Her teaching is grounded in equity-based practices, always considering the unique backgrounds and environments of the students she serves. Nicole has led a variety of immersive science initiatives, including hatching baby chicks in the classroom to teach life cycles, and more recently, partnering with the Center for Environmental Discovery (CEED) to hatch and raise quail. These quail are trained to eat ticks and are later released onto trails across Long Island, helping address the region’s growing tick population while giving students a powerful lesson in environmental stewardship.
Living and working by the beach, Nicole is deeply committed to protecting local ecosystems. She is an active environmental advocate, regularly participating in beach cleanups to keep her community safe for wildlife and to prevent harmful debris from entering the ocean. Her concern over balloon pollution—often caused by outdoor celebrations—led her to take action after witnessing countless balloons drifting through the water.
That passion found a perfect match when she connected with Cynthia of Balloon Mission. Inspired by the organization’s efforts to combat balloon litter, Nicole brought the initiative to her school’s Green Team. She adopted and launched Balloon Mission’s balloon collection program and worked to raise awareness within the Rockaway Park community. After two years of impactful collaboration, Nicole stepped into a larger role as Environmental Education Advisor for grades Pre-K through 5, where she now develops curriculum and resources aimed at inspiring young students across the country to care for the environment. Most recently, she presented on a National level about Balloon Mission at The Ecology School in Saco, Maine at their Winter Institute for teachers.
