We are honored to celebrate Virginia Commisso as the 2026 NHEE Environmental Educator of the Year!

As environmental educators, we all hope to make a difference—to spark curiosity, build confidence, and create moments of discovery that stay with students long after they leave our classrooms. Virginia’s impact goes even further. She has spent decades creating spaces where children are not only taught about nature—they are truly welcomed into it.

With many years in public education and as a founding force behind Beaver Brook Association’s Forest Preschool, Virginia has helped shape a program that has become a model for early childhood environmental education. Over the past six years, her leadership has nurtured a learning environment where the forest itself becomes the classroom.

In Virginia’s world, learning is alive with possibility. Sticks become letters. Rocks become math tools. Puddles become experiments. A hike is never just a hike—it’s an invitation to explore, question, and grow. Through her emergent, child-centered approach, she empowers students to take risks, solve problems, and trust themselves.

Families and colleagues alike speak to her extraordinary impact. One parent shared, “Even on the coldest days, she greeted my children with a smile and excitement that was contagious.” Another reflected on how their child developed stamina, curiosity, and a deep connection to the natural world. For one family, Virginia’s classroom became a place of belonging—where “school is the best part of his day.”

Virginia has an incredible ability to see what children need and then bring it to life. She designed and sewed forest bags so students could carry their own gear, fostering independence and responsibility. She created the LEAF program—Lunch, Education, Adventure, and Fun—to support children transitioning to longer school days. In every detail, she meets children where they are, honoring their individuality and helping each one feel seen, capable, and valued.

Her colleagues describe her as a steady and inspiring presence. Her calm, warmth, and encouragement uplift not only her students but everyone around her. Her laughter fills the woods, and her joy is woven into every moment of learning she creates.

Virginia reminds us that environmental education is not just about understanding the natural world—it’s about building a lasting relationship with it. Because of her, children are growing up more confident, more resilient, and more deeply connected to the land.

Congratulations, Virginia, on this well-deserved recognition. Your passion, creativity, and heart are shaping the next generation of environmental stewards—one child, one hike, and one muddy pair of boots at a time.