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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Sally Hancock hopes to combine her experience in the classroom with a love of the outdoors to show southeast Missouri teachers how conservation can provide valuable and innovative educational tools.
On Sept. 1, Hancock begins her duties as a Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Conservation Educator in southeast Missouri. She will work with elementary, middle school, and high school educators in Bollinger, Butler, Dunklin, Stoddard, and Wayne counties. She replaces Bridget Jackson, who is now MDC’s Southeast Regional Recreational Use Specialist.
“I love teaching and I love being out in nature,” said Hancock, a Cape Girardeau native and a graduate of Notre Dame Regional High School and Southeast Missouri State University. “This job gives me the chance to see all the ‘lightbulb moments’ students have and not be tied to the classroom to see them. Plus, it gives me the chance to be a perpetual student. I can’t wait to learn more so I can share it with others.”
Hancock will provide opportunities for teachers to work with MDC’s Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program. DNS is a state-wide conservation-based education program that incorporates outdoors learning into a variety of school subjects. DNS emphasizes hands-on learning, teaches problem-solving and provides teachers with innovative outdoors-based options to add variety to their curriculums. Information about the DNS program can be found at:
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/teacher-portal/discover-nature-schools
Besides working with teachers on DNS curriculums, Hancock will also coordinate hunter education classes and certification for her five counties. She will also promote the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) to schools in her counties.
Hancock has experience in both education and the outdoors. Prior to her current job, Hancock taught for 13 years at the middle school and high school level. When she wasn’t in the classroom, Hancock could frequently be found hunting, fishing, kayaking, hiking, or camping.
“Sally is a hard worker, understands conservation and ecology, has a strong aptitude for outdoor skills, and is good with people,” said MDC Southeast Regional Education Supervisor A.J. Hendershott.
Hancock will work out of the Gaylord Lab at MDC’s Duck Creek Conservation Area near Puxico and can be reached at 573-222-3337, ext. 1030 or at Sally.Hancock@mdc.mo.gov. More information about MoNASP and hunter education programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov.
