Published May 3, 2024
MetroParks Awards Local Teachers for Using Nature in the Classroom
Five Rivers MetroParks has recognized three local teachers with 2023 OUTstanding Teacher Awards. These annual awards are presented to local educators who use the natural world as a classroom and incorporate nature-based opportunities into their curriculum.
“When students are given an opportunity to learn outside, their enthusiasm for learning increases and so does their focus and good behavior,” said Pam Lyons Gromen, Five Rivers MetroParks outdoor education coordinator. “For many children, this leads to a boost in academic performance.”
The 2023 OUTstanding Teachers are:
Molly Horne – Tippecanoe High School, Tipp City Schools (Rising Star – less than 10 years teaching experience)
Molly Horne recognizes the educational value of the 1-acre prairie that sits on the school’s campus and enlisted the help of local botanists and the school’s facilities director to restore this habitat after years of neglect. The prairie is now an important part of her science classroom. Horne teaches a college prep Earth’s environment class, during which she creates learning opportunities that are not only engaging and interesting, but also accessible for students of all abilities. After school hours, Horne serves as an advisor to the STEM Club and the Outdoor Club, facilitating meaningful student involvement in community events such as the Miami County Science Day and Earth Day celebrations.
Jessie Muhleman – Southdale Elementary, Kettering Schools (Leader – 10 to 20 years of teaching experience)
Serving as a kindergarten teacher since 2007, Jessie Muhleman has come to strongly believe in the power of nature to heal and uplift people of all ages. She feels called to help teachers and children advocate for their rights to regularly connect with the natural world and foster a sincere appreciation for nature. Muhleman walks her students and their families to Hills & Dales MetroPark throughout the school year to investigate seasonal changes and engage in nature play. Her class is outside multiple times a day practicing math and phonics skills, storytelling, gardening, observing wildlife, and having recess and snack time. Muhleman also works closely with the Habitat Environmental Center to expand opportunities for her students to explore natural spaces and learn about nature topics.
Tracy Kuehn – Driscoll Elementary, Centerville Schools (Lifetime Achievement – more than 20 years of teaching experience)
Tracy Kuehn’s career as a K-8 teacher has spanned 30 years, during which she has inspired her students and their families to experience nature hands-on. Living on a farm, Kuehn demonstrates the value of a healthy farm-to-table diet and engages students with stories about her farm animals, especially her beloved horse. Her students take extraordinary pride in their prairie garden, outdoor classroom and stewardship of the prairie is driven by the students. Student committees make important decisions and fulfill special roles for the prairie’s development and maintenance, allowing the incoming class to carry the conservation torch into the next school year.
Winning teachers received an awards package containing:
- Outdoor educational materials to assist in connecting students to the environment
- Items to enhance the school’s outdoor learning space
- EECO (Environmental Education Council of Ohio) membership and money to use toward the 101 Conference at Camp Kern, held annually the first weekend of October
- A one-year membership to the James M. Cox, Jr. Arboretum Foundation and transportation for their class for a field trip to Cox Arboretum MetroPark (or an alternative experience if an in-person field trip is not an option)
The OUTstanding Teacher Awards are funded through the James M. Cox, Jr. Arboretum Foundation and judged by community volunteers with a background in outdoor education.
“It is a great privilege of my job to visit these teachers’ schools to present the awards and see the pure joy on students’ faces when their teacher is celebrated,” said Lyons Gromen. “The positive impact the teacher has had on their students is obvious.”
