Scout Island is set to shine even brighter this year with a group of fresh faces and new programs designed to educate and entertain students of many ages.
From interactive nature walks to hands-on workshops, the island is buzzing with new energy.
This summer Scout Island features a team of passionate individuals, some new and some returning, all eager to share their expertise and lead a range of activities. From workshops to art there is something for everyone to discover.
A team of dynamic individuals is bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to Scout Island, providing an enriched experience for all visitors. Let’s start out with our returning summer staff member, Adrien Zimmerman.
She will be entering her last year of her Integrated Science degree at UNBC in September. Adrien grew up in Williams Lake and loves nature. This is Zimmerman's fourth year at Scout Island as a summer student and this year she is teaching the programs Marsh & Ocean and Reptiles & Amphibians. We are so lucky to have her as a leader and learn so much from her.
A new face is Addyson Cullum.
She’s another of our three summer students at Scout Island. Cullum graduated high school in 2024 and has taken a gap year off school, working with animals at a veterinary clinic until recently.
In the fall she will be taking her level one electrical at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Cullum was born and raised in Williams Lake and loves being outside. She enjoys camping, hiking, and anything on the water. She is teaching the programs Birds and Nature Crafts.
Another new face this year is Timu Kruus. He will be heading into his third year of his Conservation Biology degree this fall. In Kruus' free time, he enjoys being outside and doing activities like camping and canoeing with his friends and family, and loves playing soccer. This year he is teaching our Trees and Bugs programs.
Not new but a key member of Scout Island is the Education Coordinator, Martin Kruus. Martin came to the Cariboo in the late summer of 2003, as he and his wife Catherine moved to Canada from Tanzania. He grew up in Ottawa and finished a degree in Surveying Engineering from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. By 1996 he decided to switch from being a forestry surveyor to teaching. He taught for 17 years with School District #27 - his last assignment before moving to Scout Island was teaching Outdoor Education (grade 7 at Columneetza). In his free time Martin enjoys canoeing, biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
Another new face at Scout Island is Lara Roorda, the new Manager. Roorda started in April, and comes with lots of experience in different fields, including having over 15 years experience in wildlife biology and 11 years in education. Roorda moved to Williams Lake in 1996 for a biology co-op. After she graduated, she met her husband Joel and had three children. Outside of work, Roorda loves anything outdoors; hiking, kayaking, and camping, especially with her family and friends. We are so lucky to be gaining Roorda's talent and knowledge here at the Nature Center.
Alongside the new team members, Scout Island is also rolling out a series of innovative programs designed to engage and inspire. This year we have five different programs to offer; four for children and one for families. A new one we are offering to kick off the summer is a week of workshops for adults and families. It will run from July 2 to July 4. There will be a different workshop every day like bat house building, bird watching, photography, bird house building, and more. One program for children we call Nature Fun.
Nature Fun is a single day program offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays throughout most of the summer. This is for children ages four through eight and it’s from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Art in Nature is offered on Tuesdays throughout the summer.
This program is for kids aged nine to 13 and it will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Then there’s a new program, Wild Week Junior. This program is four days long from July 21 to 24. It will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be for students aged 6 to 9.
Our final program is Wild Week Senior. This is a four-day long program running August 5 to 8th, 8:30 to 4:30, for kids ages 10-13. Each week in the summer will have a different theme, such as Water, Bugs, Birds, and many more. Come join us in nature this summer! More information and registration at www.scoutisland.ca
