Nature Based Learning | Kew Kids Forest School

Robert Frost

“When I see birches bend to left and right...I like to think some boy's been swinging them.”

Achievements/Interests:

Proud mom to 2 boys, one born in 2015 and one born in 2017
Super Steward and Trail Maintainer, NYC Parks
Outdoor Teacher Retreat Participant, Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools
Health & Safety Training, NYS Office of Children and Family Services
Outdoor adventure seeker and traveler
Health and fitness enthusiast: Personal Trainer, Crunch Fitness; Group Fitness Instructor, Aerobics Fitness and Association of America
Project Management Professional
MBA

JESSICA HALSRUDD

Founder and Director

As a girl growing up in suburban Taiwan, I loved to explore outdoors, often playing in the nearby trails and creeks. I wandered those woods even in my dreams. Later, some of those fields became construction sites where my sister and I would play for hours in the mud. Looking back, this all seems like another world.

Within the space of a few decades, the way children understand and experience nature has changed radically. For the new generation, nature is more abstraction than reality, something to watch, to consume, to wear—to ignore and fear. So often, I've observed kids looking at screens, oblivious to the landscape around them. I've also heard the parks nearby viewed as dirty, dangerous and something to avoid.

Now that I have children of my own, I am even more aware of the increasing divide between the young and the natural world, and the environmental, social, psychological and spiritual implications of that change. The accumulating research confirms the necessity of contact with nature for healthy child and adult development. Our community, so close to Forest Park yet, lacks a nature early education option. It is my hope that with our forest school, we’d be able to get our children in contact with nature and back on the trails.

Our mothers were right when they told us, day after day, ‘Go out and play.’

Achievements/Interests:

Blessed with four children, twin boys and two girls
Involved in parents committee and volunteer at my children’s school
New York State Public School Teaching Assistant certified
Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) trained
Trained for students with special needs
Firm believer in continuous learning

NAZEELA HAMID

Assistant Director and Teacher

Born in a country like Guyana that is mainly pristine rainforest, sugar cane plantation and rich rice fields, a child’s mind has so much to explore in the land of many waters. Playing in the big green open fields, navigating the ground for beautiful and colorful insects or simply picking delicious fruits at your fingertips, such a relaxed and harmonizing environment truly makes you appreciate nature at its finest. Guyana epitomizes the lifestyle of humbleness and oneness with nature.

Growing up in New York Queens, the feeling of nostalgia usually steps in because I felt restricted being indoors most of my school days and not being able to get my hands dirty with nature. Always being told to color inside the lines tends to destroy a child creativity. As a mother of four beautiful children, I have experienced different learning methods. The most effective one is learning through playing and exploring our environment. There is something truly magnificent in watching my children playing in the rain and looking forward for the rainbow at the end of the storm. I am excited about imparting my passion of learning and organizing through play with the students at Kew Kids Forest school.

KATIE GEORGE

Lead Teacher

As the daughter of a Navy serviceman, I grew up exploring the world and the seeds of my wanderlust were planted early. It became evident at an early age that empathy and kindness could be found whenever someone takes an opportunity to challenge themselves and break a little out of the routine.

In my adulthood, this wanderlust led to international backpacking and ultimately to Peru, and in preparation for the 4-day hike on the Inca Trail, I fell in love with hiking and the woods. Living in New York city, I was delighted to find that nearly 100 trails could be found within an hour or two of the city, and I set out to explore as many of them as I could find.

In 2012, I became Chair of the NYC group of Sierra Club’s Inspiring Connections Outdoors whose focus is to introduce urban youth to the great outdoors by bringing them out hiking, rafting, camping, ice skating, apple picking, kayaking, and more. In our 100% volunteer-run setting, we are able to provide opportunities and access to these youth (grade school through high school) that they would not have had otherwise. I have been able to see first hand the positive impact nature has had on these youth, breaking them out of their comfort zone, disconnecting from technology, overcoming new challenges, discovering new things, and forming new relationships.

As a mom to toddlers, I have been delighted to watch them interact with nature, whether through discovering a new plant or hiking through the woods with friends. The 3 ½ year old especially has developed confidence, strength and stability through interacting with the forest, and it is something I look forward to imparting to the students at Kew Kids.

