Merry Lea’s 2016-17 Master’s in Environmental Education cohort completed their leadership course before Christmas break with presentations on the nature centers that they had imagined themselves directing. This year, the centers were less “imaginary” than usual—most were based in areas students already knew well.
Maggie Olsen, who hopes to return to Minnesota after she completes her degree, envisioned a place-based learning program targeting urban 4th and 5th graders from this state. Children in her program would learn about their local heritage and study plants and animals of Minnesota.
Kaitlyn Bradley built on the strengths of her home congregation, Olivet Christian Church, Columbia, Mo. The church already has a Green Chalice certification and 15 acres of land, so Kaitlyn’s project made it the site of school field trips, college involvement and a farmer’s market.
Texan Maddy Herron created Rock Prairie Nature Center near College Station, Tex. She spoke about the challenge of doing environmental education in extreme heat and designed shade structures to keep people out of the sun while outdoors. A butterfly garden figured in her plans because her locale is in the path of monarch butterfly migration. Photos of armadillos helped viewers envision an ecosystem different from Northern Indiana.
Ken Bauer, an Elkhart County native, designed a nature center for Oxbow Park, Goshen, Ind., and Aly Munger, who grew up in Ohio, designed a nature and wellness center for her rural community.
