Born and raised in New York City, I never realized the importance of my childhood connections with nature until college, when I joined my university’s outdoor program. I did not consider myself to be an “outdoors person” like many of the members–my experiences outside included roaming around Central Park, going to a nearby lake in the summer, playing soccer, and exploring Coney Island. However, something clicked for me in participating in, then leading trips for this college program. I felt a deep sense of calm and connection to the places I explored and the people I was with. The lessons I learned about observation, self-care, communication, and interconnectedness stuck with me, often more than those I learned in lecture halls and seminar rooms. I wanted to spend more time outside.

Simultaneously, I was also developing a deep interest in education. The other hallmark of my college experience was working with young students through an arts-based afterschool program. It was one of the most difficult things I had done, but the joy of seeing their joy and pride in their learning, the challenge of working with them as they overcame frustration, anger, or disappointment–these experiences felt real, much more real than any work I could do in front of a screen. I wanted to spend more time not just outside, but exploring how education could take place in the outdoors. 

Ten years later, I am still learning about the potential for outdoor spaces to be deeply transformative places of learning. Having worked as a wilderness instructor and youth conservation crew leader in Yosemite, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington, as well as a classroom teacher in Boston, San Diego, and Malaysia, it feels fitting to bring my passions for working with young people and learning outdoors to my home city. It is exciting to look beyond the city’s built exterior to see its potential for outdoor education, and to share this potential with its youngest residents.