Je suis de ces eaux, terres et montagnes

Bonjour à tous! I am excited to be returning to Canoe as the Program Coordinator after two years of being away. During my absence from Canoe Island I completed a Masters program in Environmental Education through Western Washington University and the North Cascades Institute.This included a year long residency at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center where I developed knowledge and skills of Northwest natural history, non-profit administration and leadership. My time at the Institute also included being an instructor for Mountain School, an environmental education program that welcomes groups of fifth graders through seniors in high school to explore the North Cascades ecosystems via experiential learning and inquiry based field studies.The experience was unique and inspiring. It has been wonderful to work and play among the peaks of the North Cascades. I am happy to be returning to the inter-tidal zones of the San Juan Islands. Raised in the little bayside town of Poulsbo Washington, vibrant sunsets and salty air were well missed during my time in the mountains. I'm also thrilled to become reacquainted with my love of French language and culture, which was the focus of one of my bachelor degrees. I look forward to working with staff and campers to ensure a positive atmosphere of exploration and discovery of French language, culture and the San Juan Islands. I hope to incorporate my love of natural history, my curiosity of all things French, and the happenings here at Canoe Island into my blog posts for your reading pleasure.

As a final introduction, I'm happy to share a photo of an artistic map I created, under the tutelage of Jocelyn Curry, that represents my home, the Pacific Northwest.

A bientôt,
Sarah Stephens