2019 Q.A.R.E. Awards Recipients

Honoring Excellence at Sierra Nevada Journeys

On Nov. 10, we celebrated our fifth annual Q.A.R.E. (Quality. Accountability. Respect. Unique Experiences.) awards honoring team members that exemplify our four core values. With more than 80 employees at Sierra Nevada Journeys, it is a great honor to recognize the following four employees for their outstanding contributions.

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Pictured: Mickie Tang and Eaton Dunkelberger

Quality: Mickie Tang, Part-Time Educator, Sacramento Classrooms Unleashed
Mickie has been with us for three years as an educator in Sacramento where she advocates for high-quality teaching and learning. She continually seeks improvement in her own teaching abilities and proactively improves program content. As a leader on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, Mickie brings a thoughtful, critical perspective on inclusion and equity that has positively impacted Sierra Nevada Journeys.

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Pictured: Hilda Valencia and Eaton Dunkelberger

Accountability: Hilda Valencia, Cook, Grizzly Creek Ranch
Hilda has been with our team for two years and started as a dishwasher; she quickly took on more responsibilities and became a cook preparing nutritional meals for hundreds of campers each week. Hilda always is the first to arrive and leads by example. She is hardworking, dedicated and committed to quality food service for our guests.

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Pictured: Lauren Rangel-Fridman and Eaton Dunkelberger

Respect: Lauren Rangel-Friedman, Residential Outdoor Science Instructor, Grizzly Creek Ranch
Lauren joined the team in February 2019, as one of 14 ROSIs at Grizzly Creek Ranch and quickly proved to be a valuable team member by fine-tuning class lessons to meet the unique needs of each incoming group of students. They made a bracelet for every participant as a take-home reminder of the community agreement that each student commits to at the beginning of camp. Additionally, Lauren created new activities for students to further grow Sierra Nevada Journeys’ programs.

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Pictured: Mackenzie Kohler and Eaton Dunkelberger

Experiences: Mackenzie Kohler, Part-Time Educator, Reno Classrooms Unleashed
Mackenzie started with Sierra Nevada Journeys as a summer camp counselor and worked her way up to part-time educator. She proactively assists her colleagues and volunteers to pitch in whenever needed. Mackenzie regularly observes other programs and instructors to continually grow her teaching skills. She takes initiative to plan training and educator meetings, which spark collaboration among her colleagues.

Here’s what we strive to achieve each and every day through our core values:

1. We are committed to outstanding quality (Q)

   1. We strive to improve through rigorous evaluations of our actions

   2. We flexibly embrace change that makes our programs and operations better

   3. We celebrate actions that demonstrate our commitment to excellence

2. We are accountable (A)

   1. We do what we say we'll do for each other and for our stakeholders

   2. At all levels of our team, we set, commit to, and reach specific goals

3. We respect each other and ourselves (R)

   1. We foster a respectful work environment by using supportive actions and words to positively impact our teammates and ensuring our co-workers do the same

   2. We work to understand the goals and challenges of our team, participants, and donors, and integrate these considerations into our actions

   3. We believe that a diverse set of backgrounds and skills adds value to our organization

4. We provide unforgettable experiences (E)

   1. We keep participants' safety, education and experience at the forefront of our actions

   2. We recognize the uniqueness of our experience for our participants, and show up each day ready to deliver

Congratulations to 2018 Q.A.R.E. Award Recipients

On Nov. 4, we celebrated our fourth annual Q.A.R.E. (Quality. Accountability. Respect. Unique Experiences.) awards honoring team members that exemplify our four core values. The festivities were held at Grand Sierra Resort’s bowling center with pizza and bowling. New this year was the addition of a fifth category, volunteer award, recognizing individuals who support Sierra Nevada Journeys with their volunteerism. See all the photos from the evening on our photo site.

Pictured: Corrie Calderon and Eaton Dunkelberger

Quality. Corrie Calderon, Part-Time Educator, started her career here as a field intern, was promoted to Field Educator, and then to Part Time Educator for her outstanding work with science and education with our program participants. During her time here, she has grown in her teaching skills and is passionate for the work she does with us. Corrie comes to every meeting prepared, takes copious notes, and implements changes and suggestions into her practice in the classroom and field. Additionally, she facilitates discussions with ease, follows up with student responses with poise, understanding, and pushes them to think critically.

Pictured: Kayla Reeser and Eaton Dunkelberger

Accountability. Kayla Reeser, Core Educator, always gives 110 percent. She is flexible meeting the demands of the schedule in Sacramento’s programming. Also, she was diligent about going above and beyond the day-to-day role of her job by hosting visiting ROSIs at her house; often stayed late to help with programing and scheduling; lead multiple staff trainings and mentored new staff. Kay helped make this season a success.

Pictured (missing) Mario Andres Hernandez and Eaton Dunkelberger

Respect. Mario Andres Hernandez, Grizzly Creek Ranch Cook, is one of our most stellar employees. He is dedicated to our mission he makes each and every shift for which he is scheduled. Mario brings a strong sense of purpose with him and is rock-solid in performance. His unwavering work ethic brings consistency and high-quality meals for our guests. Also, Mario creates a positive work environment, is collaborative and substantially contributes to the team efficiency and effectiveness. Most importantly, he is a terrific cook!

Pictured Chauncy Foster and Eaton Dunkelberger

Unique Experiences. Chauncey Foster, Residential Outdoor Science, gives every student that visited Grizzly Creek Ranch, a unique and memorable experience. He regularly sings songs to lighten the spirits of the kids, has random bursts of high energy and connects with each student. The kids leave having gained something more for their experiences with Chauncey than when they arrived at camp. He has excelled with a constant growth mindset and a level of positivity that consistently lifts his colleagues. We appreciate Chauncey for his great energy that he brings to work every day.

Picture Marlys Pryor and Eaton Dunkelberger

Volunteer. Marlys Pryor is the epitome of a dedicated, invested and caring community volunteer. Marlys is highly trusted in any role at our Family Science Nights — even lead educator. She is reliable and is a great STEM advocate in her varied roles as a volunteer in our community. Additionally, she regularly brings community organizations for partnership with Sierra Nevada Journeys. We are lucky to have Marlys on our team.

And if you’re wondering what attributes comprise our core values, here’s what we strive to achieve each and every day:

1. We are committed to outstanding quality (Q)

   1. We strive to improve through rigorous evaluations of our actions

   2. We flexibly embrace change that makes our programs and operations better

   3. We celebrate actions that demonstrate our commitment to excellence

2. We are accountable (A)

   1. We do what we say we'll do for each other and for our stakeholders

   2. At all levels of our team, we set, commit to, and reach specific goals

3. We respect each other and ourselves (R)

   1. We foster a respectful work environment by using supportive actions and words to positively impact our teammates and ensuring our co-workers do the same

   2. We work to understand the goals and challenges of our team, participants, and donors, and integrate these considerations into our actions

   3. We believe that a diverse set of backgrounds and skills adds value to our organization

4. We provide unforgettable experiences (E)

   1. We keep participants' safety, education and experience at the forefront of our actions

   2. We recognize the uniqueness of our experience for our participants, and show up each day ready to deliver