Montana Outdoor Science School

Kaitlin Bear
Kaitlin is a native Montanan and is will be with MOSS for her third summer. She graduated from Hamilton College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Arts and Environmental studies. After completing a term as the MOSS Education Intern (Summer 2005), Bear spent a year in New Hampshire volunteering with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and AmeriCorps. Her year of service included five months of environmental education in underprivileged schools and six months of field conservation in various New Hampshire State Parks.

John Bell
John is a year round instructor for MOSS. Bell graduated from California State University Sacramento in 2004 with a B.A. in environmental studies and a minor in Geology. Bell is currently pursuing his Masters in Science Education with Montana State University. During college Bell mentored at risk elementary students in Rancho Cordova, CA for 2 years through the AmeriCorps. Since his graduation Bell has worked as a field biologist for Hawk Watch International, which gave him experiences with counting/identifying migrating raptors, and trapping/banding migrating raptors. Bell also worked a season as a Mexican spotted owl surveyor. Most recently Bell has been a professional snowboard instructor at Bridger Bowl, and earned the 2006-2007 "Children's instructor of the year" award. Bell has also been volunteering at the Montana Raptor Conservation Center, since 2004, assisting with the rehabilitation effort and presenting education programs in and around southwest MT.

Dawn Drahos
Dawn is joining us for her first summer after teaching as an instructor for us this past spring. Drahos has a B.A. degree in Athletic training from Wartburg College IA, and a M.S. degree in Exercise Physiology from Colorado State University. After working in the health profession field for years she then obtained her Teaching certificate from the University of Minnesota and aught high school biology for the past 5 years. Drahos moved to MT last summer with her husband and worked as a behavior specialist for the Livingston Boys and girls Ranch prior to starting with MOSS. Drahos spends her free time exploring the outdoors in the area with her husband, hiking, climbing, biking, and boating.

Jenna Fallow
Jenna has been working as an instructor for our summer camps since 2002. Fallow holds a B. A. in psychology from Rhode Island University, and works during the school year as the lead pre-school teacher for Great Beginnings Montessori School. When not in the classroom, Fallow spends her time enjoying the outdoors and working various camps for MOSS each summer.

Lindsey Hamilton
Lindsey is joining us for her second summer as a field instructor. Hamilton worked year-round as an instructor with various programs and also as a winter ecology instructor for Bohart Cross Country Ski Ranch. Hamilton holds a BA in Environmental Studies and a minor in Art from Pitzer College, CA. She spent a semester in Kathmandu Nepal during college and along with some time in Ecuador working on a sustainable farm. Hamilton has focused on environmental education interning for North Cascades National Park, obtaining her Leave No trace certification, project WILD certification, and her WFR.

Erin Lynch
Erin has been working for us on a part-time basis since 2006. This will be her third summer as an instructor for MOSS’ summer camps. While not working for us Lynch is the Break Away and Into the Streets Coordinator for Montana State university’s Office of Community Involvement. Lynch is also a water safety and swim instructor. Lynch holds bachelors in Elementary Education from Montana State University.

Ashley Mearig
Ashley is joining us for her second summer after starting as an intern in 2006 and working as a year- round instructor throughout the school year. Mearig is currently attending MSU and is seeking a major in Fish and Wildlife Management and hopes to pursue a teaching degree in secondary education.

Shelly Neuman
Shelly grew up in rural Wisconsin and acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She began working for MOSS last summer after working three years at Rocky Creek Farm in Bozeman and was our lead instructor for our farm programs.

Marty O’Leary
Marty is joining us for her first summer after teaching as an instructor for us throughout the school year. O’Leary came to MOSS after moving from here from Steamboat Springs, CO to live closer to her two sons. She previously worked as an elementary school teacher for 15 years. O’Leary holds a B.S. in Psychology and Developmental Biology, along with an Elementary teaching Certificate from the University of Denver. She spent her years as a teacher as the media specialist, a literacy coach, and Science Curriculum representative. O’Leary splits her time during the school year working as a filed instructor for MOSS in the outdoors, and a substitute teacher for the Bozeman school district indoors.

Kristin Sutton
Kristin is spending the summer with MOSS for her fifth year in a row. She spends the rest of the year teaching 4th and 5th grade at Irving School in Bozeman. During the school year, Kristin’s class has the privilege to work with MOSS on several different occasions from the Make-a-Splash Festival to seasonal visits to the Trail Creek field
site. When Kristin asks her students to share “highlights” of the school year, MOSS is always at the top of their list! Kristin graduated with a Masters in Science in curriculum and instruction from Dominican University in San Rafael, California and has been teaching since 1994. Kristin not only enjoys teaching the wonders of the outdoors, but also spends as much of her free time in the outdoors trail running, biking, hiking, fishing and smelling the flowers! Kristin will be teaching the Kindergarten classes this summer.

Rose Vallor
Rose has been sharing her passion for the outdoors through teaching for many years. She has been teaching skiing for over twenty years at Bridger Bowl, in Utah and in Germany. While in Europe she began and ran summer camps in Prague, Czech Republic. She completed a secondary education degree in broad field science at Montana State University to go with her geology degree from University of Montana in Missoula and then began to work with MOSS, ski, and raise her daughter Fiona. Vallor is a year round instructor for MOSS.

Corey Wagner
Corey recently graduated with a B.S. degree in Outdoor Recreation leadership and Management from Northern Michigan University and moved to Bozeman with her husband soon afterward. Wagner began working for MOSS as an instructor this spring and brings with her years of camp experience, leading backcountry wilderness trips rock climbing, caving, and backpacking. She worked as a trip leader, wilderness coordinator, and intern program director during her years as a camp counselor.