It is Teacher Appreciation Week! While we appreciate our teachers every day, this is the week set aside to recognize the impact they have on the lives of millions of children every day. We honor the teachers who play an important role in our children’s lives, inspiring a lifetime of learning, discovery, and inspiration to make a difference in their community and environment.
This week we asked a few staff members to share a story about a teacher who inspired their environmentalism…
Like having our own Ms. Frizzle every Earth day, my 4th-grade teacher, Ms. Pitton, would dress up as Mother Earth and help us to decorate our hallway with the plants and animals — large and small — that made our home so fascinating. The ocean-themed years were the best. From blue whales to barnacles, that hallway brought the world to us.
Anna Kullius
Policy Analyst
Justin Doyle
Community Conservation Manager
My high school Marine Science teacher, Ms. Raines, was wonderful and her class left a lasting impression on me. Our class field trip to Virginia Beach, which included an outing on the Atlantic Ocean, was a memorable experience.
Thank you to Ms. Anderson, my 9th grade Earth Science teacher at Powhatan High School for encouraging me to join her Outdoor Adventure Club. Her passion led me on my first hike up Old Rag (with brand new boots…pro-tip: don’t go hiking with new boots), spelunking in southwest Virginia, and many other adventures. Sometimes the best education is outside of the classroom with the trees, mountains, streams, and critters.
Amber Ellis
Senior Watershed Restoration Manager
Angie Williams
Membership and Digital Marketing Manager
My Horticulture and Floriculture teacher, Ms. Ray, was an inspiration to me during my High School years. Whenever I had a free moment you could find me down at the greenhouse. From learning floral design, different plant species and how to care for them, to just being an ear when you had a rough day, my high school experience wouldn’t have been the same without her and the greenhouse.
In 11th grade, I took an Ecology course. My teacher Mrs. Williams had the class learn the 3 types of Hawks: the Buteos, Accipiters and Falcons. She had us create flashcards on every hawk that you would see in New Jersey. We listened to hawk calls on tape and then we got to go outside and view them with binoculars. We had one that was nesting not too far from the school and it was one of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen. Thirty years later I still remember the names of many of these hawks and I have shared this knowledge on to my two daughters and students I have taught along the way. THANK YOU, MRS. WILLIAMS!
Nat Draper
Senior Education Manager