Teacher Hero: Dr. Anne-Marie Eklund

As sunlight filters through towering trees, Dr. Anne-Marie Eklund sits quietly with her students, encouraging them to simply listen and observe.

“What did you notice that you didn’t 10 minutes ago?” she asks — whether it’s a new bug or a leaf or something else her students didn’t see before.

At Cascades Academy, a private school in Bend known for its experiential, hands-on learning model, getting students outside is more than an occasional field trip. It’s an integral part of the curriculum. Eklund regularly takes her classes beyond the classroom walls to observe ecosystems, discuss human impacts on the environment and engage in scientific inquiry.

For Eklund, these moments of observation are more than a lesson — they’re a call to connect with, understand and care for the natural world.

“Try to leave this world a little better than you found it,” said Robert-Baden Powell, founder of the Scout Movement. It’s a quote that came to mind when I had the opportunity to speak with Eklund about her teaching journey. Whether she’s guiding her students through fieldwork, launching environmental advocacy projects or encouraging quiet reflection in nature, Eklund is helping shape the next generation of environmental stewards.

Before moving to Bend, Eklund worked as a fishery biologist with National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries in Everglades National Park in Florida. But a passion for science, the outdoors and a desire to settle down with her family led her to the classroom. Now, with 17 years of teaching experience, she leads middle school science classes at Cascades Academy and serves as the seventh-grade advisor.

“I love science, so I love turning on kids on to it,” Eklund says. “Especially middle school kids — they’re so jazzed about learning. Everybody’s born a scientist, right? You want to know how the world works around you. I want to keep that curiosity and enthusiasm alive.”

“I want the kids I teach to always stay curious, to keep learning about the world around them and care about it,” says Eklund. “Because if the kids don’t understand it or care, who’s gonna be around to save it?”

One of the most impactful experiences Cascades Academy offers is travel school: a weeklong annual expedition. This year, Eklund is leading students to Redwood National and State Parks in northern California. There, they’ll explore the forest’s delicate ecosystems, learn about climate change and witness firsthand the interconnectedness of life.

Beyond the classroom, Eklund also runs the school’s Eco Club — an elective that revolves around environmental advocacy. Students learn how to engage in civic action and travel each year to the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, where they meet with legislators to discuss current environmental politics and past legislative victories.

Eklund loves being authentic with her students and values the relationships she builds with them.

“It’s a small school so it’s easier to build relationships,” Eklund says. “I really enjoy getting to know the kids; they’re fun to be around.”

That connection to people is balanced by her deep love for the outdoors. During summers in Bend, Eklund finds restoration in Central Oregon’s alpine lakes, forests and trails — often kayaking or simply sitting quietly in nature observing.

“The outdoors is a huge part of why I moved here,” Eklund says. “I like being outside more than inside. The outside restores me, it’s good for my mental health to be outside and in nature.”

That mindfulness and appreciation for nature is something she instills in her students. On outdoor trips, she encourages her students to find a spot, sit for 10 to 20 minutes and observe the world around them. She would ask, ‘”What did they notice in that time? A twig, a tiny bug, a tree you missed before?’

In guiding her students to notice more, care more and do more, Eklund hopes her students will grow with a deeper commitment to the world around them and help leave it better than they found it.

This article appears in Source Weekly April 17, 2025.