2024–2026 Cohort
A big welcome to our new PEEC participants!
Our Students

E. Ashley Howell
Orangeburg Christian Academy
About Ashley
Favorite Hobby: Hiking
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental education means learning to be a wise steward of the natural world so that all can benefit in a sustainable way.

Hayley Fournier
North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
About Hayley
Favorite Hobby: Art and Gardening
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental Education is the gift that keeps on giving. Nature itself is a neccesity to life itself for ALL people to learn about, enjoy, and protect.

Destiney Rains
Beaufort County Passive Parks Department
About Destiney
Favorite Hobby: Walking my dog on trails and the beach, birding, running, and fishing with my family!
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental Education fosters a sense of love and compassion for our beautiful environment within the general public. It provides folks with the knowledge and understanding of their personal impacts on the environment; and inspires people to protect, conserve, and restore the world they live in for themselves and the future generations to come.

Heather Kraus
Nemours Wildlife Foundation
About Heather
Favorite Hobby: Pottery, walking around my neighborhood, and sometimes baking.
What does environmental education mean to me? For me, environmental education means cultivating curiosity, appreciation, and understanding for the natural world. It should give people the tools to explore the plants, animals, and ecosystems where they live and make a meaningful connection to a particular place.

Nancy White
SC Lowcountry Tourism Commission
About Nancy
Favorite Hobby: Tasting different types of food and beverages.
What does environmental education mean to me? Initiating others to observe, touch, smell, taste, and show curiosity and concern about preserving our natural environment.

Ellisa Poff
Museum of York County
About Ellisa
Favorite Hobby: I really enjoy being outside hiking with my husband and taking pictures of nature. When I can’t get outside, I can usually be found reading and learning to crochet.
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental education is essential for the future of our world. I see it as an important opportunity to connect our youth with nature and give them the tools to protect and improve our environment for generations to come.

Esther Wagner
Palmetto Pride
About Esther
Favorite Hobby: One all-consuming thing—but it changes often.
What does environmental education mean to me? New knowledge leads to new ideas and improvements on old ones.

Bonnie Webster
Spartanburg Day School
About Bonnie
Favorite Hobby: Hiking
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental education is a way to conect people with the natural world around them. It is a both a way to bring people joy and wonder about our amazing planet and to raise their awareness of the role we can play in protecting it.

Alison Koutroulias
Spartanburg District 6
About Alison
Favorite Hobby: Reading, Gardening, Knitting
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental education means empowering the future generations to become active stewards of our amazing environment and ecosystems.
Our Instructors

Lisa Pike
Francis Marion University
About Lisa
Favorite Hobby: Pottery and Nature Walks.
What does environmental education mean to me? A world that cares about the natural environment.

Sara Beth Freytag
Belle W. Baruch Foundation (Hobcaw Barony)
About Sara
Favorite Hobby: Playing the piano, cuddling with my Kitty.
What does environmental education mean to me? To me, environmental education means teaching others to explore, appreciate, and understand the world around us.

Cindy Lilly
Oceanbay Middle School
About Cindy
Favorite Hobby: Beachcombing, reading, and pottery
What does environmental education mean to me? Environmental education I feel is allowing the children I teach to explore and dive deep into environmental matters that will affect their furture. It also is allowing them to fall in love with our planet. I think it is medicine for the soul.

Rachel Kennerly
Saluda Shoals Park/ Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission
About Rachel
Favorite Hobby: Reading and kayaking
What does environmental education mean to me? Connections. Connection to our place, our community, our past and future. Environmental Education can be part of everyone’s life.

Shana Bury
Bioblitz of the Grand Strand
About Shana
Favorite Hobby: Reading. I love getting lost in a good book.
What does environmental education mean to me? To me, it means a love and passion for the world around us and sharing that love with the next generation of scientists.

Wiltress Felder
Richland 2 science teacher
About Wiltress
Favorite Hobby: sky watching, nature walks with my dogs
What does environmental education mean to me? Teaching students to appreciate the world in which they live.
Administration

Morgan Treon
S.C. Sea Grant Consortium
About Morgan
Favorite Hobby: From hiking to kayaking I love to be outside exploring and learning about the natural world.
What does environmental education mean to me? As an environmental educator, my goal is to foster an empathy and understanding of the natural world by providing a safe space for students to engage and learn with nature.

E.V. Bell
S.C. Sea Grant Consortium
About E.V.
Favorite Hobby: Tennis, gardening, anything water related, hiking, cheering on the Clemson tigers
What does environmental education mean to me? It’s everything! EE connects us to each other and the world around us — humans are not separate from, but interwoven with, the natural environment.