In 2024, I won an ABA Young Birder of the Year Silver Medal for leading a birding workshop for students in rural Guatemala. Now I am ready to take that project to the next level.
I am currently volunteer for a year to lead workshops and build an after-school birding club at the New Dawn Middle School in Guatemala. This blog is where I will provide updates on our project.
I am asking you to make a monthly pledge of $20 or more to help me do this work.
I’ve loved birds since I could barely talk. Throughout my childhood and teens, I received tremendous benefit from young birder programs. Many adult birders voluntarily gave their time to help me learn and improve my birding skills. Now, at age 20, I am ready to give back by providing mentorship to young birders and conservationists in Guatemala.
In March, I started birding classes for 7th, 8th & 9th graders. I’ve been teaching the students how to build bird feeders and use binoculars and introduce them to the basics of bird ID with Merlin and eBird. I will also work with teachers to create an after-school birding club.
I know from my past experience that these students have natural ability and enthusiasm, and they’re the ones who will be in the position to protect forests (and birds) in the face of the growing climate crisis, by promoting land conservation, ecological agriculture, and ecotourism in the years to come.
That’s what inspired me to want to spend a whole year working with them, to help nurture a passion for birds that can lead to a life-long commitment to conservation.
I am doing all of this as a volunteer, and I need help to cover my travel and living expenses, as well as necessary educational materials.
Would you be willing to help by pledging $20 or more per month to my GoFundMe campaign?
If I raise more than needed for those expenses, we will use the remaining funds for a school field trip to the Quetzal Biosphere, so that students can see Guatemala’s national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal.