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Education Director
It's Great Smoky Mountains Photo Contest time again! Read the rules here
Evaluating Tremont's Impact
Learn why your school's visit to Tremont will be "more than just a field trip."
Summer Teacher/Naturalists
Mickey Larkins
Mickey hails from rural west Tennessee where he has taught elementary education for over thirty years. In his summer role at Tremont, Mickey specializes in lessons about trees, birds and the general natural history of the Smokies, and tries to connect all of these to the big picture of living as a part of the natural world. Mickey was recently elected Vice President/President-Elect of the Tennessee Environmental Education Association. This summer will be his 10th at Tremont.
Lindsay Menard
Lindsay Menard is from Ohio, where she attended Hocking College and received a degree in Ecotourism and Adventure Travel. She has come to the Smoky Mountains from South Carolina where she worked as an environmental educator. Along with hiking she also likes reading (always accepting recommendations), sewing and identifying plants and trees.
Kyle Rauch - George W. Fry Chair in Science Education
Kyle graduated from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Geography with a concentration on Environmental Planning. He spent last summer in the Delaware Water Gap interning at an environmental education center. He then continued in the environmental education path at a center on Lake Wylie, SC. Kyle enjoys spending his time outdoors doing such things as: hiking, exploring, botanizing and camping. He also enjoys music, guitar, food and reading.
Environmental Education Summer Interns
Avery Kelly
Avery is from Fort Worth, Texas. She is a senior at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, where she is earning a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. She is especially interested in birds and animal behavior. Avery hopes to pursue a career in the fields of environmental/outdoor education or nature interpretation. She loves to spend time outside, bike, swim, play tennis, hike and snow ski. Mollie Klepack Born and raised in Ithaca, New York, Mollie is a rising Junior at the University of Vermont where she is majoring in Environmental Studies and Plant Biology. Last summer she built trails in Alaska with the Student Conservation Association. Mollie is an enthusiastic backpacker, SCUBA diver, and explorer as well as a potter, gardener and chef. Craig Lazzar Craig is a senior at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He worked for the Smithsonian Institution's Horticultural Services Division as an intern during the summer of 2007. He is majoring in Environmental Studies: Communication and Culture and is particularly interested in the communication of scientific research and its applications in regard to the general public. Rachel Rasmussen Rachel Rasmussen is currently a student at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina and is working on her BA degrees in Environmental Education and Global Studies. She is grateful for the opportunities she had while growing up to play and explore outside and loves sharing her excitement and respect for all of nature and its inhabitants. Summer Research Interns Alex Durand Alex was born in Micronesia and has spent much of her life overseas. She is currently attending Maryville High School, where many long hours are consumed by schoolwork. However, she makes time to be outdoors hiking, swimming, biking - you name it. She is especially interested in all fauna, from dogs and cats to hellbenders. Alex also plays tennis and soccer and is an avid runner. Hannah Harper Hannah was born and raised in Maryville, TN and currently attends Maryville High School where she has taken Biology 1 and Chemistry. Next year she plans on taking Physics and Anatomy & Physiology. She had a lot of pets as a child, which spurred her interest in animals and life in general. Laura Rigell Laura attends Maryville High Schoolwhere she participates in school government, Habitat for Humanity, Amnesty International Club, and rowing team. She plays the flute in the marching band and the community Gracenotes Flute Choir. Hiking, biking, canoeing, rappelling, caving, and backpacking are a few of her favorite activities.She also enjoys reading and drawing. Laura hopes to become a conservation biologist in order to fulfill her dream of helping to preserve the natural environment. Gar Secrist Gar is from Knoxville and has been involved with Tremont in one way or another for over a decade as a school program participant, summer camper, science research volunteer, part-time naturalist, and now as a summer research assistant. He is currently a senior at Maryville College majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. His experiences at Tremont piqued his interest in the natural sciences and he hopes to eventually work in the field of environmental or conservation biology. ATBI Teacher Interns Amanda Hendrick Amanda has a B.S. in education and currently teaches 7th and 8th grade science at Vonore Middle School. She is married and has five cats and one frog. She has lived in Blount County all her life. She is excited about her ATBI teacher internship this summer and can’t wait to take what she learns back into the classroom. Laura Neff Other Summer Staff Kirsten Hecht - Hellbender Researcher Gabby Salazar - Photography Intern
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
9275 Tremont Road - Townsend, TN 37882
(865)448-6709
site updated October 9, 2008