Enhancing the Teaching and Learning Experience with Wolf Haven

Faye and Chris at Salmon Festival in Leavenworth, WA

Faye and Chris at Salmon Festival in Leavenworth, WA

Wolf Haven International’s education team has been working hard to improve our interpretive skills as a way to enhance the visitor experience through more engaging and thought-provoking interactions. To help with this, a few of the team have gone through national trainings and programs for interpreters and educators.

Over the past winter, Faye Peebles, Wolf Haven’s Education Coordinator, took part in the National Geographic Educator Certification program and is now a Nat Geo Certified Educator

The purpose of this certificate is to “learn about the National Geographic mission, how to teach interdisciplinarily through various scales and perspectives, and the National Geographic Learning Framework—all while applying these ideas to their own work and collaborating with educators worldwide.”  This knowledge will help to improve Wolf Haven’s education presentations.  If you’d like to learn more about the Nat Geo Educator Certificate, please visit NatGeoEd.org/Certification.

Cindy Irwin gives an educational presentation at Eastside Preparatory School in Seattle

Cindy Irwin gives an educational presentation at Eastside Preparatory School in Seattle

Last spring, Outreach Coordinator Chris Montero and one of our education volunteers, Karen Lyons, completed a National Association of Interpreters (NAI) Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) program and are now certified interpreters.  This spring, Faye Peebles and Cindy Irwin, Director of Education and Volunteer Services at Wolf Haven, also completed the NAI CIG program and are now certified interpreters.  The intent of this course is “that almost anyone can learn enough about interpretive techniques to improve the way they communicate with others.” The knowledge from this course has been implemented in almost every aspect of Wolf Haven’s interpretation and education programs.

If you are interested in scheduling an education program, either onsite or offsite, with Wolf Haven’s education team, email education@wolfhaven.org or call 360.264.4695 x223.

Volunteer of the Quarter – Rosina Newton

By Dan Monn, Animal Care, Gift Shop and Volunteer Assistant
Wolf Haven International

Rosina Newton started volunteering at Wolf Haven International almost four years ago, and she has been enriching guests’ experiences ever since. If you aren’t sure if you’ve been on one of her sanctuary visits, you may remember her trademark wolf ears and tail and bright personality. Rosina is a guide on both sanctuary and prairie visits, and also helps with our school groups. When Rosina is guiding our public visits, she goes above and beyond. She will take a group of guests into the wolf sanctuary for the 50-minute visit, and then lead any interested parties out to the prairie, returning just in time to take the next group into the sanctuary. Her dedication and passion shine through every visit she leads.

Originally from Seattle, Rosina’s first introduction to Wolf Haven happened when she saw a presentation at the Edmonds Library as a child. Years later, her love of animals brought her to Yelm to be closer to her horses and lucky for us it brought her closer to Wolf Haven. Remembering that first introduction she scheduled a visit soon. On a hot afternoon Rosina was the only guest, and though she didn’t see any wolves, she said the guide did such a great job she was convinced to volunteer herself.

Now Rosina is the guide sticking it out in rough weather. In fact, one of her favorite visits was one that was nearly canceled. On Halloween a couple years ago, the last visit occurred during a nasty hail storm; still, a handful of hearty souls showed up. Rosina was more than happy to take the group in, and they were rewarded with a show. All the wolves were out, and some were even playfully jumping trying to catch the hail. Good weather, or bad, Rosina always gives our guests a rewarding experience.

New! Child-focused sanctuary visits – Nisqually Valley News

Child-focused sanctuary visit

Child-focused sanctuary visit

Wolf Haven will begin offering child-focused sanctuary visits at 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month in July and August.

Wolf Haven Acquires Montana Buffalo Wolf Nonprofit – The Daily Chronicle

Montana wolf

Montana wolf

Tenino-based Wolf Haven International completed paperwork this week to absorb the McCleery Buffalo Wolf Foundation located in Bridger, Montana — along with its more than two-dozen wolves and 378 acres of land. 

Bioblitz At Wolf Haven Will Use Citizen Scientists To Document Species Of South Sound Prairie – KNKX

Tenino-based Wolf Haven Aquires Wolf Foundation in Montana – The Olympian

View of the property

View of the property

Wolf Haven International has acquired the McCleery Buffalo Wolf Foundation in Montana, the Tenino-based nonprofit announced Tuesday.
The foundation is based in Bridger, Montana, which is south of Billings. It is home to 33 captive wolves, property and outbuildings.

Sanctuary director Wendy Spencer throwing chicken over fence

Sanctuary director Wendy Spencer throwing chicken over fence

Wolf Haven Acquires McCleery Buffalo Wolf Foundation

TENINO, WA- Wolf Haven International has acquired the McCleery Buffalo Wolf Foundation located in Bridger, Montana. The transfer of ownership includes 33 captive wolves, property home and outbuildings. Wolf Haven will manage the McCleery facility as a satellite sanctuary, allowing the wolves to continue receiving the best care while living out their lives in their current homes.