In July, two of our Educational Educators got the opportunity to go on professional development trips! Casey Keating, took part in a weeklong immersive workshop about Lake Erie aboard the EPA’s research vessel, The Lake Guardian. Meanwhile, Emma Mader spent a week at the National Audubon's Hog Island Camp on a boat trip around the restored Atlantic Puffin and Tern colony on Eastern Egg Rock!
Emma Mader attends Sharing Nature, An Educator's Week
During the week of July 15 - 19, thanks to an amazing scholarship provided by the Presque Isle Audubon, Emma had the wonderful opportunity to attend the “Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” camp at the Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine. This camp has been going on for over 60 years and it all began with an educator’s week just like this one. There were various workshops with topics like bringing nature into your classroom, building the future of education in the era of climate change, and introducing birding into your community. Some of the trips included a bay cruise to practice identification, a boat ride to Eastern Egg Rock Island to see Puffins, Terns, and other seabirds, and hiking the perimeter of Hog Island.
Emma says, "By attending Educator’s Week at Hog Island, I gained valuable knowledge and ideas for lessons and activities while getting to know some incredible teachers. After this past week, I have several engaging and educational bird-themed programs I want to implement at Asbury Woods! Like a backyard birding program where people who are just starting in the birding realm can join me to practice using their binoculars, learn common bird calls, and basic bird identification right here at the nature center. The history, beauty, and knowledge at Hog Island resulted in truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can’t thank the Presque Isle Audubon enough for the opportunity to attend Educator’s Week!"
Casey Keating attends R/V Lake Guardian shipboard science workshop
Casey Keating, took part in a weeklong immersive workshop about Lake Erie aboard the EPA’s research vesselThe Lake Guardian from July 8 - 12. Casey was one of 15 teachers around the country who participated in this workshop. They spent time sampling the lake’s three different basins to study it’s ecology, geology and weather.
Casey says, “This really affects everyone in the world but especially those of us who are here in Erie in the Lake Erie Watershed we are directly impacting the great lakes and the choices that we make can help us harm or take care of them and we are the problem but we are also the greatest solution so we just want to use the resources we have and the knowledge that we have to care for this wonderful natural resource that we have. This was a once-in-a-lifetime professional development experience, and an amazing opportunity to share and increase my passion for the Great Lakes.”
