Debbie Helfand was first introduced to Stokes in 1996 as a middle school educator chaperoning an overnight trip for her seventh grade students. She made her way to SOC with Jefferson Township students for many years and fell in love with the school. Debbie’s passion for outdoor education encouraged her to enroll as a graduate student at Montclair State University where she would earn a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science. As part of her graduate studies, she attended many courses offered on the campus of the School of Conservation throughout the years, and also helped to create the curriculum for the Black Bear Ecology course. Debbie and her husband Scott traveled the United States extensively, driving cross-country numerous times visiting National Parks and exploring the natural environment. After finding her true passion she became an Earth Science teacher instructing sixth grade students for over 20 years. Her recent retirement has allowed her to be a part of the current SOC family. Her hobbies include: camping, stand up paddle boarding with her dogs, creating nature inspired pottery and hiking.