Achievements/Interests:

Loving older sibling of 8 year old triplets
Disability pedagogy and emergent curriculum design
Drawing, painting, creative writing, fiber arts, and film
Working with flowers, vegetables, and plants of all kinds
Assistant director for the Hive summer camp, based at the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA
‘Family + Neighborhood History Zine-making for kids’ lesson design
Co-created a performance based on the South Asian epic ‘The Ramayana’ with AP English students at Brooklyn Preparatory High School
Student teacher in advanced creative writing class at the University Settlement Society

MADISON KELTS

Lead Teacher

I grew up in the suburbs outside of Boston, MA, and spent my summers hiking, camping, swimming, and playing outside. During a gap year after high school, I followed an interest in sustainable food systems, and worked on small organic farms in Ireland and Belgium, where my love for working in the dirt with wondrous plants and creatures took root.

During my undergraduate studies, I worked at PS 20, The Anna Silver School in Lower East Side through NYU’s America Reads/Counts work-study program. There, I worked as an assistant for two years in a dual-language Mandarin-English kindergarten classroom, and then as an assistant in the K-5 art classroom in my third year. The beautiful community and work at PS 20 inspired me to become a teacher.

I think children are brilliant, and so much fun to work and learn with, especially in environments that inspire them and engage their senses. I've worked for the past two summers at The Hive, an arts summer camp based out of a 30-acre sculpture park in Lincoln, MA, where I had the chance to think with kids about our relationships with the natural world, about what elements of plant and animal life can creatively inspire us, and how to care for each other and our shared environment.

I studied Art Education, History, and Critical Theory at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, and explored my interests through work in creative writing, photography, and sculpture. I believe in learning grounded in community, open-ended exploration, imagination, and creativity. After some of my favorite thinkers, Paulo Freire, bell hooks, and John Dewey, I also believe in non-traditional educational methods as means to bring about political and social change.

Achievements/Interests:

Master Degree in Environmental Conservation Education from New York University
Environmental Project Coordinator and Educator at Eastern Queens Alliance
Wildlife Educator, Fellowship at Wildlife Conservation Society, Queens Zoo
Environmental Educator at Wave Hill and Forest Park
Professional Dancer of Traditional African dance, afrobeats, dancehall, soca and modern dance styles
Founder of Queen Goddess Ascension, a jewelry line with Copper and Healing Crystals
Yoga Instructor and Model
Herbalist, Spiritual Herbalism 1 Certification
Reiki 1 Certification
Bird Watcher

IMANI WILBURG

Lead Teacher

My connection to nature is deeply rooted in my childhood. As a child, my family and I always had an inherent curiosity and love for the natural world. We often traveled to different nature parks to go hiking and explore the beauty of nature. We also used products and consumed foods that were natural, eco-friendly and sustainable. Being raised in this type of environment has instilled in me the value of nature and its conservation. Therefore it is imperative to introduce these concepts to children at an early age so they can reconnect with source, love nature, and learn to live an “ecocentric” and sustainable lifestyle.

I am so excited and honored to be able to provide children with the opportunity to step outside of city life and fully immerse into the divinity of nature. The mission of Kew Kids correlates directly with my dissertation “How Nature Heals and Can Help One Achieve Self-Mastery". I am firm believer that educating students in a natural environment will help them expand their knowledge of self and the world around them. I have experience from the Environmental Conservation Education Gradute Program at NYU. As well as from previous positions I have had at Forest Park, Wave Hill, the Queens Zoo, and the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy. I also have volunteered with New York Restoration Center, Tehuti Ma’at garden and worked on various farms when I lived in Hawaii. It is my desire to express my genuine love for nature and help students develop that deeper connection with wildlife in their community.

Achievements/Interests:

Proud mom to 2 boys, one born in 2015 and one born in 2018
Chair, Sierra Club NYC Inspiring Connections Outdoors
Super Steward and Trail Maintainer, NYC Parks
Wilderness First Aid Certified
Outdoor Leadership Training leader Instructor since 2012
Child Abuse Recognition & Prevention certified
Participant of Free Forest School and Hike It Baby Queens
Hiking & Fitness enthusiast
Admin, Strong & Healthy moms facebook group
Committee, Adventure Film Festival NYC

As a mom to toddlers, I have been delighted to watch them interact with nature, whether through discovering a new plant or hiking through the woods with friends. My older child has developed confidence, strength and stability through interacting with the forest, and it is something I look forward to imparting to the students at Kew Kids.

