Eric Schlavin

Tell us why you became a teacher

The profession chose me. At 16, I became a whitewater river guide and enjoyed teaching people history, science, and teamwork. In high school I became involved in Student Leadership and in college began leading outdoor adventure trips. Then I worked for environmental education for middle schools. At 25, my hometown hired me to teach and I've been hooked for 28 years. I help kids learn to become comfortable with evaluating evidence, solving problems, and understanding the interdependence of life.

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

The catalyst for my educational path and many of my cooperative learning experiences happened at a Northern California Environmental School. I worked with students and several agencies to collect river data. The analysis of turbidity, aquatic insects, oxygen levels, and wildlife observations, along with working with local farmers, led to the removal of several weirs, gravel deposits, and the reintroduction of salmon. Almost thirty years later, the salmon continue to spawn and populate the creek.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Our small town of 4,000 people borders National Forest. Forest, land, and homes were burned during the Caldor Fire. Our property burned. It's been four years of cutting burned trees, erosion control, managing invasive species, and planting trees. I'd use $20k of the $25k to help restore a healthy native ecosystem. I also built an outdoor classroom and would buy a water tank so students could plant native species to attract more native wildlife. Help us restore biodiversity!