Teacher Spotlight: Tonya Henke

By trapping an opossum, Tonya’s Wildlife Principles class was able to learn through close-up investigations.

My name is Tonya Henke, and I’m in my 20th year of teaching life and environmental sciences. Prior to my career in teaching, I was a zookeeper working with everything from reptiles to birds to native wildlife, like raccoons and white-tail deer, to exotics, like jaguars, hyenas, and primates. This is where my passion for educating others began, along with my desire to incorporate the natural world and the importance of conservation into my teaching.

My purpose is to make a difference for animals and ecosystems around the world by teaching my students how to appreciate the natural beauty and interconnectedness of the world around us, especially in our own communities. I take students outside here in suburban Knoxville to show them how we not only coexist with the native critters, but also how we can help to protect the natural areas these animals depend on.

Another aspect of getting my students immersed into nature is our annual weekend trip to Tremont. On this trip, we have students with extensive backpacking and scouting experience, students who have never camped, hiked, or visited the Smoky Mountains, and others who have never experienced the crackle of a campfire or roasted marshmallows. It’s an amazing opportunity to get students outside to unplug from technology and connect with each other as we all appreciate the interconnectedness that we share with the earth.

Thanks, Tonya, for the incredible work you do.