How It All Started…
Meet Erika Zimmerlein, the Founder of Nature’s Young Leading Legends.
Born and raised in the Illinois Valley, she aims to share the gift of outdoor education with the children & families of the towns where she grew up.
“Not long after I had both of my children, I was thinking about putting them into school. I had the greatest understanding that they would not do well in the sedentary, academic obsessed public schools. And to be really honest, I didn’t want them to.
For me, looking back on my school career, I did very well academically. And though I was a straight A student, I did not feel confident about venturing out of the school system and into the world. I came out of high school, not being very sure of who I was, nor what I really wanted to do. I felt lost and blind to reality. Because of sports, homework, and other after school activities, my mother did everything else for me so that I could partake. I rarely did laundry, cook, grocery shop on my own, garden, those kinds of necessary life skills. I wondered that if I had experienced the opposite of that, where I would be now. It was so ingrained in me to find a job that would financially support me that I ignored my dreams early on in my childhood.
It took me a while, but I realized that children have always been my passion. So naturally, the education of my children was very important to me. Right off the bat I considered home schooling. Then I quickly realized homeschooling would not work for me and my children, mainly because my children were so social that I knew if I homeschooled with just the three of us, it would hinder their learning experience & potential all together. That just wasn’t something I was willing to put them through, nor hold them back from. I knew that instilling cooperation, teamwork, and a sense of community was a top priority. I have memories of enjoying going to school because of the chance to get be around friends and schoolmates, but not because of learning.
My searching process began with Montessori style education. I was learning more and researching about this, while also finding that the Illinois Valley does not provide education like this. Through my Montessori research, as if by destiny, I came across Forest School education. As I learned about the principles, the environment in which the children learned, the no electronics motto, and that children were allowed to truly be themselves— I knew this was it! I knew that this was the education that my children would completely thrive in. As a fan of nature, I was always dreaming that I spent more time outside in my past. It just made sense to me that classrooms should be outside immersed in nature.
Soon after, I enrolled in the Forest School Teacher Institute for classes to become certified as a teacher and director in the Forest School movement. I am now pursing the path of finding likeminded people to embark on this journey in offering families an alternative education style for their children, and in doing so, providing a supportive sense of community.”
Here’s her story,
Meet Jessica Summers,
Co-Founder of Nature’s Young Leading Legends.
A native of the Illinois Valley, Jess has a passion for education & dreams of positively influencing today’s parents and children in a way that honors them & the Earth.
“My journey with Forest School began when I continuously became disheartened and shocked by the limiting curriculum and the personal situations I watched unfold between teachers and students during my time working as a public school paraprofessional and daycare teacher. Every day I saw the ways children were shut down either creatively or emotionally. I saw the stress it put on myself, as well as the other teachers, who felt unsupported and unheard; to a point where we became helpless in our efforts to making a true difference. In fact, it brought back many painful memories I had of being a young child in school just trying to remember all the rules and be obedient. I don’t have memories of freely exploring who I was and learning how to connect to myself. This ignited in me a passion for children and a change to the way education is approached.
When my daughter was born in 2022, I knew something had to change - and quick. I began researching Montessori teaching methods and positions/openings near me. I figured my family and I would either have to relocate, or I would have to homeschool. That was until Erika called me up one day and pitched me her idea, sharing the wonderful news that she had discovered the Forest School Institute. I remember crying during our first certification class, feeling like I had finally found a place and a purpose for my mind, body, and soul!
I have found that Forest School continuously teaches and heals me as much as it does the children. My emotional regulation skills have increased. This in turn is allowing me to hold more space, energy, and patience for my child and my loved ones. I often wonder how far along I could have been in life if these Forest School elements had been implemented in my early school days. However, I am honored to be part of NYLL today and able to teach these abilities to our newest generation; inspiring hope, change, and freedom into every life we touch. ”
Here’s her story,
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