Yosemite

Join us in celebrating the start of another fantastic year of Armstrong Scholars! In December we selected the educators who will be leading the charge this summer, and we are psyched to have representatives from THREE NatureBridge campuses helping to bring the magic alive: Mia Perez (Golden Gate), Felicity Holmes (Olympic), and Ivy Moore (Yosemite).

Deepak "Deeps" Dathari is a veteran of the environmental education field, having served for over 20 years as a naturalist, outdoor educator, and, most recently, as a program director for YMCA Camp Campbell. He previously worked for NatureBridge as an environmental science educator and mentor, and he has helped thousands of students connect with nature through a careful emphasis on self-confidence, storytelling and a genuine enthusiasm for the outdoors. This Q&A post was originally published by our partner California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, who recently honored Deeps as their 2023 Northern California Environmental Educator of the Year.

On a recent autumn afternoon in Yosemite Valley, Seth Gurgel and Jen Leung looked on in delight as their two-year-old son Auggie marveled at the texture of fallen leaves and explored with his fingers the tiny seeds hidden within alder cones. Ada Meyer, a NatureBridge Environmental Science Educator, guided Auggie in these tactile experiences, watching his face light up with each new discovery. Although NatureBridge programming is geared toward school-age children, Ada’s background in early childhood development came shining through as she and Auggie excitedly engaged with their environment. Ada had volunteered to shepherd the young children of a few very special visitors this week, because the NatureBridge national and regional boards were on campus for the annual board retreat. “That was our first glimpse of the power of NatureBridge with our own kid,” Seth remarks.