Lead Teacher

KATIE GEORGE

Achievements/Interests:

Lifelong artist
BA in Illustration, SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology
Seven years teaching experience, Pre-K to 8
Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) trained
Nature, conservation, zoology enthusiast
Bicycle commuting and recreation

ASTRA LIUCIJA

Art Teacher

A famous artist said, to paraphrase, that every child is an artist, however not every artist stays one once they grow up. I am glad to have evolved as a creative person into adulthood, and along with the unique people I have learned from, nature has been an amazing teacher!

My family moved around a bit before settling back in Queens, NYC in the late eighties, where I have lived since. As a toddler to about five years old I was taken on walks through New Hampshire’s woods, observing animals, plants, trees, fungi, and natural waters. Invertebrates like bees, ants, pill bugs, and spiders were favorite sightings--I am a fan and often advocate for them to this day! I appreciate the beauty of nature as well as its alien-like qualities. On paper I sketched what I saw in front of me, subjects I remembered, and invented new species and fantasy creatures.

While going to college and after, I freelanced and worked as a face-painter at events. My skills and abilities later helped me start as a teacher of computer art to middle-schoolers, eventually expanding to teaching art to levels from Preschool to 8th grade. For seven years I have been part of many children’s weekly lives and always encouraged them to make art that was true to themselves. My hope is that they get enrichment and enjoyment from our classes together. Even if they do not remain artists, positive memories with art can shape and heal people. I also believe that being outside as well as active is important for everyone. The time I have had around children of all ages has shown me that many of them need to move and learn by experiencing the physical world.

In art I have experimented with varied media and crafted with materials of all kinds. At times it is challenging to find a moment to sketch in this busy world, but I manage a few sketchbook entries when I can. Often I draw animals. I have loved them dearly since childhood and now take care of a cat and a rabbit. I also got my first bike at a young age and still am an avid near-daily, all-weather rider, with four bicycles in the stable! Safety is paramount to me and I will enthusiastically impart my city cycling knowledge to kids and adults alike. I aim to be a good role model both on the road and off, and encourage more people to commute by e-bike and bicycle.

I have ridden the drives and hiked the trails of Forest Park countless times. It is quite a special place to me and makes for a wondrous ever-changing classroom. I am excited to be part of Kew Kids and look forward to learning more about the students as well as helping them learn about the world.

Achievements/Interests:

Gardner trained with a Master Composter
Knowledge about herbal medicine
Attended The School of Practical Philosophy
Yoga practitioner
Self studied Astronomist 1
Proud Auntie

CHARLIE GORDON

Teacher

Being deeply connected to nature and the great outdoors has always been a key part of my life. I often adventure out to natural parks on my own time to climb trees, look at the stars, find natural treasures and be one with the natural world. I believe nature to be imperative to early learning, for it is the epitome of the elements. Learning about nature at an early age helps to develop a holistic sense of knowledge that extends to many aspects of life. Each season provides us with many lessons to learn, and something new to discover. I know from personal experiences that basic knowledge of your natural surroundings can help improve practical skills, math, and problem solving, as well as inspire many forms of art.

I have experience teaching children in an outdoor setting from my close family and friends, along with my work as a gardener at a community garden in my neighborhood. Each week at the garden, we distributed fresh produce to local church programs and day cares. During that time, I had the opportunity to educate the children on fruits, vegetables and healthy eating. In addition, I also have knowledge of different plants through my studies and the herbal classes I have taken at Original Herbal Remedies. In my spare time, I love to research and study various natural and historical facts. I enjoy learning about herbs, wildlife, sociology and so much more. I intend to share all of the skills I have developed, fun facts I have learned and overall love of nature with many kids throughout the years to come for children are the future and hold the seed for the next generation

ASILA FOLDS

Music Teacher

VAL DANIELS

Teacher

Achievements/Interests:

