Yellowstone in Winter: Meet the Team
About Yellowstone in Winter | Yellowstone in Winter Itinerary | Yellowstone in Winter Blog Entries
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Laura Brady English Teacher Riverside High School, Durham County Hobbies: Lifting weights, walking dogs (my dogs and the adoptable pups at my local shelter), hiking, cooking. Looking forward to: In a world that often feels like it’s constantly moving, winter offers a rare sense of peace and stillness, making it my favorite season. I’m eager to experience the beauty of the landscape and witness the remarkable wildlife, all while learning from fellow educators and experts in the field. |
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Jacqueline Gronwald Media Specialist Ragsdale High School, Guilford County Hobbies: Reading, traveling, swimming. Looking forward to: I am looking forward to experiencing Yellowstone’s wildlife and unique topography, as well as discovering new activities that I can bring back to my classroom. |
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Matthew Ipock High School Science Teacher Early College EAST High School, Craven County Hobbies: Hiking, running, taekwondo, language. Looking forward to: I am particularly excited about experiencing the snowshoeing opportunity. |
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Holly McMillan 5th Grade Teacher Lillington Shawtown Elementary School, Harnett County Hobbies:I love going to the Carolina Hurricane games and supporting Sebastian Aho! I also enjoy boating, painting, and baking. Looking forward to: I’m looking forward to seeing the wildlife! I want to experience the winter landscape, learn from the experts, explore the thermal features like the geysers and hot springs. I love science and I love hands on experiences. I’m definitely a kinesthetic learner! |
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Lauren Norwood Earth Science Teacher James Kenan High School, Duplin County Hobbies: Reading, cooking, crocheting, running, learning to play the piano, singing. Looking forward to: I am looking forward to experiencing Yellowstone as a quiet, snow-covered wilderness that fits what I love: geology, wildlife, and peaceful scenery. I can already imagine the steaming geysers in the freezing air, the frosted bison, and the chance to see wolves moving across the snowy valleys. I am excited to explore places like Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs, where the winter steam makes everything feel mystical. The open range will give me amazing views. The thought of frozen waterfalls, mist-filled valleys, and the calm, icy expanse of Yellowstone Lake makes January feel like the perfect time for a serene, magical visit. |
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Cassie Payne Education Specialist Friends of the WNC Nature Center, Buncombe County Hobbies: I enjoy camping, hiking, and rafting with my dog. I also enjoy spending time in the garden, wildcrafting, and reading. Looking forward to: I’m eager to be immersed in the magic of Yellowstone alongside fellow educators and to let its winter landscape continually fill me with awe. There’s something uniquely humbling about being surrounded by such powerful, quiet beauty, and I can’t wait to experience that feeling day after day. I’m especially excited to observe Yellowstone’s wildlife in the winter season, watching how animals adapt, behave, and survive in the winter. Gaining firsthand insight into these behaviors will be invaluable, and I look forward to bringing that knowledge back to my community. |
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Ragan Pearson Social Studies Teacher Hobbton High School, Sampson County Hobbies: Horseback riding, reading, walking/exercising, traveling. Looking forward to: Experiencing Yellowstone in winter and viewing animals in the wild, as well as learning more about the history of managing the park |
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Betsy Ray Science and Social Studies Teacher Owen Middle School, Buncombe County Hobbies: Walking in the woods (not a hobby exactly), gardening, cooking new and familiar recipes and, in the winter months, knitting. Looking forward to: It may sound trite, but I am truly looking forward to being outdoors, meeting new people, and seeing new places. I have never been to Yellowstone and have always wanted to go. I love winter time, so I am looking forward to seeing and learning about the ecosystem and how it functions in the deep cold. And as much as I love traveling for myself, one of the things I look forward to is sharing my trip and the stories with my students and friends back home. My students from this year and past years have been asking about it, wondering where I am going, what I am going to be doing, and so on. |
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Josh Reed 8th Grade Math & Science Teacher Granite Falls Middle School, Caldwell County Hobbies: Fitness, archery, science fiction novels, video games, & spending time with my wife and chihuahua. Looking forward to: I am excited to see the geothermal activity in the winter. This goes along with my science curriculum, but it is also just something I think is extremely interesting. I also love that I will be getting to see the beautiful vastness of Yellowstone covered in snow! |
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Carrie Dobbins Science Teacher Burns High School, Cleveland County Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family, being outdoors, collecting vinyl records with my husband, and baking with my daughters. Looking forward to: I look forward to experiencing the rich geological history of Yellowstone, observing wildlife, and collecting information to share with my students and colleagues. |
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Ginny Mason Science Teacher Beaufort County Early College High School, Beaufort County Hobbies: Reading, hiking, thrift shopping. Looking forward to: I am looking forward to making connections with other educators from around the state, form lifelong friendships, see icy bison, experience Yellowstone in a whole new way, and bring new ideas and excitement back to my classroom. |
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Melissa Dowland Teacher Education Specialist NC Museum of Natural Sciences Hobbies: Hiking, camping, backpacking, reading, canoeing, and soon, cross-country skiing! Looking forward to: Sharing the quiet and beauty of Yellowstone in winter with an amazing group of educators, seeing steam and rime ice decorating trees around geyser basins, and observing wildlife and their tracks in the snow. |
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Emma Blackford Head of Prairie Ridge Ecostation NC Museum of Natural Sciences Hobbies: Bird watching, reading, hiking, spending time outdoors. Looking forward to: I am looking forward to experiencing Yellowstone in winter — to strap on some snowshoes and head out on snowy paths — while getting to know our amazing group of educators. I’m also hoping for some amazing engaging bird sightings, whether they be owls or some of the irruptive species being seen further south this year! |
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Sam Frigerio Coordinator of Accessibility NC Museum of Natural Sciences Hobbies: Sewing, pottery, reading, traveling, video/board games. Looking forward to: I’m excited to experience Yellowstone for the first time with our wonderful educators! I can’t wait for all sorts of wildlife spotting, experiencing a winter wonderland that is non-existent in the southeast, and learning about the challenges and rewarding moments our teachers experience. |
2024 Yellowstone in Winter Institute Team
2023 Yellowstone in Winter Institute Team
2020 Yellowstone in Winter Institute Team