This week, we’re excited to shine our spotlight on Zoie Pois! In celebration of AmeriCorps Week, we want to recognize her excellent contributions as an AmeriCorps Environmental Education Leadership Corps (EELCorps) member, while also being a co-teacher at Thrive Forest School at Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve. She brings positivity and a fresh perspective as she assists in daily classroom activities and occasionally leads nature-based lessons that add a deeper understanding of the natural world. As part of Zoie’s service at Creasey Mahan, Zoie is working towards her professional environmental education certification while also connecting with other like-minded educators who share her passion for environmental stewardship.

Zoie loves the towering sycamore trees, as well as the tiny chickadees that visit our forest classrooms. She shared, “I highly value making meaningful connections with people in the community, so I have loved getting to know the staff, students, and parents at Creasey Mahan. Having those little bonding moments with the kids has been one of my favorite parts, and it’s helped me reconnect with my own inner child.”

After graduating with a double major in Zoology and Environmental Science from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2024, she joined AmeriCorps/EELCorps. AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, and the EELCorps program is specifically focused on environmental education in Kentucky.

We are thrilled and grateful to have Zoie on our Thrive Forest School team, and are thankful to AmeriCorps for providing such a rewarding opportunity.

Thank you, Zoie!