Building a Dream from Scratch!

When my husband, Steve, called me downstairs on May 19, 2016, I thought it was just another chat about our day. But he had something bigger in mind. As we sat on the couch, he looked at me and said, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to work together?” I was deep in education, and he was in parks and recreation—it seemed like a wild idea.

"How would we make that work?" I asked. We had bills to pay and responsibilities. But the more Steve shared his vision, the more intrigued I became. What if we could find a way to travel the country, share our love of national parks, and work with students, educators, and schools along the way?

Then he added, “It’s time for you to be the lead singer, not just a backup.” That one phrase ignited something in me. I didn’t know exactly how we’d make it work, but the spark was lit. Within days, I put in my notice, and we stepped into a new world. The idea of leaving a steady paycheck was scary, but we took the leap together.

At first, things fell into place. Discovery reached out with an opportunity for me to provide professional development for educators worldwide. We got to travel, visit parks, and still earn enough to support our dream. But as time went on, we realized our mission wasn’t reaching everyone we wanted. We were only able to meet the needs of those who could afford it, leaving many students and educators out.

Then, in 2019, a layoff shook things up. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, nudging us to take our dream further. We started a nonprofit, committed to reaching all students, not just those with resources. We promised ourselves to step out on faith and give most of our work for free.

When the pandemic hit, new opportunities appeared. We launched virtual programs like “STEAM in the PARK” to bring national parks into classrooms and homes everywhere. In 2021, we officially opened Expeditions in Education, hosted our first STEAM in the PARK camp for educators, and partnered with the National Park Foundation to bring students into national parks virtually.

Today, we’ve reached over 4 million students and educators with programs like Crossing America, Experience the Parks, and the National Parks Expedition Challenge. Now, we’re entering year 6 of our nonprofit and are launching our Changed for Good Campaign, hoping to raise $100,000 to keep our programming accessible and free. Asking for help is hard, but I believe deeply in this work. Every dollar helps us reach more students, inspire more educators, and bring the wonders of nature into more classrooms.

One of the most heartwarming parts of this journey has been the support we’ve received from friends along the way. A dear friend we met in 2020, Jenny, believed in us so much that she began supporting us monthly. She always says, “It’s not much,” but to us, it’s a precious gift. Just the other day, she told us that she got a raise, and she doubled her gift because, as she put it, “You two deserve one too.” Thank you, Jenny, and to all who have already given, for believing in us.

If our story resonates with you, there are many ways to help. You can support our campaign directly, or help us by sharing our work with others who have the means to contribute. Every share and every dollar moves us closer to our goal of inspiring the next generation to explore, protect, and cherish our planet.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for being a part of this journey to make a difference—before we even had it all figured out. 🌎

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