Hi, we’re Amy & David, Alameda parents raising our own teenagers in the midst of this beautiful, urban island. We started AYNC as a place for kids to connect with each other and connect with the natural world. Club and camp combine our wide range of interests which makes for fun, hands-on, nature-based experiences for kids. David has led a full life as an Art Teacher, Outdoor Educator, Artist and has degrees in Permaculture design and a Masters in Spiritual Formation and Leadership. He’s now a Nature-based Wholeness Mentor and Soul Guide in training with AVI.

Hey, I'm Liam, the guy in the yellow hat ...or perhaps better known at AYNC as Biam or Evergreen; you can call me any of the three and I'll know who you're talking to! I am a long time Alameda local, having gone to Edison Elementary, Lincoln Middle, and then Alameda High School. Most recently I graduated from UC Santa Cruz. I enjoy thinking about the "why?" questions in the world, and I am routinely amazed by kids' shared curiosity for the same kind of questioning. I find that nature is packed to the brim with those "why?" questions, and I love the cross over that nature has with that type of critical thinking.

Hi I’m Sofia but your Young Naturalists know me as Cricket. I’m a student at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and have been teaching at the Alameda Young Naturalists Club for the past four years. I love to tell stories, forage, craft, and play games. Balancing child-based learning and safety, I strive to foster individual interests and a sense of community belonging. Mangos are my favorite fruit, and East of Eden is my favorite grown-up book.

Hi everyone! My name is Amelia or Mealworm and I’m a junior at UC Berkeley but am originally from Arizona! I love dinosaurs, live music, and tie-dye and am usually never short on energy! I joined Young Naturalist as a teacher last year and have had nothing but the most positive experiences! It’s an absolute joy to help facilitate educational and interactive experiences between students and the living world as part of my work. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to work with your kids! Come find me and ask to see my backpack full of treasures I’ve found on the streets of Alameda.

I’m Charlotte! I’m a second-year student at UC Davis studying Environmental Toxicology. I love kids, animals, and the environment! I love working at AYNC because I believe in their message to connect with kids and the natural world around them, and I wish I had an opportunity like this when I was younger!

Hi y’all! My name is Damon. I was born between two rivers in the Central Valley on the hottest day of the year. I graduated from Cal with a B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology (which is a lot more fun to say than it was to earn!) I’ve been in outdoor education in some form or another for almost a decade now and am looking forward to another year of teaching and exploring at AYNC! I love AYNC because everyone in the community is so supportive, cares deeply about the kids well-being and growth, and loves to have fun! Outside of AYNC, I love to play basketball, make music, and go hiking. Ask me about catching spiders, flying airplanes and lighting things on fire!

Hi I’m Dylan, former Alameda High graduate and now in my first year at Lewis & Clark. As someone who loves trying new things, I love that AYNC’s camps always provide me and the kids with new adventures and challenges that we can tackle together! I enjoy making kids laugh, playing nature games, and climbing trees. I am pretty much always in the mood to goof and run in the natural world! Also I will gladly accept all your Magic and Pokémon cards you no longer want.

Hi, I’m Emily but you can call me Rad Radish. I’m a recent Biology grad from UC Santa Barbara, and Alameda Young Naturalist’s resident forager. I love to teach urban foraging as a way to reconnect with nature in everyday life. You can find shockingly useful and tasty weeds that pop up in sidewalk cracks or your own front lawn! Like the spicy animal antiviral nasturtium, or mallow leaf for aches and wounds. I also love to stoke kids enthusiasm for crafting and art. Ask me about my paper boat races!

Hi, I’m Geronimo! And with a name like Geronimo I have yet to be given a nature name. I’m a Senior at Alameda High. I grew up in Atlanta surrounded by lush flora and have since become enchanted by nature. I love skateboarding and anything that involves wheels. I’m also a master at silly voices. I love working with AYNC and seeing the glint in the campers eyes as they have new experiences in the natural world.

Hi everyone! I’m Isa, I’m currently a sophomore at UC Santa Cruz where I’m studying education and literature. I’ve been with AYNC for about two years now! My mom is a Montessori teacher so I grew up helping out in her classroom, and I hope to follow in her footsteps and be a teacher one day! I love music, thrifting, cooking, playing soccer, and spending time in nature (especially in the redwoods up near my campus). I also have a baby brother named Joaquin who is almost 1, and a (crazy) dog named Lila. 

Hi! My name is Jaeden but the campers call me Junebug. I am a freshman at the College of Alameda working towards getting a BS in Ecology or Biology. I love animals, the outdoors, music, climbing trees and anything art related! If you want to know the species of a bird or animal, I’m your person. Thanks to my years working at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience. My favorite part about working with kids in the outdoors is seeing their imagination and creativity thrive as I watch them grow in confidence in themselves. I strive to make anyone who is a little unsure feel welcome to join at their own pace.

Hi Everyone! I’m Marcy or sometimes Marcelery. I have been a teacher at AYNC for going on 5 years. I am currently at the University of Hawaii studying Elementary Education. I’m happy to come back to Alameda Island for AYNC holiday and summer camps. My hobbies are swimming, hanging out with friends and family and walking my dog. Can’t wait to meet new friends and see some familiar faces at club!

Hi I’m Noah or Foggy as the kids know me. I’ve been working in outdoor education since 2011, most notably spending several summers with Trackers and teaching at the farms Hidden Villa and Sienna Ranch. I currently work with young kids at Step One School and am working to get my certificate in Early Childhood Education. I love nature and the constant movement. I used to get bored watching the forest until I realized that if you look hard enough, you can always find something actively digesting something else! And I love working with kids because they still laugh at my jokes. I do ceramics (sculpting, not throwing) and I'm also a regular Dungeon Master and I like to see how high I can stack rocks when I have a lot of rocks.

I’m Sonia, also known as the lanyard master of Alameda Young Naturalist Club. I’m an Environmental Management and Protection major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (feel free to quiz me on the Latin name for ice plant.) I’m proud to be able to create a warm and safe environment for your young naturalists to express themselves, especially through silly jokes and stories. I have Alameda’s best recipe for strawberry sorbet and a bag of tricks for constant fun.