Hi my name is Colbi Stewart and I’m thrilled to be serving as the 2024 – 2025 AmeriCorps member with the Nisqually River Education Project (NREP)! I recently graduated from The Evergreen State College and received my Bachelors of Science with an emphasis in Botany. While at Evergreen, I had the opportunity to explore a myriad of interdisciplinary studies including: ecological agriculture, climate and environmental justice, food justice, and integrated biology and chemistry. Growing up in Central California, I’ve always had a passion for being outdoors and moving to Washington for undergraduate studies provided the perfect opportunity to indulge in the natural wonders of the outdoors. My love for outdoor spaces has only grown since then and I’m a big believer that the more experiences kids have interacting with the environment, the more their passions can develop and their imaginations can come alive.
In my final quarter at Evergreen I had the opportunity to intern with the NREP and explore environmental education in depth. This internship allowed my own interest in outdoor learning to blossom while simultaneously experiencing local students’ own passions develop with each different field trip opportunity. Throughout the internship I wrote a research review on how accessibility may be different for some youth based on factors like socioeconomic status, race, and incarceration. While researching these topics I also sought to connect and highlight how programs like the NREP, South Sound Green, and the Sustainability in Prisons Project are working to serve the broad community in environmental education. Providing youth with new, hands-on opportunities in the outdoors where they can experience firsthand the different plants, animals, and insects that work to keep our ecosystems thriving is an important role. The duties of an environmental educator interest me because creating these magic moments for students is not only important for the future of our natural spaces, but it’s also incredibly fulfilling each and every day.
After my internship ended and I graduated, I hoped that I’d get an opportunity to continue working in this field as an educator. Now as I begin my term as an official NREP AmeriCorps member, I’m so grateful and excited that I get the chance to engage with this work alongside such an incredible team. I’m looking forward to the duties of serving as an environmental educator and creating those magical moments with students in the outdoors.
Feel free to contact me with any questions at colbi@nisquallyriver.org
