Meet the 2022 Teachers on the Public Lands

The BLM Teachers on the Public Lands (TPL) program provides professional development experiences for K‐12 teachers by placing them as teacher interns at BLM sites during their summer break. Developed by the BLM’s education staff and the University of Colorado Denver, TPL teacher interns spend a portion of the summer learning and working at a BLM site and taking professional development courses. TPL teacher interns work on site education and youth engagement projects, learn about BLM resources, and develop education products and materials that can be used by BLM employees, other teachers, community volunteers, and youth.

This year, the BLM hosted seven TPL teacher interns at various BLM locations. Each teacher's experience and contributions to the BLM program are unique to their own background and expertise.

Meet some of the 2022 BLM teacher interns below.

BLM site: Arizona State Office

Teacher: Ipa Dutchover-Grey

Salt River Elementary School

Grade: 3, 4, 5, 6

"I was drawn to the program for the opportunity to work closely with Pueblo Grand museum. Pueblo Grand is a museum that specializes in artifacts and dwelling of Hohokam people which are the ancestors of my people the O’odham or pima, as we are more commonly known."

BLM site: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, CO

Teacher: Michelle Waltman

Cortez Middle School

"I feel so lucky to be part of this program! I have been a longtime advocate for the BLM lands in our area and I have taken as many students ages 8-12 out on field trips as much as I possibly could each year. I utilize the resources (both people and products) as much as possible and I am excited to be part of this program to get current with all that is going on at Canyons of the Ancients. I look forward to making a difference in some way as I update the educational loan kits that provide activities and introduce the Ancient Puebloans to students all over the country."
 

BLM site: Cosumnes River Preserve, CA

Teacher: Carine Schlesinger

Oak View Elementary School in Acampo, California

Grade: 7

"I am so excited for the program because I think it will be a great way to get the kids at our school out into nature more. Outdoor education can teach kids so many skills and many of them learn a love for the outdoors. So I am hoping to bridge the gap so that the teachers at our schools can make better use of our public lands because there are so many amazing places near us!"

BLM site: National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, WY

Teacher: Becky Junge

Journey Elementary School

Grade: 4

"I was attracted to the program because of my love for Wyoming history and [the] opportunity to learn more and work in connection with the National Historic Trails Center. I was also drawn to the program to see what resources the BLM has to offer and share those with my school to support the work we do in Place Based and Project Based Learning."
 

BLM site: McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, CO

Teacher: Kevin Donoher

Grade: 8, math and science

"What draws me to TPL is that it gives me the opportunity to work locally and relate science education directly to student lives. I hope that it will help me grow as a middle school science teacher, and I hope to develop lesson plans and create opportunities for my students to make sense of science outside of the classroom. 

"I have taught math for 13 years and science for three years. Prior to teaching, I worked as a civil engineer in Denver and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras."

BLM site: Wenatchee Field Office, WA

Teacher: Marya Madsen

Pinnacles Prep Middle School

Grade: 6-8

"TPL is an opportunity to expand my school’s connections to the landscape and professional community. I get to play biologist again, but now with an educator's lens. I will continue to serve my community while learning, creating and being outside. A summer vacation spent restoring my soul.

"My first career as a Field Tech for the BLM, Forest Service and various universities eventually morphed into Multilingual Learner Specialist in public schools when I became a parent. I prefer to work in support of underserved and marginalized populations in my community and always work to engage local organizations in stewardship education with my students. I recently became a founding teacher at a public charter school founded in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Place Based Learning, and Social & Emotional Learning. I am tremendously fortunate to find an educational home in Pinnacles Prep where I can help to nurture a community of learners for whom our unique landscape is both classroom and a link to their future."

A Teachers on the Public Lands intern also worked at the following BLM location:

• California Trail Interpretive Center, NV