Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education. |
Meet The NOS Staff
Stephanie Lefevre--Executive DirectorStephanie Lefevre was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved away to attend college directly after graduating from Girls Prepatory School in 1993. She graduated from the University of Montana in 1997 with a degree in Liberal Studies and Environmental Studies. Stephanie Lived in Missoula, Montana for another two years, serving as an AmeriCorps member with the Montana Conservation Corps and learning a variety of skills that have become an important part of her career today. Stephanie began her masters degree in Portland, Oregon with a joint program between Pacific University and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in 2002. She completed the program through a distance learning option at Prescott College and holds her Master of Arts in Teaching and Science with a teaching endorsement. Stephanie founded the Nevada Outdoor School in 2003 and currently serves as the director of the program. |
Milton Neuenschwander--Education DirectorMilton was born and raised in the small farming town of Berne, IN. In 2000 he graduated from South Adams High school and was accepted to Wabash College, a small, private, Liberal Arts College in Crawfordsville, IN. Four years later, Milton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Religion. He also developed a passion for the outdoors and gained experience in rock climbing, backpacking, and snowboarding. He continued to follow his passion for the outdoors by working at YMCA Flat Rock River Camp for the next two years after graduation. While working at Flat Rock, Milton gained further experience with working with kids of all ages, supervising numerous outdoor recreational activities, and coordinating outdoor educational programs for the local schools. He first joined Nevada Outdoor School as an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer Program Coordinator in January 2006. He now continues to bring his expertise and passion for the outdoors to the Nevada Outdoor School as the Education Director. |
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Ellen Kunz--AmeriCorps Program Director Ellen was born and raised in a Bowie, Maryland. Being so close to Washington, D.C., her interest in environmental politics developed at a young age. Ellen went on to pursue her interests at Oberlin College where she received a B.A. in Environmental Studies under the guidance of Professor David Orr. With her degree in hand, she began working with Nevada Outdoor School as an AmeriCorps member. As an AmeriCorps member, Ellen taught environmental education in camps and classrooms. She has worked with all ages of youth from pre-K to high school in Winnemucca and even the rural schools of Humboldt County. Today, Ellen leads the AmeriCorps Program in the greater Winnemucca area. The AmeriCorps program is the domestic “Peace Corps.” AmeriCorps allows US citizens stay in the country and serve their neighbors. This is the first year the AmeriCorps hub is active in Winnemucca and we currently have 10 members serving at a variety of non-profits including: Nevada Outdoor School, Friends of the Black Rock High Rock, American Red Cross, Safe Haven Rescue Zoo, and Winnemucca Domestic Violence Shelter. For more information contact her at ellen.kunz@gmail.com Resume and Workplan |
Abby Penny--Program CoordinatorAbby Penny, a Program Coordinators at Nevada Outdoor School, was born and raised in the Colorado Rockies but most recently lived in the Washington DC area. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.A.in Spanish, and concentration in Earth Sciences. During her one-year committment as an AmeriCorps volunteer she hopes to learn all she can about teaching and hopes to explore environmental education career options. Abby is happy to be away from the city and excited about sharing with children her love for the Great Outdoors! Resume and Work plan |
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Melody Jones --Program CoordinatorMelody Jones moved here with her three children from a small town on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Idaho. While working full time at a non-profit organization she commuted to Lewis Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho to attend classes. After her year commitment through Americorp Vista as a Program Coordinator for Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) she is going to continue her pursuit of a degree in Social Work to eventually become a counselor for terminally ill children and their families. She enjoys camping, hiking and cooking with her family. While working for NOS she hopes to teach the children in a fun and engaging way so that the children will pass on their enthusiasim for the place that she now calls home to their friends and future generations to come. |
Jacob Brown--Water Canyon Program CoordinatorAmeriCorps State Member Jacob is from Charlotte, North Carolina and completed his studies there at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. While there he majored in History and minored in Journalism. Jacob has performed numerous jobs since turning 16 but offers the most professional experience in the areas of cooking and various construction trades. However, he has always had a passion for the outdoors and brings plenty of personal outdoor experience as well. Jacob is looking forward to helping increase community involvement in the Water Canyon Recreation Area, as well as community awareness of appropriate and environmentally conscious recreational practices. |
