We are only a few weeks out from our 2026 field school season, and the Class of 2026 has blown us away with their outreach efforts! In just a short time, students have submitted over 230 projects for grading. It is amazing how much impact they are making already!
One of those Conservation Ambassadors transformed her summer into an inspiring season of outdoor mentorship and community connection. Elora, a Bucktails alum, has demonstrated that conservation leadership happens wherever you find an opportunity to share your passion for the natural world.
Elora’s outreach began close to home, literally in her own backyard. Using a bluebird box kit obtained through Cambria County Envirothon, she constructed and installed nesting habitat with her father. At the same time, her mother and brother watched, turning a conservation project into a family learning experience. She took that same welcoming approach when her church held a summer bash across the street. Elora set up her educational trifold in her yard, spending three hours engaging with community members who stopped by to learn more about her conservation work. Some viewed from afar or from their cars, but many approached for genuine conversations about wildlife and environmental stewardship.
The heart of Elora’s summer was outdoor mentorship, and she seized every hiking opportunity as a teaching moment. At Staple Bend Tunnel, she guided her mother and uncle through plant identification, pointing out invasive species like oriental bittersweet and tree of heaven alongside native American tulip trees. At Buttermilk Falls, she taught her family to identify bugs, arachnids, and water creatures, including three water snakes beneath the falls. That same location became the site of a particularly memorable project when Elora performed stream surveys above and below the falls. What started as a family activity expanded when she invited another group of hikers to participate, explaining stream surveying techniques and helping them identify macroinvertebrates.
Elora also discovered that mentorship means meeting people where they are. At Wolf Rocks, she guided her neighbors through scrambling caves and crevices, helping them find climbing routes suited to their size and ability. On another neighbor hike to the same location, the learning became reciprocal: Elora identified plants while her neighbors taught her about fungi, and together they practiced reading trail blazes and maps. She even created digital “Don’t Feed Wildlife” artwork to extend her conservation message beyond the trail.
Elora’s summer exemplifies what it means to be a Conservation Ambassador, recognizing that every family outing, every neighborhood gathering, and every chance encounter on the trail is an opportunity to inspire others. By consistently sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm, she’s building a more conservation-minded community one hike, one conversation, and one shared discovery at a time.
We’re so proud of Elora and the impact she’s already making in such a short amount of time! We can only imagine all the incredible projects she’ll have completed by the March 2027 deadline. The Class of 2026 certainly doesn’t mess around when it comes to engaging their communities as Conservation Ambassadors, so stay tuned for more highlights from this inspiring group!
Outreach Highlight: Elora’s Summer of Shared Discovery
Posted: August 15, 2026 by Katie Mace
We are only a few weeks out from our 2026 field school season, and the Class of 2026 has blown us away with their outreach efforts! In just a short time, students have submitted over 230 projects for grading. It is amazing how much impact they are making already!
One of those Conservation Ambassadors transformed her summer into an inspiring season of outdoor mentorship and community connection. Elora, a Bucktails alum, has demonstrated that conservation leadership happens wherever you find an opportunity to share your passion for the natural world.
Elora’s outreach began close to home, literally in her own backyard. Using a bluebird box kit obtained through Cambria County Envirothon, she constructed and installed nesting habitat with her father. At the same time, her mother and brother watched, turning a conservation project into a family learning experience. She took that same welcoming approach when her church held a summer bash across the street. Elora set up her educational trifold in her yard, spending three hours engaging with community members who stopped by to learn more about her conservation work. Some viewed from afar or from their cars, but many approached for genuine conversations about wildlife and environmental stewardship.
The heart of Elora’s summer was outdoor mentorship, and she seized every hiking opportunity as a teaching moment. At Staple Bend Tunnel, she guided her mother and uncle through plant identification, pointing out invasive species like oriental bittersweet and tree of heaven alongside native American tulip trees. At Buttermilk Falls, she taught her family to identify bugs, arachnids, and water creatures, including three water snakes beneath the falls. That same location became the site of a particularly memorable project when Elora performed stream surveys above and below the falls. What started as a family activity expanded when she invited another group of hikers to participate, explaining stream surveying techniques and helping them identify macroinvertebrates.
Elora also discovered that mentorship means meeting people where they are. At Wolf Rocks, she guided her neighbors through scrambling caves and crevices, helping them find climbing routes suited to their size and ability. On another neighbor hike to the same location, the learning became reciprocal: Elora identified plants while her neighbors taught her about fungi, and together they practiced reading trail blazes and maps. She even created digital “Don’t Feed Wildlife” artwork to extend her conservation message beyond the trail.
Elora’s summer exemplifies what it means to be a Conservation Ambassador, recognizing that every family outing, every neighborhood gathering, and every chance encounter on the trail is an opportunity to inspire others. By consistently sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm, she’s building a more conservation-minded community one hike, one conversation, and one shared discovery at a time.
We’re so proud of Elora and the impact she’s already making in such a short amount of time! We can only imagine all the incredible projects she’ll have completed by the March 2027 deadline. The Class of 2026 certainly doesn’t mess around when it comes to engaging their communities as Conservation Ambassadors, so stay tuned for more highlights from this inspiring group!
Category: Youth Blog Tags: featured, outreach, outreach highlight