Every day, I have had the privilege of engaging with people of all ages, from curious children dipping nets into ponds for the first time to seasoned birders contributing to decades-long surveys. Whether I was leading a school field trip on aquatic macroinvertebrates or guiding volunteers through a Bald Eagle monitoring project, I saw time and again how environmental connection sparks action. Watching a student light up after identifying their first EPT insect or helping a community member submit their first eBird checklist confirms my belief that education is the seed from which stewardship grows.

Over the past two years as Audubon Vermont’s Community Science and Chapter Engagement AmeriCorps Member, my service has been a combination of hands-on conservation, community leadership, and storytelling. I helped coordinate statewide community science events such as the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, Climate Watch, Great Backyard Bird Count, and Caterpillars Count, ensuring every volunteer felt supported, informed, and excited to contribute. Through projects such as the Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey, our Phenology Trail, and Great Backyard Bird Count, I deepened my own field skills while helping others experience the thrill of discovery.

Audubon Vermont has given me the tools and the platform to inspire change, not just through programming, but through writing, outreach, and relationship building. I wrote articles that were shared by National Audubon Society, I also represented our work at festivals and conferences and supported local chapters in strengthening their outreach. I helped plan events like the Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival, connected partners on initiatives like bird-friendly glass, and worked with schools, retirement communities, and organizations such as AARP and SOAR to make conservation accessible to all.

My work was as much about people as it was about wildlife. I built lasting relationships with volunteers who returned year after year for surveys, trained new community members in scientific protocols, and created opportunities for students, families, and birders of all levels to get involved. From leading accessible bird walks for youth with disabilities to collaborating with college students on campus-based programming, I saw how conservation flourishes when everyone feels welcome.

Serving as a Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) AmeriCorps Member has also been a profound personal journey. I didn't just refine my skills in program coordination, volunteer management, and ecological monitoring; I grew into a more confident communicator. I learned to translate
complex environmental topics into stories that inspire action and to work collaboratively with diverse partners, always centering education, outreach, and equity.

Looking back, what stands out most are the moments of shared purpose: an early morning spent scanning a frozen lake for eagles, a classroom erupting in excitement over an educational puppet show, a volunteer’s quiet pride after completing their first bird count. These moments, rooted in community and strengthened by connection, are the heartbeat of Audubon Vermont.

Though my AmeriCorps service term is ending, my commitment to conservation is not. The work of protecting birds and the places they need is never truly finished, and I am leaving confident in the strength of Audubon Vermont’s mission. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues, volunteers, and partners for making these past two years both meaningful and unforgettable.

Audubon Vermont is not just where I served, it is where I grew into an environmental leader, it is where I learned how to foster change from the ground up, and found purpose in helping others discover their own voice in protecting the world we all share. The future of conservation is in good hands, because it is in all of ours.

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Thank you, David for your two years of service! We will miss you and wish you the best moving forward.