New England Institute: Meet the Team

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Participants of the 2018 New England Institute

	Frances Brindle Biology, Environmental Science Teacher, 9th – 12th grades Carolina Friends School, Orange County Hobbies: Gardening, nature study, travel to wild places, hiking, camping Looking forward to: Shoals Maine Lab and Appledore Island, whales, terns, Mt Washington Observatory, alpine garden, hiking, being with the group, amazing scenery.
	Beth Cranford Early Childhood Environmental Educator North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Wake County Hobbies: Gardening and exploring the natural world with my 2 year old son Looking forward to: Living above the tree line for a few days
	Waymouth “Ira” Cumpton, Jr. 7th Grade Science and Social Studies Teacher Thomasville Middle School, Davidson County Hobbies: Church activities, spending time with family, sports, golf, and cooking Looking forward to: Whale watching, nature hikes, visiting an area I’ve never been to before, and learning things from the other educators on the trip.
	Jessie Francese 8th Grade Teacher The Exploris School, Wake County Hobbies: Running, reading, travel, being outdoors Looking forward to: Everything! I am mostly looking forward to checking off two more states to bring my total of visited states to 42 out of 50. And whale watching. And hiking. And learning about climate change.
	Ginny Mason Science Teacher Northeast Regional School of Biotechnology and Agriscience, Beaufort County Hobbies: Photography, drawing, horse back riding, kayaking, hiking and camping Looking forward to: I am looking forward to seeing whales, and taking in the gorgeous scenery as well as making new friendships with my fellow teachers!
	Cheryl Michalec 2nd Grade Teacher Sandy Ridge Elementary, Durham County Hobbies: Gardening, traveling, reading, and fishing Looking forward to: I am excited about mountain top views as well as the unique peek under the sea.
	Blair Ogburn Middle School Science Teacher Mountain Discovery Charter School, Jackson County Hobbies: I love to hike, paddle board, backpack and birdwatch. Spending time in the out-of-doors with my family and my dog Jasper is my favorite hobby! Looking forward to: I look forward to being with new people and I am excited about spending time in the White Mountains. I hope to see new bird species and look forward to tide pooling and learning more about marine life. I saw whales in Alaska but would love to see more!!!
	Sarah Otis 3rd Grade Teacher Envision Science Academy, Wake County Hobbies: I love hiking, reading, swimming and exploring new places. Looking forward to: I am looking forward to hiking, learning more about the ecology of New England and getting new science education ideas.
	Renee Pagoota-Wight Kindergarten Teacher Sherrills Ford Elementary School, Catawba County Hobbies: Travel, photography, live music, snorkeling, sea turtles, state parks, camping, hiking Looking forward to: I am looking forward to exploring the geography,  culture and climate of coastal New England. I also am excited to hike the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. It will be amazing to view coastal habitats and search for whales. I have always enjoyed learning about marine life and look forward to staying on Appledore Island!
	Josh Reed 6th Grade Math & Science Teacher Granite Falls Middle School, Caldwell County Hobbies: Hiking, dancing, video games, board games, playing my banjo, HQ Trivia, Exploring reddit & YouTube rabbit holes, photography (landscapes and sports cars), and keeping up with my 1 year old Chihuahua named Garrus Looking forward to: I’m excited to explore the outdoors of New England, which is not an area I’ve gotten to see much of. I spent quite a bit of time hiking and camping before I started teaching, and I am looking forward to getting to do that again. I am also hoping to have lots of cool experiences/stories to bring back to my students and colleagues when I return.
	Melanie Smith Assistant Principal  Union Elementary, Sampson County Hobbies: Running, reading, love spending time with my two dogs and my family Looking forward to: Hiking, visiting states I’ve never visited, meeting other educators, having time for myself.
	Anna Ward 7th Grade Math Teacher Charlotte Lab School, Mecklenburg County Hobbies: Reading, travel, spending time with my family Looking forward to: I am looking forward to experiencing a new part of the country and meeting new people.

Museum Staff Leaders

Megan Chesser Davis Teacher Education Specialist NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Wake County Hobbies: Spending time outside – jogging, hiking, camping and backpacking, gardening, biking, pretty much whatever! When I’m not outside, I love cooking and baking, and learning to sew/quilt. Looking forward to: Waking up to the smell of salt air or the perfume of alpine wildflowers in the White mountains. Watching the sun rise and set in new habitats. Holding tide pool creatures in our hands and feeling their tiny suction feet. Being reminded of the interconnectedness of everything in our world. I can’t wait to explore New England with a fantastic group of NC educators. I hope each of us will return home renewed in our passion for education.

Martha Fisk Coordinator of Outreach and Digital Learning  NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Wake County Hobbies: Reading, adventuring with my two young boys, and piano Looking forward to: I am excited about exploring new environments with other educators! Hopefully we get to taste a fresh lobster!