Bachelors of Music, Vocal Performance from Ithaca College (expected 2021)
World Traveler
Voice Teacher
Special performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The View, Good Morning America, and more
Yoga and Meditation Enthusiast
Broadway Babysitters

I was born and raised in Queens, New York. As a child, my family instilled the value of nature in me. We traveled to national parks and went on various hiking trails. When it was time to choose a college, it was important that I find a school surrounded by nature. I currently attend Ithaca College, which is located on Cayuga Lake, in New York’s Finger Lakes Region. The campus is surrounded by serene waterfalls, beautiful hiking trails, and wooded gorges. When I am feeling overwhelmed by school, I often visit the surrounding areas for a sense of calm.

I had the pleasure of volunteering at the Ithaca Youth Bureau’s Big Brother, Big Sister Program where I worked one on one with several children in the Ithaca area. Nature provides opportunities for discovery, problem-solving, and creativity, so it was imperative that I take the children outside to witness the beauty of Ithaca.

Music is all around us from the rustle of the trees to the whistle of the wind, music and nature are intertwined. At a very young age, I discovered my passion for the arts and participated in several artistic programs that have helped to mold me into the individual I am today. The arts allow for self-expression, imagination, and intellectual thinking. I had the opportunity to work with the Young People's Chorus of New York City as a junior staff member. As an alumnus of the organization, I helped advise current choristers and help prepare for concerts. We traveled the world to places like Japan, Spain, Germany, and many states throughout America. I interacted with many cultures and learned the importance of diversity in all aspects of life.

Working with kids has been fantastic and guiding them in nature is a great privilege. I enjoy learning as much from them as they learn from me. Can't wait to meet your little ones!

MAHPARA ELAHI

Teacher

Born and raised in Bangladesh, Srimongol, I have developed a very deep connection with nature. Bangladesh is a land of enormous beauty and is surrounded by evergreen hills and rain forests. Being raised in this type of environment for the first few years of my life has left an indelible nature and its surroundings and be grateful for the life around me.

I have always loved children and their very energetic selves and have always wanted to go into the field of education. I believe a child’s first teachers are the people who can instill a love for lifelong learning. Being an educator allows us to make a difference in the future of children and develop such crucial skills. I am currently finishing my Bachelor in Arts in English and continuing my education to get my Dual Masters in General and Special Education.

It is more than an honor to be able to work with great young minds and make a difference in our younger generations. Kew Kids’ goals really inspire me to go beyond traditional education to understand the importance of nature in a child’s development. I am very excited to explore nature’s beauty with the children and help guide children to value kindness, respect all living things, and most importantly let their imagination run.

Achievements/Interests:

Coming soon

KATHERINE BRYCE

Teacher

Achievements/Interests:

Travel enthusiast
Farmer
Avid gardener
Psychology Major
Goat herder
Enjoy drawing, painting, and creative writing
Hydroponics agriculture certification 1 & 2
Junior Tour guide of Trinidad and Tobago
Knowledge of Herbalism
Guitarist
Tutor

Born in Queens, New York I would spend most of my time with my mother in her garden, taking strolls on the beach, and through the numerous parks New York has to offer. I was lucky to have the opportunity to experience Trinidad and Tobago where my extended family lives since I was 3 months old and it has greatly influenced my life. From hiking, to bird watching, star gazing, catching butterflies and moths, finding insects and bringing them home I have developed an affinity for nature. The abundance of fresh fruit trees, wild flowers, and interaction with the wild life has helped me to develop a deep connection and appreciate for the world around me.

Nature has taught me to be compassionate towards all life, which became my purpose for pursuing a career in psychology. Working as a caretaker at a pet store helped to enrich my knowledge of various types of animals, fish, and insects. I have become more comfortable and confident around them since I wasn't always so open before. This transition has allowed me to guide other children through their journey of new interactions with unfamiliar things and animals.

