2025 School Forest Award Recipients
by Steve Schmidt, LEAF Outreach Specialist
Butch Beedle
Evansville community member Butch Beedle helped start the Evansville School Forest while he was a classroom teacher in 2007 and continues each year in retirement to work on his number one goal: to get kids outside to learn.
High School Agriculture educator James Kvalheim invites Butch to speak in his Wildlife, Fish, and Natural Resources class where Butch taught students how to identify, collect, and store prairie seeds for later planting. He had this to say about Butch’s work, “as an educator and lover of the outdoors, Butch worked to keep the focus on developing the school forest as an extension of the classroom. Butch was active in getting the Evansville School Forest Trail included as part of the Ice Age Trail.” The Ice Age Trail now connects to the Janesville Schools Outdoor Laboratory, another school forest in Rock County.
“Butch doesn’t just plan projects – he actively participates in the work” said John Gishnock III, an Evansville community member and parent of a student in the district. “He leads tours and hands-on learning for students of all ages, and works with 1st, 4th, and 7th graders throughout the school year to spark their curiosity and love of nature. He makes prairie ‘mud balls’ with youth to help restore native landscapes.”
In Scott Anderson’s nomination of Butch, he wrote “the installation of a welcoming entrance sign increased visibility and awareness of the School Forest, encouraging greater student use, community engagement, and pride in the resource. Together, these efforts have transformed the School Forest into a valued educational asset and community space that promotes environmental stewardship, outdoor learning, and lifelong connections to the natural world. Without Butch there would be no school forest.”
Mike Cheslock
Mike Cheslock is recognized in the administrator category. He is the program coordinator of the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom (CAVOC), Rhinelander’s primary school forest property, and also serves as the district’s Community Education Manager.
The nomination team of Michele Cornelius (HR Director), Merlin Van Buren (School Board member), and Ryan Ourada (Director of Instruction) praised Mike’s communication, care with which he interacts with students, program management, and care for the environment.
Cornelius wrote, “He demonstrates a deep respect for the forest… Because of Mike’s intentional planning, communication and collaboration the school forest functions as both a high-quality outdoor classroom and a shared community resource. His work ensures the space is accessible, well-managed, and welcoming, maximizing its educational and recreational value.”
Van Buren, who is directly involved in the school forest said, “I have seen how Mike cares about not only our school forest and its associated facilities, but also for our students.”
Ourada added, “his commitment ensures that our school forest is not just a piece of land, but a vibrant, living classroom where curiosity is sparked and lifelong appreciation for the environment is fostered.”
In partnership with LEAF and the DNR Reforestation program, Mike led students to collect over 1000 pounds of acorns that were sold to the state nursery in fall 2025. Oaks grown from those acorns will be distributed back to school forests and other lands across the state.
Leo Olson
Leo Olson, science teacher at Lodi High School, has revitalized the Lodi School Forest program. By creating a school forest steering committee and also involving others, the program is thriving in both student learning and forest management.
Joe Jelinek, Lodi High School principal, wrote about Leo: “He understands that this work requires the effort and support of many staff and community members, along with the backing of administration and the School Board, both philosophically and fiscally. Any initiative of this scale requires cooperation from a wide range of stakeholders, each bringing varying levels of time, commitment, and passion. Leo’s passion for the outdoors, science, young people, and his community, combined with his collaborative nature, are second to none.”
Vince Breunig describes recent forest management practices that Leo coordinated: “One of Leo’s most significant accomplishments was coordinating with DNR foresters and loggers to carry out a successful and responsible timber harvest—the first in decades. Trees planted by Lodi FFA students in the 1970s were harvested as part of this work, and Leo ensured that lumber from those trees was preserved to create benches for the forest, honoring both stewardship and history. Looking ahead, Leo is leading planning for a districtwide Earth Week initiative, Lodi Grows Together, during which every student in the district will plant a sapling in the School Forest—an ambitious effort that reflects his ability to lead large-scale, meaningful projects.”
Paula Tonn, Library Media Specialist at Lodi Middle School submitted the nomination and wrote the following to summarize Leo’s work: “The work that has been done democratically by the School District of Lodi in such a short time is due to the leadership and momentum built and maintained by Leo. Concretely, because of Leo’s leadership, people can park safely, know where they are going, witness the growth and progression of a healthy forest, plan a field trip with various activities, go to the bathroom if they need, and enjoy a day in the woods in a place that belongs to all of us. He cares about kids, community and about our Earth. He lives a life leaving a positive legacy for people and planet.”
Ann Perry
Ann Perry is the science teacher and school forest leader at SOAR High School in the Northland Pines School District. Although the Northland Pines School Forests were registered back in 1936, in recent decades the forest had not seen much use until Ann and a team of dedicated educators formed a school forest committee in 2013.
Her work on the school forest committee has included curriculum work, web design, working with students to mark and map trails, and bringing the community to the forest, including a fundraiser called Haunted Trails every Halloween.
Principal and School Forest Chairperson Carie Nordine had this to say about her: “Ann consistently stands out as a visionary leader who breathes life into our environmental and educational initiatives. Ann’s commitment to our school forest is not a recent development; it is a long-term passion that has shaped the landscape of our district’s outdoor education. She has meticulously documented the forest’s regeneration post-harvest, using this data as a living laboratory to teach students, families, and community members about the science of natural renewal. Ann Perry is a rare leader who pairs ‘big picture’ creative ideas with the technical skill to execute them.”
Ann’s teaching colleague Robin Indermuehle wrote in her letter of nomination, “many of the senior students have done Legacy Projects that enhance the school forest. Projects like setting up the orienteering course, a tree identification course, and putting up posts with markers that match a map of the school forest. I will forever be grateful for Ann’s mentorship and guidance in my first years of teaching!”
Maya Szymik
Maya Szymik, currently a forestry major at UWSP, was involved with the Chequamegon School Forest program for approximately 3–4 years during her high school career, which culminated in a major habitat management and educational project she led her senior year in 2024–25 at the Tracy Lake School Forest.
Callie Petroski, 4th grade teacher summarized the project in her nomination:
Maya independently designed and implemented a comprehensive, standards-aligned lesson plan focused on wildlife openings, habitat management, pollinators, and stewardship. She coordinated with multiple partners, including the US Forest Service, WI Department of Natural Resources, Pine Curve Forestry & Wildlife Consulting, Ruffed Grouse Society, and Chequamegon Elementary and High Schools. She trained high school students to assist younger learners with planting, trail clearing, and educational activities, fostering leadership and collaboration across grade levels. Maya organized trail clearing efforts to ensure Tracy Lake School Forest trails remained safe and accessible for students, staff, and community members. This work supports ongoing recreational and educational use of the forest.
Matt Schultz of Pine Curve Forestry & Wildlife Consulting, said of Maya: “Throughout the process, Maya conducted herself with an exceptionally high level of professionalism, maturity, and diligence. Her attention to detail and commitment to excellence resulted in well-organized field days, effective habitat improvements, and an overall project that exceeded expectations. The impact of her work will benefit both the local ecosystem and the school district’s students for years to come.”
Paula Zwicke advised Maya throughout the project and wrote, “Perhaps the most important point I can make is I have wished I had another year to collaborate with Maya! However, my wish may come true with Maya, now a UWSP freshman. Though she may have graduated from high school, her interest and concern for the ecosystem of Tracy Lake, ruffed grouse, and all of the district’s school forest properties remain in the forefront of her mind as she continues to monitor the wildlife opening she and the fourth graders revitalized, while also asking, what is the next step in its development? How can I contribute and get other kids involved?”