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KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) welcomes Holly Whitacre as the new conservation educator for the Northeast Region.
Whitacre graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, and also holds a Master’s of Science in Education with a concentration in curriculum and instruction from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.
Since 2015, Whitacre has been employed as a 1st grade teacher at Kirksville R-III Primary School where she reviewed curriculum, analyzed data to create action plans for the growth of each student, and aligned student lessons to current standards. Her prior employment also includes eight years as a 4th grade teacher for La Plata R-II Elementary School.
Whitacre has consistently engaged students by using MDC resources and has developed important outreach to new and diverse populations within her community.
“It is an honor to utilize my teaching background and the many skills I learned during my upbringing within my new position as conservation educator,” said Whitacre. “I am eager to dedicate my efforts toward enhancing our programming and applying fresh ideas to our Northeast Region.”
Whitacre will begin her position June 1, and will be headquartered in the Northeast Regional Office in Kirksville. She will serve Putnam, Schuyler, Sullivan, Adair, Linn, Macon, Chariton, and Randolph counties.
In her position as conservation educator, Whitacre will provide opportunities for teachers to work with MDC’s Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program. DNS is a statewide conservation-based education program that incorporates outdoors learning into a variety of school subjects. DNS emphasized hands-on learning, teaches problem-solving, and provides teachers with innovative outdoors-based options to add variety to their curriculums. More information about the DNS program can be found at https://education.mdc.mo.gov/.
Whitacre will also help coordinate hunter education classes and certification for her eight counties. She will also promote the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program (MoNASP) to schools in her counties.
Whitacre can be reached at 660-785-2424, ext. 6507 or at Holly.Whitacre@mdc.mo.gov.
