Nature Became My Identity – and My Destiny
My life has been forever shaped by this one year in the forest. I vividly remember my year in the woods, as it was the most engaging teaching I had ever had – and an experience I would never have again in school. As it turns out, those nine months were all I really needed to know about what I was going to do with the rest of my life.
At School in the Woods, we were permitted to explore the woods freely and expend our energy as we pleased as long as we could see the school and hear the bell that denoted the end of recess. This level of freedom extended to many aspects of the School in the Woods experience. It led to the development of mature students who tended to rise to the level of responsibility bestowed upon them.
In going through this experience as one, we forged a camaraderie. Whether we were hiking through challenging weather in soggy shoes or muddy boots, I would take that any day over stale fluorescent lights. These challenges brought us together and developed relationships that continue to this day.
School in the Woods sparked a lifelong love of nature for me. I was always an outdoorsy child, but SITW nurtured and honed that interest into something I could own. I left School in the Woods empowered to pursue my love of nature, take action on my own to protect the natural world, and share my passion for nature with others.
The School inspired me to study nest boxes during the Black Forest Fire of 2013, to lead birding walks for local children, to volunteer at SITW during Spring Field Projects, to earn certification as a Master Naturalist in Texas and New Mexico, and to speak at conferences and events about birds, wildfire ecology, and nature. These experiences were rooted in my time in nature at School in the Woods.