Spending time in my mother's garden as well as traveling through Trinidad's multicultural neighborhoods peaked my interest in learning about botany and the many different branches of agriculture so much so that I'd volunteer to help with my family's agricultural fields. This propelled me to take courses in hydroponics. Through the seasons harvest, from figs, mangos, peppers, and or plums I would volunteer to help distribute goods to local homes and churches. While tutoring at my local church as my first job I was able to connect the dots for children using my insight from nature. Whether it pertained to math, science, art, and or history nature was always a good reference point from the simple ways it would use numbers, shapes and colors. Nature embodies a world of knowledge waiting to be explored. I've learned in psychology nature can nurture and expand the minds of the youth. It helps with creativity, critical thinking, curiosity as well as helps to expand ones interest far beyond one's environment.

I am thankful to have shared my knowledge and skills pertaining to nature with many children throughout the years. It makes me happy to see how it has shaped the lives of children for the better as it has done for me. There is always something new to learn and explore in nature everyday because it so fresh and filled with abundance of knowledge and great treasure. I am thrilled o be able to experience nature and its wonders with the children of Kew Kids.

Gardener and Teacher

JOANNA LACEY

My brand is "Joanna the Green Maven." To be a Maven you must really be passionate about something whether it's food, fashion, or in my case, nature and the environment. I have been writing nature articles, tips and blogs for over 30 years, volunteering and leading nature projects, and working in the community gardens. That is my happy place.

As a Woodlands Crew Leader at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, my job was to direct teams of volunteers and school groups in projects designed to help restore the park to its native, eastern woodlands state. Projects such as clean-up, planting and mulching were my specialty. As a Head Explainer at the New York Hall of Science, I worked with young children to explain and demonstrate exhibits and lead workshops that taught science concepts like mirrors, prisms, kaleidoscopes and light, shadows, and sound as themes. I remember fondly a video microscope demonstration which projected the view from the scope onto a screen. The subject of our observations was microscopic pond life.

Growing up in the era before technology took over gives me a unique insight on how to connect children with the world around them. There was no science camp or scheduled play dates for us and no internet. We were told to go out and play, and that was all year round. We played with piles of leaves, we made snowmen, we caught fireflies and we drew games like hopscotch in chalk on the sidewalk. I would love to see today’s kids do those things again.

Achievements/Interests:

Trained geologist
Avid gardener

VAL DANIELS

Teacher

Achievements/Interests:

English and Studio Art degree from Georgetown University
Animal lover and ferret father
Film enthusiast/Independent actor
Self-proclaimed chef
Learning the piano
Proud uncle, brother and son of six
Elementary public school teaching experience at Randle Highlands Elementary School and St. Thomas More Academy in Washington, DC

I was born, raised and educated between Queens and the Bronx where I forged a genuine interest in forming a more interactive learning environment for city kids. After turning 30 this past spring, I decided to fully step into my purpose as both a mentor and teacher. My undergrad years in Washington, DC at Georgetown University afforded me an opportunity to work with underprivileged youth from grades 1-6 throughout the district. It was this very experience that revealed a natural ability to both lead and inspire.

After obtaining a Bachelor Degree in English and Studio Art, I moved from DC back to NYC where I began working for a marketing firm in Midtown Manhattan before deciding to accept an opportunity to work with Alzheimer's patients at the New York Memory Center located in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I was given the title of Activity Coordinator where I facilitated several programs including painting, dancing and even yoga sessions. The position was pivotal in cementing my compassion for the more vulnerable souls of this world.

I also managed to build a small clientele for a life coaching business, providing advice through the study of astrology and the esoteric arts. My goal is to be able participate in a healthy physical, mental and spiritual experience for Kew Kids as they continue to learn and grow with us.

VICTORIA M. LAGARDERA

Teacher

Achievements/Interests:

Biology, psychology, and pre-vet student
A second mom to my little brother (10 years difference)
Experienced children educator at a Montessori pre-k school
Event organizer and outreach specialist for an animal advocacy non-profit organization
Translator and interpreter in Spanish and English
Completed various seminars on wildlife rehabilitation at South Florida Wildlife Center
Volunteer at Tamerlaine Farm Animal Sanctuary

As an honor student majoring in biology, psychology, and pre-vet medicine, one could make a good guess and say I enjoy science. But most people don’t ask how, or where, my passion for learning began. The answer is nature. I don’t really remember the first time that I was lost immersed in admiration by its wonders, because to me, it seems they were always there.

