About ESC
Agency Overview
Since the founding of ESC in 1999, demand for ESC's programs has increased every year. In 2006, we served more than 5,000 students with over 8000 hours of programming. In 2007 that increased to more than 7,000 students with over 11,000 hours of programming. We are currently the only environmental education program serving students and schools in South King County.
ESC's experienced teachers and naturalists work directly with teachers and School Districts to build on what the students are learning in their classrooms. Typically, ESC programs consist of one hour of classroom instruction on habitats, the ecosystems of the Puget Sound, and/or conservation, followed by two hour field trips to sites like Seahurst Park or Normandy Park Cove. During the inquiry-based field portion of the program, students learn to analyze what they are seeing, develop a deeper understanding of ecological systems, see how environmental quality is impacted by human decisions, and reach informed conclusions about how to make responsible choices as citizens. After school and summer camp programs go into more depth and are tailored to the needs and interests of the participants.
ESC is particularly proud of our environmental education programs for underserved, low-income communities. In 2006 and 2007, fully 76% of the students participating in our programs came from schools with greater than 50% of students qualifying for free or reduced meals. Given the demonstrated academic benefits provided by environmental education programs, ESC believes it is essential to provide opportunities to low-income students in South King County to increase their academic achievement through participation in ESC programs.
Because ESC believes it is important to begin to form values that foster environmental stewardship and conservation early, we focus much of our programming on elementary school-age children. Currently, 80% of our programs serve children in grades K-6. The curriculum combines visual aids (slides, puppets, art), creative dramatics, and field trips into the outdoors to engage all learning styles and reinforce learning. In addition to classroom-based instruction and field trips, we also offer pre-school and after school programs, summer programs, and a marine science summer camp.
ESC also engages families through a wide variety of outdoor programs, including lectures, environmental walks, and field trips that use parents as chaperones. We are currently working with the children of immigrant and refugee families in the Highline School District by enrolling them in ESC science education classes while their parents are receiving English language instruction.
ESC Board of Directors
Darrell Williams Ph.D., President — Former Vice President for Academics and Research, Bastyr University, Associate Director National Institute for Health Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Volunteer-Seattle Aquarium 2001 to present, Beach Naturalist 2000-present, Cedar River Naturalist 2003-present, WRIA 9 Outreach Board, City of Burien 2003 Educational Leader of the Year.
Larry Moormeier B.A., Treasurer — Retired Boeing Senior Material Manager, Currently President of Neighborhood Association, Volunteer driver for Northwest Harvest and King County Senior Transportation, City of Burien Parks Board 2004-present.
Kathy Murray M.A., Secretary — Retired secondary mathematics and computer science teacher. Burien Trails steering committee, Great Books, League of Women Voters.
Loren Tomlinson, Chair, Capital Committee — President, Gates and Controls Inc., President, Burien Arts Association, Chair, Burien Strawberry Festival.
Barb Williams Ph.D., Chair, Program Committee — Retired Vice President of Operations, Digital Microwave Corp., Volunteer Beach Naturalist 2000-present, Seattle Aquarium 2000-present, Certified Interpretative Guide, Burien Planning Commission 2003-2006, WSU Land-Water Steward 2003-present, Cedar River Naturalist 2003-present. City of Burien 2003 Educational Leader of the Year.
Larry Corvari — Serial entrepreneur and businessman, SVP, Engineering for Strata8 Network, former VP, Operations & Deployment for SinglePoint, President of Regional Commission on Airport Affairs, Past President of Citizens Against SeaTac Expansion, past Chair Sierra Club South King County Group, past member of King County Conservation Voters.
Joy Neubauer B.A. — Retired Elementary Teacher (21 years), Mountaineers Member (1964-present), Volunteer-Beach Naturalist (2004- present), Seattle Aquarium (2007 - present) King County Dept. Natural Resources Salmon Watcher (2003-present), Cedar River Naturalist 2005- present.
Julie M. Miller — Mammal Biologist and Trainer at the Seattle Aquarium, Beach Naturalist Captain 2003 - 2005, Interpretive Supervisor and Teacher at Seattle Aquarium 2003 - 2005, Certified Interpretive Guide.
Julie Griffiths — Outreach Director at Cascade Land Conservancy, Volunteer, Seattle Works. Previous Executive Director of an organization focused on civic leadership training and development in Cleveland Ohio.
