Forest School Mentor
Voyager Guild
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Growing up in South Florida, Melissa spent most of her time swimming and engaging in endless outdoor activities that year-round sunshine provides. Never formulating a specified area of study interest, and very much an enjoyer of hard work, Melissa set out to touch on a variety of occupational experiences. Her randomness of opportunities and deep work ethic has lead her from custodial to camp counselor, wait staff to retail management, house cleaning to brightwork (varnish) finisher aboard boats, orchard hand in New England, Yoga Teacher here and abroad!!!
After Florida, Melissa has lived in a handful of different states, Hawai’i being one, where she birthed a deep passion for body surfing & free diving, connected viscerally with the ‘aina, the land, and the Aloha Spirit. Aloha translates to “the presence of breath” or “the breath of life.” It comes from “Alo,” meaning presence, and “ha,” meaning breath. Aloha is a way of living and treating each other with love and respect. Its deep meaning, its “Spirit”, is the connection of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. In turn, harmonizing an extension of kindness, warmth and sincerity unto others.
California hosted Melissa post island time over the last decade prior to her arrival in the PNW 4 years ago. In CA, she team worked the rebuild and lived aboard a 40’ sail boat, continued body surfing, hiked, deepened her yoga practices & training and became a mama.
The birth of any child will shift the dynamic of life, and the arrival of this light being propelled them to WA.
After landing (randomly) in Kingston, Melissa discovered WildWise as an exceptionally curious opportunity for a then 3.5 years new little boy. Never would she have envisioned a mentor opportunity to unfold for her!!! Melissa offers relationship navigation and believes whole heartedly in the tireless repetition and magic of the first 7-10 years of life as a time to establish an integral foundation with-in. Her solid sense of adventure and respect for/awareness of the natural world around her breeds a grounded presence. Her knowledge of the human body and understanding surrounding the power of breath offers an avenue toward self-awareness. And mostly, her excitement to learn about this epic ecosystem while playing and exploring lends celebration to the infinite potential of our minds and the endless wonders Mother Nature gifts us. Melissa is ever grateful for this metamorphic moment in time and is looking forward to evolving her mentorship further.
Thank you for considering this outdoor enRICHment school for your child!!!