The past few months have brought four new faces to the Hearty Roots team page on its website! In response to the growing need for programs in local schools, three field instructors have joined the Outdoor Adventure crew. And the demands of tending and expanding the 115-acre campus in Bremen led to the addition of a full-time facilities manager.

Paul Sveum, facilities manager, says, “Since my first day at Hearty Roots, the entire team has been over-the-top appreciative, welcoming and supportive. It’s refreshing to join an organization with vision, the resources to make that vision a reality and a functional approach to creating a positive and healthy workplace environment.

“My role has evolved, since my hiring, to include being a field instructor with Wiscasset middle and high school students one day a week, and the rest of my time filling the role of facilities manager–caretaking and creating learning environments at our campus in Bremen.  I swing hammers, split wood, help young folks meet and reach their potential, and draw from my outdoor background to help develop the outdoor skills of the Hearty Roots staff.”

Morgan Hayman came aboard bringing her elaborate journey of outdoor, ocean based education and research roles to the organization. A graduate of Vassar College with a degree in environmental studies andgeography, she moved to Portland to teach open ocean sailing to high school students, where she saw the power of non-traditional, outdoor education first hand. She continued teaching and sailing; after earning her captains license, she moved on to work as a research assistant, oyster farmer and tour boat captain, until she began to miss the transformative power of outdoor classrooms and took the position with Hearty Roots.

Born-and-bred local Molly Thibault was raised on Southport Island and says she has always felt most at home in the salt air and among the spruce trees. A graduate of Unity College with a degree in adventure-based environmental education, Thibault has built her career around connecting people to the natural world through play, curiosity, and exploration.

Whether she’s leading team-building initiatives, designing nature-based activities, or encouraging others to take a plunge with her cold-water swimming group, The Little Dippers, Thibault brings a silly, playful, and inclusive energy to every outdoor experience and her work with Hearty Roots.

As a field instructor, Eliza McKenney has been utilizing her outdoor skills and Hearty Roots philosophies by teaching students about their impact as well. McKenney is working in local schools, Pop-Up Camps, and Overnight Expeditions on the Hearty Roots campus. She is a recent Registered Maine Sea Kayaking Guide and loves to paddle anywhere. She says, “Being a part of Hearty Roots goes beyond showing up for work each day. It's about how you show up and realizing your impact on others is much greater than you'll ever realize. I truly believe since starting I have been able to feel how important my presence is to the local schools, surrounding communities, and my fearless team.” 

Hearty Roots is a youth development organization that mindfully fuses social-emotional wellness with nature connection by offering year-round programming and in-school offerings, along with pop-up events—all under the canopy of the great outdoors.. The proactive, inclusive and out-of-the-box approach to youth programming allows kids to access the outdoors in all seasons so they can restore, rejuvenate and reset. To learn more about Hearty Roots, go to www.heartyroots.org. There, you’ll also find information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. The Hearty Roots crew welcomes anyone to stop by their office headquarters at 18 Water Street, an in-town presence made possible by the generous, community-minded team at First National Bank.