Portraits of Acadia: Alexa Pezzano

Alexa Pezzano, Director of the Schoodic Education Adventure program, stands in front of the education classrooms.

NPS photo by Brady Richards

I am the Director of the Schoodic Education Adventure (SEA) program. My career with Acadia National Park began as a seasonal ranger in 2008 and I gained permanent status in 2016.

I enjoy sharing my love and knowledge of the natural world. When I made the connection that a career in outdoor education could merge those interests, I saw a clear path with the park service.

Common educational tool of different craft felt cutouts that comprise the NPS logo.

NPS photo by Brady Richards

I oversee the SEA program, the park's multi-day experiential education program. This program provides opportunities for students to engage with park resources in a more meaningful way as they spend multiple days and nights in the Schoodic district of Acadia. The program focuses on the ecology of the area and students participate in hands-on, field-based learning. In addition, the SEA experience provides students opportunities for new social and emotional experiences. One of the goals of the SEA program is to inspire the next generation of stewards by providing an opportunity to experience Acadia National Park in an in-depth way.

I lead a combined staff of educators from the National Park Service, Schoodic Institute and volunteers, work with teachers and administrators from schools to plan and implement their experiences and collaborate with Schoodic Institute to coordinate housing and food services.

SEA program students participate in a citizen science crab survey.

NPS photo by Brady Richards

My most memorable experience working at Acadia, with the SEA program, occurred while teaching an eighth-grade group from Cherryfield Elementary School. The students discovered an invasive Asian shore crab during our "Marine Investigations" program. This was the first report of the species in the Schoodic region and, while it was alarming, I found it incredible that students participating in citizen science were involved in that discovery. This experience reinforced the idea of how anyone can be involved in science.

To me Acadia means connection, inspiration, and preservation. Many people are far removed from the natural world and Acadia provides an opportunity for people to reconnect and draw joy and positivity from the landscape.

The best examples of partnerships and interdivisional work that I see at Acadia is the SEA program. The SEA program thrives with support and collaboration from Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute. These organizations create an invaluable opportunity for students to experience Acadia. All of the Park divisions in addition to Visitor Experience & Education including Maintenace, Visitor Resource & Protection, Resource Management, and Administration, aid and contribute to the success of the SEA program.

– Alexa Pezzano, Director of the Schoodic Education Adventure Program

Alexa talks to SEA program students about a soil sample that she recently collected.

NPS photo by Brady Richards

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