My whole life I have been yearning for more...More connection, More joy, More community...

 

I grew up in the public school system while also moving around a lot as a child, and I felt "left behind" at an early age. I ended my High School Career with a distaste for learning, a distrust of authority, and a feeling of being lost. I graduated not feeling like I knew myself, my strengths, or what direction I should go as I struggled to find meaning.

 

I knew I needed support in building my character, getting to know myself, and figuring out just what I may have to offer this big wide world! The universe stepped in and moved me across the country where I eventually found myself at The Evergreen State College. I began to study Holistic Health and Education and my journey to reclaiming my love of life and learning, began.

 

I studied Experiential and Outdoor Education and learned about various alternative educational models through my work-study experiences at Evergreen. My time spent at The Olympia Community School, The Waldorf School, Head Start's Bi-Lingual Preschool, and many other Outdoor Preschools and Camps a long the way, has shaped the way I work with children and the philosophy in which I build my programs.  My role as the Director of the Before and Afterschool Program at Lincoln Elementary gave me the foundation and understanding of the necessary ingredients needed to create a successful, thriving program. I graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2012 with a Dual Degree in Arts and Science.

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Through my life and educational experiences, I learned A LOT!  Mostly about what is missing in our public school system and how much of a need there is for children (and adults!) to learn and grow holistically, honoring their whole selves. I learned how much the health of our minds, bodies, and spirits are deeply interrelated to how we spend our days. Either sitting inside a school, following directions or outside on the earth, playing and growing in the way that nature intended us to.

 

We are a collective of mothers who are creating the center for community health and connection that we didn't have as children or as young mothers.  Here at our Fern Gully Forest, we welcome families to participate in various community classes, events or volunteer opportunities to increase our own sense of belonging as we grow as our children's main role models. We are creating a strong network in our community, to not only better support our children but also our adults and our Nature Spaces, that we so desperately need to sustain us and bring us hope and healing. 

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My background as a Board Certified Wellness Coach, as well as a Yoga, Tai Chi, Dance, and Meditation Teacher, gives me a unique perspective when working with children.  We work to honor all aspects of the child in our programs with special attention to building social and emotional intelligence, compassionate communication, resilience, leadership, and conflict resolution skills. Through building these skills and developing numerous tools and resources along the way, we will not only allow our children to work and play well with others, but we support them in cultivating an innate knowing of themselves.  This will support them in building a relationship with their own being, their community and the natural environment around them, serving them for a lifetime to come.

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THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR PROGRAM!

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WE LOOK FORWAD TO GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS WE WORK TO PROVIDE OUR COMMUNITY WITH A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN AND GROW. 

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