Celina has been working with young people in the communities she lives in since 2014. She got her start while serving as a mentor with Oregon Stewardship, a nonprofit that emphasizes environmental education, teamwork, and service to the community and local ecosystems. While assisting with riparian restoration and trail building with students from several different high schools in southern Oregon, Celina decided to follow a path in education. She received a Master of Arts in Teaching at Southern Oregon University, and went on to teach middle school science in Eureka, CA for two years. Alongside learning science concepts, making connections with students and giving them the space to feel safe to express themselves became a goal, and Celina was able to introduce council style circles to her students. During these circles, she witnessed many students sharing thoughts and stories for the first time in her classroom, and was delighted and reminded of the importance of these spaces. She has continued learning about circles in schools while volunteering as a co-facilitator with Rogue Valley Mentoring this school year. Celina works as the Programs Leader for Direct Involvement Recreation Teaching, or D.I.R.T., a nonprofit that provides opportunities for the community to participate in hands-on learning and recreational activities outdoors. Connecting with others and with nature have long been important parts of Celina’s life, and she looks forward to this work with Guided Passages.