Arianna Dayharsh
Arianna spent a lot of her time as a child in and around the woods and brook by her home. Long-lasting memories were created while catching frogs and salamanders and building shelters in the winter. This fostered a love of the outdoors in all seasons. Arianna moved to Vermont to attend the Early Childhood Education program at UVM. During her student teaching she began to connect two of her interests; teaching children and being with nature.
Arianna holds a Level I teaching license in the state of Vermont. Arianna participated in the ECO Institute course at North Branch Nature Center which inspired her to follow the nature based education path. Arianna joined the NBNC team as an ECO teacher in 2019. She has moved on to become the Director of Forest Preschool for the 2021-2022 school year! She believes that all children should be given the opportunity to experience and form a connection to the natural world. Arianna intertwines nature based education, yoga, and mindfulness while working with children. In her free time you can find her hiking, swimming, or skiing with her dog Lilah. Email Arianna
Jenna Plouffe
Jenna spent her childhood exploring the woods and waters of Massachusetts, building homes for animals, making "potions," and exploring the tiny worlds often overlooked by adults. She has never outgrown these things. Jenna is passionate about getting children outdoors, and loves sharing her curiosity and wonder about the natural world with children.
Jenna has a Master's degree in elementary education and spent 12 years teaching in Vermont's public school system. She completed the Educating Children Outdoors (ECO) Institute here at NBNC and spent several summers teaching at Audubon camps in both Massachusetts and Vermont before teaching for a year at NBNC's Forest Preschool. When Jenna is not teaching she can be found exploring the woods of the Mad River Valley with her family. Email Jenna
Sue Pratt
Sue grew up on the Jersey shore swimming, surfing and enjoying the sun and sand. She was also lucky to have access to a beautiful patch of woods to explore. Here she found her love of nature. When her parents couldn't find her they knew she was catching frogs, building shelters, or checking out rocks. College took her to the Adirondacks where she fell in love with the wildness of nature. Ultimately back in New Jersey she received her degree from Rutgers University and pursued a career, but the woods were calling. Sue moved to Vermont, got her Masters in Education, and began her 34-year career teaching young children, including for many years at Barre Town Elementary School. Because Sue believes that children learn best in and through nature, she didn’t feel her career would be complete until she worked for an outdoor- and nature-based program. She is excited to join the Forest Preschool team as a part-time teacher.
713 Elm Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
(802) 229-6206
Hours: Center Open Monday-Friday 9-4
Trails Open 24/7
