Ryan Brown returns for a sixth year as Director of Green Adventures Camp. Ryan has more than a decade's experience as an educator, with over eight years serving in a leadership role. Starting off as a basketball coach for Rec and Ed, 1st grade boys and 6th grade girls, Ryan has stayed within the field of education and has become an innovative and well respected early childhood educator.

Ryan gained the bulk of his experience working for the Ann Arbor Public Schools supervising before school, after school, and kindergarten child care. Ryan also spent two years in California, where he was lead pre-kindergarten teacher in a NAEYC accredited center. Currently he is finishing his MA in Early Childhood Education Administration and Leadership from the University of Michigan-Dearborn.Ryan and his wife have two boys, 6 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old.

Mary Donnelly, Counselor & Culinary Specialist

Mary returns for her fourth year as a Green Camp counselor. She has worked in Child Care for over 10 years at Northside School.  She's also worked at various fun days and camps at AAPS throughout the years, and is  a certified lifeguard. She is a student at WCC, where she has earned her CDA, and graduated in May '09 with an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Development (Congrats!) Mary has two daughters, Rebecca 22 years and Ashley 17 years.

Mary E, Before Camp Care

Mary is an avid birdwatcher, amateur photographer and enjoys reading, games and playing disc golf. Mary brought  several (Monarch butterfly) caterpillars into camp last summer  and we all watched the caterpillars build their cocoons and emerge as butterflies. She then released them back to the wild.

Mary also has over 15 years experience working with children, and works in the School Age Child Care program during the school year.

Gary Hall, CIT

Jeff Hamilton, Counselor

Jeff returns for a fourth year as Green Camp counselor. During the school year he works for AAPS as a paraeducator in the classroom and in After Care.

"I am glad to be a part of Green Adventures camp. Being a good steward of the Earth is an important lesson to live by and demonstrate in front of children who will be the future caretakers of the planet. I truly enjoy field trips and venturing outdoors!"

Jane Hayes, Afternoon Naturalist

Jane Hayes has been a naturalist for the AAPS Environmental Education program since 2004.  She has a BS in Public and  Environmental Policy from Indiana University and a certificate in cartography from Montgomery College, MD.  Membership in and workshops offered by the National Association of Interpretation have sharpened her nature awareness and teaching skills.  This will be her third year offering nature-themed activities for Camp Michitanki, a one week overnight camp for children who have had organ transplants. 

Jane’s interests are hiking, kayaking, and watching the deer eat her hostas.

Jane Levy, Morning Teacher

Jane Levy is a recently retired, 20 year veteran Ann Arbor Public Schools teacher. Since her career change from laboratory scientist to classroom teacher, Jane has taught in a multi-age classroom setting at Ann Arbor Open in Kindergarten through 2nd grades. During those years, Jane authored and piloted many early elementary Science Curriculum units and helped develop the current State of Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for Science.

Jane has an MA in Elementary Education (EMU), an MS in Biochemistry(UMN) and a BS in Biochemistry (UMN). She was certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards as an accomplished Early Childhood generalist.

One of Jane’s favorite activities each year as a teacher has been sharing her love of the natural earth with her students on a spring camp experience. She recently became a beekeeper and will be sharing that expertise with the students and other adults at Green Camp.

(Apiary Science in Schools website http://www.oakland.edu/MITSHAPE/movie.html)

Jessica Rodriguez, Morning Teacher & Counselor

Jessica Rodriguez is coming to Green Adventures Camp as a Morning Teacher and Counselor for her 3rd year.  Jessica currently teaches 3rd grade at Wines Elementary School in Ann Arbor.  She recieved her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a focus on Reading, and received an Early Childhood endorsement from Eastern Michigan University. She is excited to be working with campers and all things green this summer, and has recruited many former students!

Jessica lives in Ypsilanti with her husband and their two crazy sibling dogs, Sam and Alice.

Maurella Murphy, Morning Teacher and Councelor

Maurella is returning for her third year at GAC after taking a year off to teach Special Education at a year-round school in San Diego, CA. Now during the school year she is an elementary special education teacher for students with emotional impairments in Westland, MI. Maurella earned her BA at Eastern Michigan University and has returned to Eastern to pursue her Masters degree in Social Foundations of Education: race, gender, and poverty in urban contexts!

In San Diego last year she was able to pilot an Urban Garden in her school to grow food with her students and parents that was available to the community to supplement the at-risk community that the school served. Maurella is looking forward to returning to GAC and digging in the dirt!

Jason DePasquale, Morning Teacher

This is Jason's first summer with Green Adventures Camp. He holds a  B.S. from Eastern Michigan University in Elementary Education, with concentrations in Language Arts and Integrated Science. During the school year, he teaches a 5th/6th grade split class at Summers-Knoll Elementary. He might be most familiar to you as the Master of Robots at 826michigan, where he co-created the Liberty Street Robot Supply & Repair and has taught many creative writing workshops over the years.

He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife Amy and their daughter Violet.

John Stahly, Afternoon Naturalist

John Stahly came to AAPS at the end of 2003, when he was hired by Rec & Ed to develop and lead the grant funded GO! Outdoors program. In operation from 2003-2006, the program offered a variety of activities including family field trips, after school nature clubs, and student/community gardening initiatives in association with Project Grow. Since then, John has worked as a naturalist and trip leader for the AAPS Environmental Education program, and has provided nature-themed programming at Rec & Ed's Quest summer day camps.

John has a BGS from the University of Michigan, and did graduate work in Environmental Education at the UM's School of Natural Resources and Environment. Some of his particular interests include native landscapes, field botany, and aquatic ecosystems.

John and his family live near Manchester, where he enjoys tending the mini-prairie in his yard, walks through the countryside, and kayaking on the River Raisin and other local waters.

David Szczygiel, Afternoon Naturalist

Dave Szczygiel is the Environmental Education Consultant for Ann Arbor Public Schools. This is Dave's 14th year leading the visionary EE program developed by Dr. William B. Stapp, which has been enhancing the curriculum for AAPS students since 1960. Dave was also intrumental in starting the Ann Arbor Schools Science and Environmental Education Endowment to help fund field experiences for students in perpetuity.

Dave has taught for 23 years in Ann Arbor, with time at both Forsythe and Clague. He taught at the AAPS African American Academy and Camp Explore, and has also authored curriculum for the district. He worked as a naturalist for the YMCA's Camp Birkett for 20 years.

Dave has a BA in Biology, and an MS in General Science, both from EMU. He is an Ann Arbor townie, born and raised in the Wines School neighborhood. He is a sportsman and enjoys hunting & fishing, as well as wild mushroom hunting, eating wild edible food and collecting natural curiosities. Dave is a lapidary hobbyist who enjoys cutting and polishing rocks.