their annual trip to Yosemite. The joy of learning something new, the community building with her students and seeing students’ personal growth during and after their NatureBridge programs all make the journey worthwhile to her. “Every student has at least one positive breakthrough by the end of the week,” Ms. Pham recounted to us.
“I am grateful that our NatureBridge educators have shown such a dedication to and passion for outdoor education, with an ability to connect with each and every individual and positively impact students’ lives.”Maryhien Pham, Teacher
Ms. Pham was first introduced to NatureBridge in 2005 (formerly Yosemite Institute) and she is grateful that her school district continues to see the value and opportunities overnight outdoor education provides their students. “They are challenged physically, mentally, emotionally and persevere building lifelong memories, friendships and skills,” she affirms.
But it is not just the students who make lasting memories! Teachers, administrators and chaperones are often just as impacted as their students by the sweeping majesty of the national parks. Some of Ms. Pham’s most memorable experiences include taking in sweeping views of Yosemite Valley after seeing Lower Yosemite Falls at Oh My Gosh Point, hearing The Lorax by Dr. Seuss read aloud in Tuolumne Grove surrounded by giant sequoias, and the laughs and camaraderie with her colleagues before making the trip home.
Stories
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.
An Incredible 10th Anniversary of Evening on the Lake
On October 25, the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle buzzed with celebratory energy as over 300 NatureBridge guests and supporters gathered for the 10th anniversary of "Evening on the Lake," our signature Pacific Northwest fundraising event for our Olympic campus.
"Science became fun" at NatureBridge for Alum Laura Lomeli Russert
Laura Lomeli Russert is a NatureBridge alum who grew up in Groveland, CA and now calls Washington, D.C. home. Laura’s journey with NatureBridge began when she attended the Golden Gate campus as a young student with her class from Tenaya Elementary. Laura credits NatureBridge with shaping not only her love for nature but also her passion for education and science. "Science became fun,” she recalls. “You weren’t learning from a textbook anymore, and it became so much more real." Her hands-on, scientific experiences at NatureBridge laid the foundation for her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D. in psychology. “I feel like I owe a lot to NatureBridge."