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Jessica Templeton--LNT Program Coordinator AmeriCorps State Member Jessica Templeton hails from Michigan, a state where up until recently she had lived most of her life. Just this past May she graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Biological Psychology. Jessica has always been extremely involved in her community. Last summer she was awarded a community based research fellowship. With this fellowship Jessica was able to research ecological monitoring for Natural Area Preservation, a non-profit responsible for all of the conservation and restoration work done in the city parks of Ann Arbor, Michigan. She has also spent time mentoring at-risk youth, raising money and social awareness for pediatric rehabilitation programs, and communicating with elementary students through pen-pal programs. Here with the Nevada Outdoor School in Winnemucca, Jessica will be working on implementing a Leave No Trace/Tread Lightly program in the Black Rock High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trail National Conservation Area. Winnemucca is already beginning to feel like home to Jessica, and she is excited to have the opportunity to make an impact in her new community as well as for all that the next year will bring. Resume and Work plan |
Tasha Kramer--Administrative ManagerTasha was born in Visalia, California and moved to Winnemucca, Nevada in 1981. She is a long time resident and grew up on an alfalfa farm in the Silver State Valley. Tasha has one brother and three sisters. She loves to hike, camp and visit historical sites all over the world. She went to ITT Technical Institute in Boise, Idaho and earned a Certified Professional Legal Secretary Degree and has worked in a corporate setting as well as non-profit settings. She hopes to bring structure to NOS with her non-profit financial experience. She Loves Her Job!!! |
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Matthew Hayes LindsayMarketing and Communications SpecialistMatthew Hayes Lindsay, most people call him Hayes, grew up on a small farm in northwest Georgia. He moved to Montana and received a B.A. in Political Science and a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from The University of Montana. He has worked as a shepherd in Montana and a wrangler in Colorado, which instilled a deep love of wilderness. He looks forward to passing his knowledge on to the next generation as the Rural Outreach Coordinator for the Nevada Outdoor School. |
Holly Palmer--Volunteer and Collaboration CoordinatorAmeriCorps State Member Holly Spring Palmer was born in Chico, CA. She moved to Nevada in the Summer of 2006 as a summer VISTA for the Winnemucca Recycling Center. When her term was over she signed up for a second, year long Rural Americorps position as the Warehouse Supervisor for the Winnemucca Recycling Center. Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, the Recycling Center closed its doors in early 2007. It was then Holly began to work for NOS as a Naturalist on the Restoration Crew. She's signed up for another year long term to continue to share her knowledge and experience and gain valuable skills with NOS. |
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Jon Baker--Lovelock Cave Docent Program Coordinator AmeriCorps State Member Jonathan Fain Baker was born in Anniston, Alabama on January 10th, 1980. He grew up in the woods of Alabama with a mother who is a biology teacher where he developed a passion for the outdoors. Currently he is the Lovelock Cave Docent Program Coordinator for the Nevada Outdoor School Branch of Americorps. Jonathan is excited to learn about Lovelock and the surrounding area's history and sharing the knowledge with the people it most directly involves. |
Louise Hart--NCA Transportation Specialist Louise was born and raised in West Sussex, England. After leaving college with A Levels in Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science, she began work as a Land Surveyor. She spent 7 years at the company, and gained an HNC in surveying from Lambeth School of Construction in London. In 2005, she moved to France and spent a year travelling and studying French at schools in Antibes and Bordeaux. She returned to the UK in 2006 to start a foundation degree in Wildlife and Countryside Conservation at Cannington Centre for Land Based Studies in Somerset. During the year, as many of her days off as possible were spent volunteering with the National Trust. During her summer vacation she joined a British Trust for Conservation Volunteers crew working for Nevada Outdoor School. The crew completed various restoration projects within the Black Rock Desert NCA. She was offered a work placement with NOS, and so has deferred her college course for a year in order to return and experience more of the joys that Nevada has to offer. Resume and Workplan |
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Tasha Niemi -- Rural Outreach CoordinatorTasha Niemi was born and raised on a small farm in southeastern Wisconsin. She graduated from Dodgeland High School in Juneau, WI in 2002. From there she went to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Northern Michigan University. While going to school she worked for Northern’s dining services, Biology Department and for the U.S. Forest Service. She graduated in 2006 with a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Conservation and a minor in Biology. Tasha stayed home with her daughter for a few months and then waitressed before becoming an AmeriCorps VISTA. She is excited to get into the schools and pass on her knowledge and experiences to the children in the rural communities.
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