sustainability education
one of 6 old planters that we restored and painted with students in a collab workshop with the Founding Art Teacher
working outside Truth PCS
students transferred designs onto 6 differently themed planters
empowering young women to use power tools was incredibly rewarding
building a sustainable set for the Truth PCS Drama Club & witnessing students overcome their fear of power tools
free seedlings through a partnership with UDC's CUAGE program
on a field trip i organized to Open Book Farm in Frederick, MD to pick up new baby chicks
students were mesmerized by the baby chicks and took full responsibility of their care
many students would support me in caring for the multiple indoor plant walls we created throughout the halls
students created "Truth's Truly Hot Sauce" by first fermenting peppers from the garden, then adding additional seasoning
students write thank you notes for those who pre-purchased our homemade hot sauce. we sold out in 2 days!
caring for the larger hens took more work as students helped with feeding, collecting eggs, and coop cleaning
students from the "Green Team" I started at spent workshop hours experimenting with recipes using harvest from our garden
it was remarkable to watch the students come alive when given new responsibilities during cooking lessons
one of the four "Truth Tank" finalists presents to a panel of Staff in the micro-grant small business competition that i created
there was extreme erosion on the school hill which would muddy up students' sneakers on the walk to the playground. with UDC's Master Garden program, high schoolers planted native buffer plants
students learn about watersheds using an interactive model brought through the UDC Extension program
a field trip to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD possible because of a grant i got for the school
at SERC, i watched multiple students overcome their fear of water
on a visit to the Franciscan Monastery Garden, walking distance from Truth PCS in Northeast DC
restoring a pallet-made planter, students complained about using hand tools but were ultimately pleased with their work
offering opportunities for nature exploration while offering private childcare to three brothers over the Summer
collaborative workshop done with Founding Art Teacher at the time, Rashita Connelly, to upgrade, design, and paint 6 themed garden planters
working in the garden with small groups, i got to see subtle aspects of students' personalities
we made "scavenger hunt bingo" walks with typical trash items. a great way to get moving, out of the classroom, and caring for the community.
sustainability education is where my personal and professional passions overlap
education:
with a B.S. in Environmental Science & Policy, a M.A. in Sustainability, and a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education - i have spent the majority of my professional career encouraging our human species to appreciate and respect the brilliant planet we’re lucky to call home.
early career:
my experience with sustainability education began in 2011 when i worked for Montgomery Country’s Department of Environmental Protection as a Watershed Outreach Intern. in 2012, i worked for the Energy Solutions Center as an Energy Efficiency Intern. i combined my passion for the environment with activism working for Amazon Watch as a DC Advocacy Intern in 2013. as a Senior Nature Counselor, i worked with young people ages 7-14 at the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in 2014.
@ arizona state university:
while pursuing my graduate studies, i taught and designed four Undergraduate courses in School of Sustainability at Arizona State University from 2014 to 2020. i developed creative experiential learning tools and co-authored a journal article to showcase our innovative work. we expanded students’ understanding of sustainability to include the critical self-awareness and humility needed when working with diverse human cultures and other forms of life.
@ truth public charter school:
from 2021 to 2023, i worked as an Enterprise Coordinator + Sustainability Educator for Sojourner Truth Montessori Public Charter School (Truth PCS) working with middle and high school students in Washington, DC. i formed strategic partnerships with community organizations such as the University of the District of Columbia’s Center for Urban Agriculture & Gardening Education. i also launched the “Green Team” workshop where students could spend extended hours supporting in the garden, cooking with our harvest, and promoting sustainability activism.
at Truth PCS, i designed curriculum and co-taught a daily elective course with Dr. Tyecia Powell, who we called Coach Ty. our class was focused on “Life Skills” with lessons in sustainability, career exploration, financial awareness, and social-emotional learning. i expanded the on-campus urban farm which consisted of an outdoor vegetable garden and a chicken coop, where we raised and introduced new baby chicks each year. i wrote and was awarded three grants totaling $35K to supplement budget for future micro-economy and sustainability projects.
students experienced the Montessori concept of erdkinder in the urban farm micro-economy. garden harvest and chicken eggs were sold to community members in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which i launched. we became known for “Truth’s Truly Hot Sauce” which was a unique opportunity for student involvement from the picking and fermenting of peppers, prepping of the sauce, designing of the label, and selling to family and friends.
i co-created the “Truth Tank” small-business competition program where students pitched small business ideas to a panel of staff members. the four finalists from each quarter competed at the end of the year in a school-wide program where the winning student received a micro-grant to launch her business idea. knowing that sustainability involves social, political, economic, and cultural readiness, i helped create the foundation for Truth PCS’ future Career and Technical Education program. i successfully co-wrote a competitive grant for the school to receive $100K over '22-'24 school years through DC’s Advanced Technical Center.