Our species staff are committed to creating positive outdoor experiences for youth and adults, weaving fun, games, learning, instruction and exploration in the basket of "invisible schooling". If you are a nature educator living in Western MA and would like to offer a program through our co-operative, please get in touch.
Felix Lufkin - Director, Sumac School, Wild Edible Plant Series
Felix works with K-12, college and adult students at a number of programs in the Valley teaching nature awareness plant ecology at in and after school programs and public workshops. He has worked in the field since 2003 with well known nature education organizations like the New England Aquarium, Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies, Mass Audubon, WolfTree Programs, the Vermont Wilderness School and Earthwork Programs. He has lead nature programs at NorthStar Teen Center, PVCICS, Four Rivers Charter School, the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, and taught wild edible plants at UMass Amherst. He also directs Help Yourself, Inc. He is a father and runs Turtle Bend Farm with his wife, Maggie.
Felix works with K-12, college and adult students at a number of programs in the Valley teaching nature awareness plant ecology at in and after school programs and public workshops. He has worked in the field since 2003 with well known nature education organizations like the New England Aquarium, Burgundy Center for Wildlife Studies, Mass Audubon, WolfTree Programs, the Vermont Wilderness School and Earthwork Programs. He has lead nature programs at NorthStar Teen Center, PVCICS, Four Rivers Charter School, the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, and taught wild edible plants at UMass Amherst. He also directs Help Yourself, Inc. He is a father and runs Turtle Bend Farm with his wife, Maggie.
Maggie Lufkin - Groundnut Organizer
Maggie has been in the world of nature education since 2012 and has worked at several organizations such as PVCICS, Help Yourself, The Wampler Foundation, The Hartsbrook School and Wolftree Programs. Maggie is a mother and run's Turtle Bend Farm with her husband, Felix.
Maggie has been in the world of nature education since 2012 and has worked at several organizations such as PVCICS, Help Yourself, The Wampler Foundation, The Hartsbrook School and Wolftree Programs. Maggie is a mother and run's Turtle Bend Farm with her husband, Felix.
Ari Henry (she/they) - Forest After School
Ari is excited to join the Leapfrog team this season. She has a diverse background in outdoor education and musical play. Their work with Leapfrog follows a year-long Watson Fellowship studying “Soundscapes of Childhood”. Living in rural communities in Tanzania, India, Nepal, Mongolia, Spain, Sweden, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), Ari created her own research project learning about the creative ways in which caregivers use song to raise the next generation with deep connections to the natural world. Ari has served as an outdoor educator in several contexts including leading farm-based field trips for Northampton public schools, and as a wilderness counselor at various summer sleepaway camps. Ari’s passion for creatively bridging the gap between the “science world” and the public drives her commitment to environmental justice and her use of child-led play in the outdoors.
Ari is excited to join the Leapfrog team this season. She has a diverse background in outdoor education and musical play. Their work with Leapfrog follows a year-long Watson Fellowship studying “Soundscapes of Childhood”. Living in rural communities in Tanzania, India, Nepal, Mongolia, Spain, Sweden, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), Ari created her own research project learning about the creative ways in which caregivers use song to raise the next generation with deep connections to the natural world. Ari has served as an outdoor educator in several contexts including leading farm-based field trips for Northampton public schools, and as a wilderness counselor at various summer sleepaway camps. Ari’s passion for creatively bridging the gap between the “science world” and the public drives her commitment to environmental justice and her use of child-led play in the outdoors.