Darcie Vallant hired as new MMA Director of Education
BY PETER B. BRACE
Chosen out of a pool of 50 applicants from across the country, native New Englander Darcie E. Vallant has been named the new Director of Education for the Maria Mitchell Association. Though she only moved here on Oct. 21, Vallant hit the ground running last Wednesday, her first day on the job, and is pleased to be with the MMA. Her boss, executive director Janet Schulte, echos the excitement.

Vallant: "Summer is really busy, but we are hoping to do more yearround programs for families, scout groups and school groups."

"She's got a great background in environmental education and has an enthusiasm and energy for teaching others about science," said Schulte, who conducted 12 telephone interviews and four in person before picking Vallant as the superior candidate. "She will be a great addition in our effort to reach out to the schools to enhance science education."

Vallant will be responsible for overseeing all the MMA educational programs, outreach offered through collaborations with local schools, the organization's summer Discovery program, adult workshops and special youth programs.

Vallant, 31, grew up in New Hampshire and calls herself "a New Englander at heart." She holds a bachelor's degree in science from UMass Amherst where she majored in wildlife conservation and environmental science, and a master's in biodiversity and conservation biology from the University of Leeds in Leeds, England.

She moved to Nantucket from Columbus, Ohio with her cats Mufasa and Ivy. While in Columbus for the last three years, she served as environmental education supervisor for its Recreation and Parks Department. For the last two years, she also created and presented public environmental classes for the Gahanna, Ohio Parks and Recreation Department. Prior to her move to Ohio, Vallant was a teacher and head of the science department at the South Shore Charter School in Hull, Mass., an environmental educator at Nature's Classroom in Becket, Mass. and Colebrook, Conn., and a nature director for the YMCA Camp Becket.

In addition, she has been a biological technician with Mass Audubon in Lincoln, Mass.; a biological aide with the Amherst, Mass. USDA Forest Service; and a department assistant in the Amherst U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coop Unit.

"Being able to teach environmental education in a very scientific community makes my job easier and more exciting," said Vallant of her thrill over the new position. "Everybody knows what Nantucket is no matter where you are in the country. There is an awe around it. I love it. It's a place for fun and peacefulness. I'm really excited about being here. I am so impressed so far."

She is already starting to work with the island school system to launch Unique Nantucket, a program she crafted that will coordinate scientific field trips with students in grades K through 12, and plans a nature program for Christmas Stroll weekend for children four-to-six teaching them about the winter survival techniques of animals.

"And we're already thinking about the summer and who we will hire and what programs we'll have," she said. "Summer is really busy,

but we are hoping to do more yearround programs for families, scout groups and school groups. The goal in my position and hiring me is my background being a teacher. I'm here to create more programs and bring in more people throughout the year."

Vallant has a brother stationed in San Diego who recently returned from his third military tour in Iraq. Her parents divide time between homes in Maine and Florida. Vallant's personal interests, besides her cats, are bird watching, hiking and camping.

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