About Us

The Out of the Classroom! Project was initiated by the Informal Science Education Association of Texas (ISEA) through funds from the Austin Community Foundation. The mission of the project is to create and support communities of learning between middle school teachers and informal educators through the development of a web-based resource designed by teachers for teachers. Many middle school teachers find it difficult to take their students on field trips, much less to think of looking to their community for teaching resources. This project aims to change that.

Project Director and Austin Area Co-Coordinator

Christy Youker is a 7th grade science teacher in San Angelo, Texas and has been working on connecting museums and public schools for the past 10 years. She has worked as a museum educator and manager of after school programs in the San Antonio area, and been active in ISEA, serving as president in 2005. Christy earned an M.S. in zoology from the University of Oklahoma and a PhD in science education from the University of Texas. Her research focused on teachers’ perspectives of their use of informal science resources. She believes that students learn best through real connections with their local community, and that teachers need support and easier ways to make this happen. The development of the OOTC project stems from this interest in promoting community based education.

Austin Area Co-Coordinator

Debbie Junk has taught for 10 years in public schools and for the past six years has taught education courses at The University of Texas where she received a PhD in Math Education in 2005. She has been involved with the Informal Science Education Association since its inception in 1996. Although she is the “token math person” on the board, she has always loved science and is interested in the authentic integration of math and science. This interest has led her to be involved in creating math activities and professional development opportunities at the Children’s Museum of Houston, Austin Children’s Museum and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Her role on the Out of the Classroom Project is to help teachers learn about teaching math and science in informal settings and to promote a focus on the teacher’s central role in this project.

Listen to Debbie's podcast about CAST 2007.

Teachers

Christina Costello graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, with a degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education. She taught middle school science at the Texas School for the Deaf from 1999 to 2007 and currently teaches 8th Grade Science in the Leander Independent School District. Since 2005, Christina has enjoyed being a Science Teacher Mentor with the Central Texas Regional Collaborative for Excellence in Science Teaching. She also served as a JASON Project trainer from 2002 to 2007. Christina believes science extends, enriches and expands imaginations and lives. She teaches because she wants to foster a deeper appreciation of the planet; a greater understanding of how all Earth’s systems, cycles, and pieces fit together; and to ignite a passion for responsible stewardship.

Lyra Kalish comes from a strong interdisciplinary background, including history, music and science. She graduated with a degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin, with a minor in biological sciences. Currently Lyra teaches eighth grade science in Leander ISD, where she serves as a team leader and department head. Her philosophy is that science can be exciting and personal for every student. Her lesson goals always include opportunities for children to see how science translates into their everyday life. Each lesson provides Lyra new insights into her students’ thinking. “Just last week, we began our unit on plate tectonics. The kids were fascinated by the underwater mountain chains and deep ocean trenches. Before I knew it we were on a webquest to find out why fish ‘don’t explode’ in these environments.” These kinds of questions often facilitate further investigations and student-directed learning.

Vernon Dye has been in love with science since he could breathe and teaching it since he was nine. “My fourth grade teacher so inspired me with her aquariums and science activities that, the following year, she got permission from my fifth grade teacher for me to help her with her new crop of fourth graders. Been teaching ever since.” He keeps his classroom stuffed with realia. “I’d rather see something cool, live in person than just look at a picture in a book, and I figure my students would, too.” Vernon has a degree in Geosciences from the University of Texas at Dallas with a minor in education. Currently teaching 8th grade science in Round Rock, Texas, he has 18 years experience teaching science in middle school and high school. He has an after-school lab assistant program that, from year to year has had as many as 25 students participating. Vernon is a member of the Texas Herpetological Society and was their newsletter editor for several years. He is also a member of several professional organizations including the Texas Earth Science Teachers Association, and was TESTA’s Teacher of the Year in 2006.

James Scott graduated from Baylor University in May 2000 with a BSE-Bachelor of Science in Education in the fields of Biology, Political Science and Education. After graduation, he returned to intern at the US Space Academy at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. James now teaches science and technology in Austin ISD.

Melissa Shannon graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's in Biology. She has taught in Del Valle and Austin. She has been teaching 8th grade science at Martin Middle School for seven years. She also spends her time with her kids, goats that is, as the 4H sponsor at Martin.

Christel Snelson received her B.S. in Multiple Disciplinary Sciences with a Biology emphasis at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She taught middle school science in Lubbock and Round Rock Independent School Districts; led students in a water monitoring organization; and sponsored a Lego robotics/engineering club. She also developed and facilitated a herpetology-focused animal care program. Christel is a member of the Texas Herpetology Society and served as the 2004-2005 president. She also participated as a University of Texas Environmental Science Institute GK-12 teacher and partnered with GK-12 fellows to develop cohesive integrated lessons and curriculum for the middle school science classroom. Currently, Christel works as a freelance science education consultant.

Informal Science Partners

Cappy Manly (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) is the Project WILD Coordinator for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and was honored as the 2005 Project WILD State Coordinator of the Year. Cappy has worked in environmental education for over 20 years. Cappy's background includes coordinating education for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Austin Nature Center, Splash exhibit and development of the Dino Pit for Zilker Park. She is involved in many state environmental organizations, including the Informal Science Educators' Association and the Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee for the Texas Education Agency. Cappy graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science with a specialization in Museum Education.

Janice Sturrock is currently the Coordinator of Education and Programs at the Austin Nature and Science Center in Austin, Texas. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and English, secondary teaching certification and a M.Ed. in Science Education, all from the University of Texas at Austin. She has worked in the field of environmental education for over 25 years and loves the variety of tasks in her job, especially teaching staff, volunteers and children about the outdoors. Janice previously worked at the Houston Outdoor Education Center in Trinity, Texas. She is past president of the Informal Science Education Association of Texas and has been active in the group since 1996. She is active in other local and state education organizations including the Austin Museum Partnership, Austin Nature Day, Texas Environmental Education Partnership. She lives in Austin.

Joanie Steinhaus (McKinney Roughs Nature Park - LCRA) worked at the Houston Zoo as a keeper and an educator for 12 years. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Houston where she focused on education. After teaching for five years in the Stafford school district, she is currently working at McKinney Roughs Nature Park. She desires to instill program participants an appreciation for the flora and fauna of central Texas, and an understanding of the need for water conservation.

Web Designer

Doug Addison is the author of O'Reilly's Web Site Cookbook (2006) and Small Websites, Great Results (2004). As a web producer with more than 10 years of experience in website design, development, and maintenance, Doug assists his clients with how their websites are organized, what they do, and what they say. Doug's journalism background includes newspaper reporting and magazine writing and editing in the business and science fields. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. Doug lives in Austin.

Informal Science Education Association of Texas 2006 Executive Board

President: Charlie Walter, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth
Past-President: Kiki Corry, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Austin
President-Elect: Linda Kunze, Caldwell Zoo, Tyler
Treasurer: Eunice Hefty, PhD, Consultant, Austin
Secretary: Dorian Reynolds, Houston ISD, Houston
Advisor: Vanessa Westbrook, U.T. Dana Center, Austin