Having born in Uruguay, a very small country by the Atlantic Ocean, way to the south in South America, I had the opportunity to be raised exploring and experiencing nature’s marvels every day while still immersed in the capital city of the country. My childhood memories are my most precious treasures, from the long walks after a storm that my mom took us on, searching for and rescuing baby birds that had fallen from their nests; to playing in the mud with my rescued wild boar, Inos; or jumping between rocks at the beach and observing how anemones close when you touch them.

I was taught to respect all life, and even save jellyfish who were stuck in the sand at the beach. I learned to connect with animals as individuals, to understand them in their own ways, and to rescue and rehabilitate them. I learned to sail boats, climb trees, and developed a deep curiosity for the world around me and how things work. I learned how intertwined science, art, and even empathy are with the natural world, and how important it is for humans to have a deep connection with our planet. But the greatest lesson is the immense respect and compassion that I developed for our planet and its inhabitants; as well as the awareness that our actions as free willed individuals may and do affect this wonderful world and all of us living in it. I feel very deeply within me that it is imperative that in today’s world, where parents have to work long hours and may be tired and busy when they get home, kids can get their brains out of the screens and are able to experience nature in their daily lives first hand: touching, smelling, feeling, talking, painting, exploring, interacting, and laughing.

I’m convinced that spending time in nature, especially when we are young, is the way that new generations will be able to develop the love, respect and compassion that the world needs. Because otherwise, how could we love something that we don’t know? I really believe that this time has an immense impact in our respect for the planet and fellow earthlings; as well as in fostering our creativity, curiosity, and our physical and mental health.

I was born in Rostov on Don in Russia in a big house with a big yard that had a fruit garden where all the children helped my grandmother grew vegetables. Later, my family moved to Uzbekistan. It was there I learned about nature in Central Asia. I saw many mountains and experienced how they changed through the seasons. With specialized training in art and music, I frequently expressed my joy through these mediums.

I moved to New York with my children and my husband and started working with children after we settled in Kew Gardens. I especially enjoy working with children from 12 months to 2.5 years old.

Children are natural explorers and I see it as my role to offer ways for children to safely explore their curiosity and present opportunities to practice new skills, including behavior and social skills.

My daughter is now 15 and my son is 7 and we enjoy our time outdoors. I am grateful to be part of Kew Kids Forest School in our neighborhood.

Achievements/Interests:

Proud mom to a curious teenage girl and an active son
Experienced childcare provider
Trained in Infant Brain Development, Early Intervention, Managing Challenging Behavior Birth to 36mo, Infection Control and Barrier Precautions
Involved in parents committee and a volunteer at my children’s school

Teacher

RITA SIMAKOVA

Achievements/Interests:

Teachers Aid experience at All Angels Learning Center in Virginia
Lead teacher experience at The Primron in Maryland
Completed a Child Growth and Development, along with a Core knowledge on special needs course at Howard Community College
Currently learning Spanish
Animal and wilderness lover
Loves to cook and eat healthy

CHRISTINE WILLIAMS

Teacher

I was raised in New Jersey by a strong, independent and loving single mother, and two doting grandmas. It was in high school that I was first ever introduced to the idea of working with children when I took a course that broadened my mind when it came to a child and their growing minds. My first venture raising a child came soon after, when my sister had to be deployed soon after giving birth. This journey took me to Virginia and Maryland where I got into child care at a professional level.

My first experience in the field was as a teacher's aid working with multiple children ranging from 1 to 4 years old. I learned a lot about balance, teamwork and communication. Moving to Maryland gave me the opportunity to advance as I took a more challenging position as a lead teacher. Though it meant more responsibilities, it became a passionate role to wake up to. Different settings and roles with children have helped me connect with the educational process which is unique in every child.

Moving back north now starting a new life in New York where life seems faster, I notice how critical it is for children to slow down and connect with the nature around them and play at their pace. The way Kew Kids tries to foster a relationship with nature in a child growing up in this busy city really inspires me to find more innovative ways to nourish each little mind. I strongly believe every child shapes the future, and it is important that our future is filled with more love for nature and our Earth.