Kristin Martinez

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
The Greening of Detroit's Environmental Education Manager Kristin Martinez: Being a leader to me means leading by example and creating a positive, safe environment in which educators and children can experience nature. Showing students that all you need to go out and explore the natural world is a pair of boots and your curiosity is something that I was lucky enough to experience with my childhood mentors, and I want to pass that experience on to those that I teach.
 
What is your dream for kids?
My dream for children is that they feel they have the ability to single handedly make a positive impact on their environment. A lot of times environmental issues are looked at as being catastrophic problems to be dealt with on a scale above a single individual, but what I try to stress to the kids I’m working with is that environmental stewardship starts right here in their

Empowering kids to make small changes on their own is the first step to building a nation of individuals who are accountable for their environmental actions.

schools, their neighborhoods, and their communities. Empowering kids to make small changes on their own is the first step to building a nation of individuals who are accountable for their environmental actions.    
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
One concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan is to introduce people to a shared sense of responsibility through a large-scale community project that engages everyone.  This helps educate and engage youth and adults in the process, empowering them to positively impact their own communities.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
I know we’re making progress by coming back into the classroom or out to Rouge Park for our next lesson and have the kids discussing concepts with me that they were unable to speak to just days or weeks before. Seeing that light bulb go on in their head when we illustrate a concept outside that was hard to really grasp indoors is what I live for.  The teachers can see it too, and I believe that’s why I’ve gotten so much positive feedback from them as we hit the halfway point of our program.
 
We also have a few quantitative ways of evaluating this program that helps us measure success. The first is a pre- and post-program survey for both the teachers and the students. In our surveys we pose questions based on topics that we cover in our program that are aligned with the state Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs). This helps us show student retention of knowledge throughout the year and gives the teachers something concrete to reference and show that this program has added value to their curriculum.
 
Lastly, we have the students keep journals throughout the program that they use to reflect on the lessons that we present in class and on our field trips. This gives the students some time to themselves to really think about the concepts that were

Seeing that light bulb go on in their head when we illustrate a concept outside that was hard to really grasp indoors is what I live for.

discussed, and we as educators are able to look at those journals later and assess which lessons really made an impact on the students and which might need modifications.
 
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of being in a position to share with students the subjects that I am most passionate about. Being able to demonstrate concepts and talk about experiences that I have had stewarding the natural spaces that are closest to my heart has been rewarding on a personal level. It’s been great to see the positive energy flow through the students as the year has progressed. I like to think that I’m making a positive impact on their experience in the natural world, and that’s why I’m continuously driven to continue with this work.
 
What role have networks played in your professional career? How have those networks, both personal and private affected the work you are able to do?
In my world, networking and collaborating with others is everything. I believe that the more individuals and organizations you work with, the more unique solutions to problems and challenges are brought to the table. I think that this approach to working with others has helped advance my career to the position that I’m in now and also helped me grow as a compassionate individual and flourish in diverse situations and environments.