Profile: Allie Mondini
Allie Mondini’s passion for science started early. She grew up playing outside, going on hikes, and learning about nature. Her mom enrolled her in lots of nature-themed summer camps in elementary school, where she became very passionate about conservation at a young age. In college she majored in zoology with a minor in geology and went on to get a masters of education in science teaching from Miami University.
Now, she’s a science teacher at Walnut Hills High School.
How the CGC-WHHS Partnership Came to Be
Allie went to the Civic Garden Center’s young professionals meeting last year at Taft Brewery, where the CGC’s horticulturist at the time, Greg Torres, was giving a talk about the symbiotic relationships between native trees and now-absent ice-age megafauna. She later told us, “I teach geology at Walnut, so I was geeking out because I had never thought of those relationships before, and it just made so much sense!” She spoke with Greg afterwards and mentioned how she was working with her students to germinate trees to plant in the 10-acre woods next to the school. Greg got equally excited.
The CGC’s Treeforestation Initiative
You see, earlier in 2019, the CGC had decided to join the global movement to restore our forests, and Greg had been tasked with identifying a habitat restoration site for our new “Treeforestation” initiative—a site we could sink our time and expertise into in Cincinnati. This looked to us like the perfect place.
For several years, a grassroots coalition of Walnut students, parents and teachers, with the support of Cincinnati Parks, which owns the site, have been engaged in an effort to clean up trash, remove invasive species, and establish a working trail system. Everyone involved in the effort recognized the potential to create unique outdoor learning opportunities in the woods for students, as well as some much-needed green space for the surrounding Evanston community.
Involving Walnut Students
Allie and her allies welcomed our help because, as she told us, they understand what an important resource the CGC is in the community, especially for teachers. “As a young science teacher, I’ve leaned on CGC for expertise and resources so many different times—for the Treeforestation project, obviously, but also for help in keeping our school vegetable garden afloat by providing my students with seeds, soil, and amazing programing - all free, which is so important for those of us who work in public schools! I know of at least 3 former students who are pursuing careers in horticulture as a direct result of the experiences they had at Walnut. I'm not sure they would have had those experiences without the help and support of the CGC. As a teacher, I juggle so many responsibilities throughout the school year; it can be hard to give the habitat restoration project the time it needs. CGC have provided the "oomph" and expertise we needed to really get this off the ground.”
Benefits for All
It’s easy to see why restoring a plant and wildlife habitat close to a school in an underserved urban neighborhood would have a ton of positive impacts. But an impact that makes Allie especially excited is the way in which it empowers students.
“In school, and in the news, students hear about all these environmental problems that their generation has really not had any control over. It can be overwhelmingly depressing for them, and in my experience, can sometimes lead to apathy. It’s so wonderful to be able to take students outside and let them physically DO SOMETHING to help. Together with the CGC we’re planting more than trees, we’re planting seeds in the minds of our students that they CAN make a positive difference on this Earth. That's a powerful thing. For a brighter world, we need less apathy and more empowerment of our young people!”