My mantra is that every time you explore nature, you discover something new.
This is absolutely true if you exploring with youth. As CWC Education Coordinator, it is my job is to explore nature with kids all throughout Santa Cruz County. This exploration is a source of unending inspiration and discovery. Whether it be investigating every storm drain on campus, identifying benthic macroinvertebrates or designing energy efficient practices, the students allow me to discover more about myself and my surroundings.
It is through the inquiry, the discussions, the teamwork and challenges that I gain a deeper connection to youth and the incredible value they contribute to their community and our environment. They may not even recognize this yet, but I do. And it is my commitment that through CWC’s Watershed Rangers environmental education program that they relate to themselves as the powerful and change-making individuals that they are. My job is to create opportunities for them to see the incredible contributions they can make to their community and their environment. It is with inspiration and self-discovery that anything is possible.
— Mollie Behn, CWC Education Coordinator, mbehn@coastal-watershed.org