WILD CHILD - Key Persons
We are so lucky to be able to call Bill Yeck Park of the Centerville-Washington Park District our outdoor classroom! Our meeting spot is nestled near the Historic Smith House property, which boats 37 acres of meadow, trails, woods, creek, and an abundance of flora and fauna. Rain or shine August- May our class arrives dressed and ready for the weather and the adventure that awaits them! We truly believe that there is "no such thing as bad weather" and our kids (and parents) learn to appreciate the outdoors in all weather conditions! It is our hope that we instill a love and respect for nature and all living things to each and every wild child. (In the event of severe weather, we move to our indoor classroom inside the Smith House.)
Mr. Jon is an outdoor professional that loves to work with young people in nature. He left Dayton in 2000 after joining the Navy and relocated back in 2012. He currently lives inBeavercreek with his wife and three kids. He is also is a substitute teacher and an assistantcross country coach with Beavercreek High School. Go Creek!!
Ms. Kathy lives in New Carlisle with her husband and two children. She enjoys anything that involves being outside and is always looking for new things to do. She has two dogs, several farm animals, and a couple thousand bees to keep her busy at home.
Ms. Kathy graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing in 2012. Since then she has worked as pediatric nurse.
When Ms. Kathy had her first child she wanted to give the gift of nature to her which lead her to find WILD CHILD. In fact, her daughter was in the first class and was the only girl!!! She quickly fell in love with the program and wanted nothing more to see it grow!! Aside from being outside her favorite thing about the program is seeing young learners thrive in an environment that encourages curiosity.
Job Titles:
- Founder, Co - Owner, Educator
Ms Nicole is a homeschooling mama of four boys, on any given day you can find her knee deep in the creek, catching bugs, playing pirates, or creating something! She and her family reside on a few acres in Lebanon, perfect for their outdoor lifestyle! They love spending their days hiking, playing, fishing, and head to Lake Cumberland as often as possible!
Nicole has a passion for PLAY-based early learning. She is an active member in the Dayton area outdoor teacher community, loves researching forest schools, & whole-heartedly believes in the outdoor education movement!
When Nicole began researching schools for her second born, her wild, outdoor lovin' child- she just couldn't picture him indoors. She wanted to give him time to play, space to be a child, and friends to learn and grow alongside. Her vision included immersion in nature & above all else, PLAY... and so W.I.L.D. Child was born! She was ecstatic to partner with CWPD to offer this unique preschool experience to the community for a second year, and is so happy to have two new teachers to join her tribe!
Ms. Nikki, her husband, and two daughters recently moved back to Centerville after spending four years in Montgomery AL and two years in Maysville KY. She and her family have a great love of traveling and being outdoors. They are fortunate enough to have Bill Yeck Park in their own back yard and most evenings can be found hiking the trails or playing by the creek.
Nikki has a background in child development and developmental disabilities. She graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelors in Rehabilitation Services.
She has a love of learning and has passed that passion into her girls. She is always encouraging them to explore, ask questions and try new things!