Bugs, Spiders, and Science: A Life of Discovery

Meet a science teacher who turned a childhood love for bugs into a lifelong adventure.

Growing up in Caribou, Maine, she was never afraid of the creepy-crawlies that most kids avoid. Her parents encouraged her curiosity, and she never looked back.

This teacher, now retired, spent years sharing her passion with high school students. She took them on trips to places like Costa Rica and the Galápagos Islands. These trips were more than just fun—they were eye-opening. Students who were scared of spiders and snakes learned that these creatures don't actually care about humans. They just want to live their lives, just like we do.

Teaching wasn't always easy. When COVID hit, she had to switch to online classes overnight. Science is hands-on, and doing labs online was a struggle. But she found ways to keep her students engaged, even if it meant asking them to go outside and find a specific type of twig.

Her love for nature didn't stop at teaching. She also worked at The Butterfly Place, where she cared for insects and taught others about them. She even got SCUBA certified to explore the ocean, inspired by Jacques Cousteau. Sharks, she learned, aren't as scary as movies make them out to be. They usually ignore humans.