Trevor Hance

Trevor Hance serves as Coordinator for Enrichment and The Environment at Laurel Mountain Elementary in Austin, Texas, a position created from his beliefs that we are each nourished and collectively stronger when everyone participates; and, we are naturally curious and connected to the natural world. He used these foundations to design an approach to learning that empowers students towards stewardship, success, and sustainability.

Today, each grade at Laurel Mountain has a “Legacy Experience,” providing students with agency over an environmentally-connected program or place on campus. Legacy Experiences include raising and releasing rainbow trout into the Guadalupe River with support from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (Grade 2), developing a raingarden in the school’s nature play area, promoting the health of the Bull Creek watershed (Grade 3), and habitat support for birds, including the endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler that nests each spring in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve adjacent to the school (Grade 5).

His innovative application of proven education methodology reaches traditionally underrepresented populations and affords all students the unique opportunity to explore and follow through on their questions through longs-lens learning, ultimately leading to deeper connections, stronger, more information communities, and a better tomorrow.