For Eden Simmons, a connection to nature has always been close to home. Eden was born and raised in the mountains of Western North Carolina. She grew up surrounded by the forests, mountains, and incredible biodiversity that make the region special. Those early experiences outdoors fostered a deep connection with the natural world. And, they eventually inspired her to study it more closely.
Eden attended the University of North Carolina Asheville, where she earned a degree in ecology. Through her studies, she developed a deeper understanding of the relationships that connect plants, animals, people, and the ecosystems they share. But for Eden, gaining that knowledge was only part of the journey. She also wanted to find a way to share it with others.
At Muddy Sneakers, Eden found an opportunity to bring together her love of science, the outdoors, and education. As a Muddy Sneakers Educator, she helps students explore many of the same mountains and ecosystems that inspired her own connection to nature. Rather than simply telling students how the natural world works, she gets to help them investigate it firsthand. She invites students to make observations, ask questions, search for evidence, and discover what is happening around them.
For Eden, those experiences are about more than learning science. They are opportunities to help young people build their own relationships with the outdoors and see themselves as curious, capable explorers of the natural world. Her enthusiasm for both science and teaching shines through in every program she leads. She encourages students to uncover something new on the trail or to stop, look closer, and ask one more question.
Through Muddy Sneakers, Eden Simmons has found a path to share the knowledge and connection to nature that began in her own Western North Carolina childhood. Now, she is helping a new generation discover just how much there is to explore in their own backyard.