May 7, 2025, by Lisa Teas Conaway

On Teacher Appreciation Day, we would like to call out our own educators working diligently at Sitka Sound Science Center. Our whole education department is passionate about science, and it shows in their work. The education team can be found in all classrooms throughout Sitka during the school year, including our own classrooms and programs. They are always moving to the next project while leaving wonder and awe in their wake. Below is just a snapshot of a few programs that are made possible because of our team’s hard work and dedication.

Maia has spearheaded our after-school programs, showing elementary school children how to repurpose trash and collect data from streams, among many other projects, and is managing our full roster of summer camps.

Kari guides pre-K students through exploration of the natural world from flowers to fossils. She brings excitement to all subjects and helps during classroom visits, showing the wonders of fungi growth and the forces of volcanic eruptions, among many other subjects.

Sarah leads field courses bringing students from across the world to Sitka in a fully immersive experience with guest lecturers and many activities organized throughout their stay.

Lina manages our visitors’ experiences, helping to educate the many travelers of a wide demographic on our intertidal life as well as leading many after-hours winter programs for adult learners.

Julliette, our Jesuit volunteer for this year, helps with all the above-mentioned programming and so much more. She has even brought a spin on some after-school courses, integrating her passion for ceramics and teaching hand-building techniques.

Janet holds the department together with innovative ideas on bringing scientists into schools and students into the field and back to our science center.

Together, our educators are working to bring the wonder and exploration of science to students of all ages. Our full staff is always ready to lend a helping hand during student programs, from our executive director to our facilities team; everyone at Sitka Sound Science Center contributes to making our dynamic education programs possible.

On this teacher appreciation day, we hope that everyone takes a moment to recognize an educator who made a difference in their lives and thank them. It is the hard work and dedication of educators that help us rise higher together.

Many of our programs are funded through grants and generous support from Royal Caribbean Group.