McKenzie Bahl

Background

About McKenzie Bahl

In ninth grade, I wrote an essay about native plant species surrounding Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. I was intrigued by the abundance of plants that can survive on this stratovolcano as altitudes rise. Ever since this paper, it was my goal to walk along with the African soil and look upon the plants and wildlife. Coming from a small town in Pennsylvania, my teachers, friends, and family were constantly reminded about this dream. If we flash forward to my sophomore year in college, I continuously applied for scholarships to help me live this childhood dream. With the help of the Vira Heinz Endowment, I earned the opportunity to study abroad for one month in Rhotia, Tanzania. My classroom was replaced by the African plains and instead of a desk, I sat in the seat of a safari cruiser. I learned about methods used to educate local communities about the risks of poaching endangered species into their extinction. This experience reignited my passion to learn about science and environmental conservation while educating others about species protection. Following my undergraduate experience, I was unsure about what my next steps would be. My passion for science followed me to my local YMCA, where I was hired to create a STEM initiative for the school-age after-school program. I was ambitious to create unique and interactive lessons, activities, and field trips for the children enrolled in our program. The pandemic quickly eliminated this position and I promoted into a teaching position in one of the YMCA classrooms, leading to pursue my Master of Early Childhood Education!