Shaver’s Creek made me who I am today, from growing up as a Camper to my Eagle Project, and the vast majority of my EE experience. Now I encourage people to Never Stop Discovering every day!
Years at Shaver’s Creek: 2016–2023
Positions Held: Intern, Leader in Training, Outdoor School, Summer Camp, Volunteer, Naturalist, Social Media Assistant, Summer Camp Program Assistant, ODS Program Assistant
Current Company/Organization: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation
Shaver’s Creek was always my favorite place as a kid as I participated in every Summer Camp year I could as early as ~2004 and maintained connection throughout my teenage years as an LIT and working on my Eagle Scout Project—the birdfeeder area, Equinox’s Eatery. In 2016, I participated in ODS for the first time as a student at Penn State and was hooked, participating in ~29 weeks over the next 7 years. After graduating from Penn State in 2019, I bounced around as many jobs at Shaver’s Creek as I could muster; working as a summer camp naturalist, intern, and assistant director of ODS and Summer Camp through May 2023 when I moved south.
Many formational memories of mine were located in and around the Creek, and I hope I will continue to make new ones for myself and others there in the future. After earning two master’s degrees in environmental education and park resource management at SRU, I now work as an environmental educator and “resident birding guy” at Quest Nature Center in Charlotte, NC—where I have the opportunity to continue encouraging people to Never Stop Discovering every day at work!