Discovering PLACE

About Discovering PLACE

Discovering PLACE is one of six place-based education hubs of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI) working to develop knowledgeable and active stewards of the Great Lakes region through hands-on learning in the community.  Through place-based education (PBE), teachers and students are supported by school/community partnerships that enable youth to identify and address environmental and social needs in their community. Discovering PLACE supports K-12 teachers and schools by offering sustained teacher professional development opportunities, partnership support, and resources to implement PBE activities.

Discovering PLACE serves schools in the greater Flint area. More than 115 teachers and 5000 youth in school districts in Flint and the surrounding region have been engaged through the Discovering PLACE hub since 2009, participating in PBE projects that address topics such as local food systems, habitat restoration, healthy communities, healthy watersheds, and more. Discovering PLACE also partners with UM-Flint's Office of K12 Partnerships and faculty from its teacher preparation programs.

Our Team

Leyla Sanker serves as the primary coordinator for the Discovering PLACE place-based education hub, working with teachers and administrators in the greater Flint area. Project management, grant development and administration, partnership development, and facilitation of relationships between campus and community organizations are the primary components of her work. Ms. Sanker has a strong background in environmental planning, policy, and education. She holds a BS in Resource Planning from UM–Flint and a master’s degree in Environmental Management through the Duke Environmental Leadership program at Duke University.

Kelly Sanborn serves as an Educational Specialist for Discovering PLACE. Kelly is a Certified Teacher in the State of Michigan with more than 29 years experience. Kelly is a Mi-STAR Professional Learning Facilitator (PLF) trained through the Mi-STAR program at Michigan Technological University and was a former Discovering PLACE teacher participant who implemented PBE and hand-on, experiential learning in the classroom and in the community. Prior to joining the Discovering PLACE leadership team, Kelly served for 20 years as a 6th and 7th Grade Middle School Science Teacher in the Montrose Community School District. 

Suzanne Knight is an administrator and teacher educator at the University of Michigan-Flint, specializing in English education. Suzanne is partner of the Discovering PLACE program and serves on the Board of Directors of the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. Suzanne has served in a number of leadership roles at UM-Flint including in her current role as Director of UM-Flint's K12 Partnerships Office. Her research interests include teacher preparation, place-based education, place-based teacher education, and narrative inquiry. She has a PhD from Michigan State University and MA and BS degrees from Central Michigan University.