Sarah Recoskie
Co-Founder
Sarah grew up in rural Ontario, where her curiosity for nature developed into her love of the outdoors. As a child, days were spent getting muddy, climbing trees and exploring the forests, rivers and lakes in her backyard and beyond. Over the years, that curiosity and love for nature continued to grow. The positive impact of prioritizing time outdoors can be seen a mile away, not only in Sarah’s life, but in the lives of those who spend time with her.
For Sarah, being outside with kids has become as familiar as breathing. As a ski coach, Sarah is continually in awe of the confidence and wonder that the mountains bring to the kids that play in them. As an experiential outdoor educator, she has spent many days on remote wilderness canoe trips, supporting and guiding students in ways that they didn’t think were possible. As a nanny, she allows kids to explore, take chances and be curious. Sarah thrives on the magical moments that are deeply rooted in her belief that nature creates opportunity for personal growth, community development and an overall greater sense of self.
Sarah’s curiosity for nature, love of the outdoors, and passion for making the world her classroom continues to grow daily. Sarah is proud and deeply humbled to be part of the team that has created Budding Minds Nature-Based Discovery Program. For Sarah, being outside in nature with young people has proven its benefits time and time again. Living in such a beautiful part of the world, she believes it is imperative for kids to be able to explore our backyard in a safe, fun and exciting way.
To better support our community, Sarah is currently training to become a certified Forest School Practitioner from the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada. She also holds Diploma’s from Algonquin College in Law and Security and Police Foundations as well as being certified as a Wilderness First Responder.
Brittany Verbeek
Co-Founder
Brittany is an outdoor enthusiast and adventurer currently enrolled with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada to become a Forest School Practitioner. She is also a fully certified Early Childhood Educator and has a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria.
Prior to moving to beautiful Golden five years ago, she worked in the environmental non-profit sector creating nature-based excursions and experiences for people of all ages. Since landing in the Columbia Valley, she pursued early years education and has worked at several local childcare centres, including supervising the ski hill’s Kicking Horse Kids Club. She is passionate about her role as an educator and feels so grateful to work with children everyday – witnessing self-discoveries, guiding living inquiries, supporting learning and development, and offering a safe space for children to have fun, play and embrace their uniqueness.
She believes children are meant to be in nature, taking risks, getting dirty, and exploring the micro and macro worlds around them. Any day she can do that too is a great day!