DBOC Dashboard - Meet Our Team

Meet Our Team

Jessie Dockins

School Programs Coordinator

Why did you choose to become an outdoor educator?

I decided to become an outdoor educator for two reasons:

#1: I want to spend as much time in nature as possible.

#2: I want everyone else to spend as much time in nature as possible.

From health and wellness to academic outcomes, growing a relationship with nature benefits us in so many ways. I’m passionate about helping people, especially young people, connect with the natural world and access all the benefits that come from spending time outside.

Please share a memorable moment you have had in nature.

After a big snowfall a few years ago, I stumbled across otter tracks at the DBOC. Following the tracks led me from the banks of the Meramec River, through a forest, across the DBOC campus, along a prairie, through a wetland, all the way to a creek. Altogether, the otter loped over ½ mile of land to get from one water source to the next. What I loved most was that at every downhill slope, the otter footprints transformed into belly slides! Not only did this experience help me better understand otter behavior, it also revealed to me that some wild animals might enjoy a snowy hill as much as kids with sleds do!

Besides Shaw Nature Reserve, where is another natural space that you enjoy spending time?

Engelmann Woods Natural Area in Franklin County is one of my favorite spots. It’s a beautiful (and rare) example of an old-growth forest. The giant trees are breathtaking, and after a good autumn rain, the ground is carpeted with a mind-boggling diversity of mushrooms. Engelmann Woods reminds me of a fairyland and each time I visit, it fills me with awe and wonder.

How has spending time in nature improved your life?

Being present in nature grounds me and fills me with joy, inspiration, wonder, and awe. Whether I'm exploring the Nature Reserve or appreciating the small wonders in my own backyard, as long as I’m paying close attention, nature never fails to remind me of how beautiful and brimming with life the world is.

Beth Adams

Outdoor Educator

Why did you choose to become an outdoor educator?

I became a nature-lover when I was in high school and that love of nature inspired me to want to connect others with the natural world, especially young people. This quote has been important to me throughout my life. Its meaningful message is what motivates and inspires me to do this work. "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught." Baba Dioum

Please share a memorable moment you have had in nature.

While hiking at Shaw one day, I stopped to take in the view of bottomland forest. That is when my eyes met the eyes of a giant buck (male deer). He had a huge pair of antlers! After a few seconds, he began making a ‘huffing’ sound that echoed all around me. It was a special moment that I will always remember:)

Besides Shaw Nature Reserve, where is another natural space that you enjoy spending time?

Red Bluff Rec Area is a beautiful little area located alongside Huzzah Creek. I appreciate any opportunity to walk in or near water. I also love sitting on a gravel bar searching for cool rocks and fossils.

How has spending time in nature improved your life?

I am never bored! Nature is endlessly fascinating. I can simply step out my door and find a world filled with wonder and awe.

Esha Vij

Outdoor Educator

Why did you choose to become an outdoor educator?

I remembered how in awe I was of everything outdoors when I was a kid. I would spend all of my recess just watching ants crawl by, I was fascinated by the sky as it changed colors, and I would go on worm rescuing missions every time it rained. I have always been drawn to outdoor education because I love seeing that same awe in the kids I work with.

Please share a memorable moment you have had in nature.

I remember hiking up to a sunset point in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There were no sounds of people or roads, but you could hear the trees swaying in waves. My family laid down the rocks and watched in silence as the crisp air came and went. The sunset was beautiful, and everything felt at peace :).

Besides Shaw Nature Reserve, where is another natural space that you enjoy spending time?

I love spending warm afternoons swimming in Carlyle Lake!

How has spending time in nature improved your life?

Nature has taught me how to be still in a world that feels so busy. There’s no “wrong” way to spend time outdoors and there’s no rush to be anywhere. Nature always finds a way and accepts everyone as they are where they are.

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