Wild Classroom Spotlight

In early 2022, students from Maryland visited the state capital building in Annapolis and helped pass state legislation aimed at reducing the impacts of food waste on our environment.

Taylor Halliday is the Gifted Intervention Specialist at South Science Technology Magnet in Lima, Ohio. In this position, she engages 3rd – 8th graders in enriching projects that connect to real world challenges. Recently, her students learned about threats facing sea turtles and have been motivated to educate their peers on how to help.

Becky Freiberg from Gooding, Idaho has been a science teacher at Gooding High School for the past 21 years. She and her students have created a fun way of learning about and advocating for endangered species by combining performing arts and civics.

Trevor Hance, the Coordinator for Enrichment and the Environment at a public school in Austin, Texas, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant–an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Trevor shares of his continued curiosity in nature and why it's important for young people to form a relationship with the environment.

Janelle McCarthy, Multiple Disabilities Support Teacher at South Lebanon Elementary School in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, shares how she used Wild Classroom with her students and why it’s important to bring conservation to life in the classroom.

Mireille Hess, a third-grade teacher at Edgewood Elementary in Greenfield, Wisconsin, was a winner of Natural Habitat Adventures' first-ever Monarch Butterfly Scholarship Grant—an opportunity awarded to exemplary environmental educators to travel to Mexico and observe millions of monarch butterflies during their winter hibernation as part of the Kingdom of the Monarchs adventure. Here, Mireille shares how she uses her experience to inspire her students.

Molly Foster, an art teacher at Hollymead Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia, empowers students each year to put their artistic creativity towards a great cause by hosting an art fair to raise awareness and fundraise for endangered animals.

Palouse Prairie Charter School, a public charter school in Moscow, Idaho, utilizes "expeditions" to create meaningful, challenging, and joyful work for its students. Here, Bridget Berg, a former teacher at Palouse Prairie, reflects on last year's expedition led by her 5th grade class to deliver a sense of urgency to protect our planet's endangered species.

Rebecca Mitchell is a fourth-grade teacher at Winslow School in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Each year, she carries her passion for environmental conservation forward and inspires her students to get involved and take action to protect our world and the species within it.

Lindsey Fella Berry is a mother of four children and CEO of Helping Ninjas, a nonprofit organization founded and created by her ten-year old son, Leo. Here, Lindsey reflects on how Wild Classroom's Conservation in the Classroom livestream program has helped sparked new enthusiasm and action project ideas for many of the Helping Ninjas.

Beth Smith is a veteran educator in her twentieth year of teaching. She's currently a 6th grade science and math teacher at Childs Elementary in Bloomington, Indiana.

Dennis Foreman has been teaching for 25 years. He's currently an 8th grade science and world cultures teacher at Zane Trace Middle School in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Heather Bailey is a first grade teacher at Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center in Maplewood, Missouri. After reading a story about extinction, her young learners were inspired to get creative and take action for endangered species.

Petra Demas from Great Falls, Virginia is a 10-year-old advocate for endangered species protection, who also happens to be an avid animal artist. This past summer, she combined her two passions into an inspiring project to raise awareness among her fellow youth.