Kerry Lohr — holds a Master of Public Administration and is a certificated teacher in math and science. She has taught school for 15 years in Highline and other districts and was also an assistant principal and principal. She now is an Associate Broker for Prudential, NW Realty Associates, and specializes in sustainability and environmental conservation and stewardship.
Michael Cheyne, A.A.E., PMP. — Director of Aviation Planning and also Director of Global Consultation Services for the Port of Seattle. Part of his work is bringing business opportunities to our area. He is an accomplished public sector administrator. He has provided leadership and consultation for both the Port of Edmonds and Friday Harbor. He holds a Masters of Science in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Recreation.
Arun Jhaveri — has over 35 years of professional engineering, public service consulting and technical experience. He holds a B.S. from India and a B.S. in Engineering Physics and a Masters in Physics. He was Regional Technical Manager for the U.S. Department of Energy and worked for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. He has many publications and has been a featured speaker nationally and internationally on topics such as renewable energy technologies, water conservation practices and global climate change. Mr. Jhaveri has taught at the university level and was also the first mayor of Burien.
Educational Staff
ESC Staff are highly qualified part time naturalists and teachers. The ESC also enjoys the support of professionals who volunteer to teach in the program. Our current core staff include:
Nicole Killebrew, School Programs Coordinator has a B.S. in Marine Biology and an M.S. in Environmental Education. She is an Interpretive Supervisor, Program Educator and Beach Naturalist Captain at the Seattle Aquarium. She teaches ESC classroom and field programs, develops and teaches after school science programs with New Futures and works with the Para Los Niños community group in Burien. Her greatest passion is sharing the wonders of the natural environment with others.
Barbara Bruell is an environmental educator for Olympic Park Institute, Passages Northwest, and Washington Trout as well as for the Environmental Science Center. She brings strong leadership and organizational skills to the organization. She is also a Land and Water Steward, and a beach naturalist with the Seattle Aquarium and has served on the Board of Directors of Earth Corps. Barb develops curricula and teaches the ESC's classes in the classroom and in the field.
Janice Mathisen has been teaching environmental education for 15 years. She currently coordinates the Beach Naturalist Program at the Seattle Aquarium, developed and
administers their Explore the Beach Program
, and teaches and develops curricula for the Environmental Science Center. She is also a certified teacher.
Judy Maury is a retired Highline School District (HSD) teacher who is using her expertise with Highline School District's science curricula to make the Environmental Science Center's programs align with state Essential Academic Learning Requirements. She volunteers at the Seattle Aquarium, and teaches the ESC's classes in the classroom and in the field.
Joy Neubauer is a retired teacher with a degree in Natural Science. She taught ecosystems in the classroom for many years, and regularly took her students to the beach to study animals and habitat. She is a trained Beach Naturalist, a Cedar River Naturalist and a King County Salmon Watcher. She is a gifted naturalist and develops curricula and teaches the ESC's classes in the classroom and in the field.
Barb Williams has a Ph.D. in Biostatistics, is a trained Beach Naturalist, Cedar River Naturalist, volunteer for People for Puget Sound and the Seattle Aquarium, and a Certified Interpretive Guide. She regularly teaches ESC programs in the classroom and in the field. An ESC board member, Barb continues to deepen her knowledge about the local environment and volunteers in an ESC staff teaching capacity.
Management
Julie Burr, Executive Director
Julie brings over 25 years of management experience in non profits and educational programs to her new position as Executive Director of the Environmental Science Center. I feel honored to accept the challenge of taking the ESC, which was started and has flourished under the leadership of a dedicated group of community volunteers, to the next level
, states Ms. Burr.
Formerly, as the Director of her consulting business Creative Projects NW, Julie provided individual contracting through PTSA's and the Highline Foundation to schools within the Highline School District and to many non profits in the community. At Highline Community College Ms. Burr directed the college's Outreach Services marketing department, and also was Director of the college's Women's Programs. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Seattle University and a Bachelors Degree in Society and Justice from the University of Washington.
Ms. Burr has actively served the community in many volunteer leadership capacities including serving on Boards, helping with passage of school bonds and levies, and supporting environmental programs and initiatives. She is currently serving as President of the Highline School Board. Priority goals for Ms. Burr as the Director of the Environmental Science Center will be to complete a capital campaign for permanent office space, raise funds for an Educational Director and continue and grow the well respected programs that the ESC currently offers the south King County community.