Jill Goodwin

What does she do? I am the Education Specialist for the Naturalist Department at Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. My job changes throughout the year. In the spring and fall we have hundreds of school groups who visit the mountain for the attraction but also for programming. In the summer we do a lot of non-formal programs daily and interpretation for visitors. In the winter I do a lot of program development and snow cleanup.  

What was her favorite part of earning EE certification? I think the Community Partnership was the most rewarding. I loved working with the community and feeling like I made a difference by restoring a playground in my community. I also enjoyed the workshops.

What certification experience stands out for her? I enjoyed the site visits and going to workshops at other locations. I especially enjoyed visiting Chimney Rock for my Methods of EE workshop. My favorite workshops were Advanced WILD Bats, Project WILD and Growing Up WILD. I have also frequently used many of the activities from all three programs.

What was her community partnership project? I restored a playground that had been neglected in my community. I worked closely with my work colleague, Katie Gray. She organized a Clean Up Day and added jumping logs and a tire snake. I added a children’s garden and organized a Park Grand Re-opening where we had families paint structures, plant plants and Adopt Birdhouses to paint and be displayed in the park.

Congratulations Jill!