This Is Us
A little wild. A little salty.
Seriously curious. Academically intentional.
And outside every school day.
Meet
the Teachers
Rachel
environmental educator
Rachel Zook-Brimer (Ms. Rachel) holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with an emphasis in Marine Ecosystems, and has spent her career designing and leading programs that inspire curiosity, confidence, and stewardship in young people. Through her work with organizations including Sea League, Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, and the Santa Barbara Adventure Company, Rachel has developed a talent for creating meaningful outdoor experiences that foster wonder, exploration, and a deep connection to nature.
Rachel brings a calm, joyful presence to her work with children and believes that some of the most powerful learning happens through hands-on discovery in the natural world. As a Certified Wilderness First Responder and Lifeguard, she combines a strong commitment to safety with a spirit of adventure and exploration.
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Mel
researcher and ecologist
Melissa B. Wilder is an ecologist and educator with 25 years in the classroom. Currently, she researches bold strategies to save half the Earth for other species and rewild Homo sapiens. In 2019, she was awarded the “Dean’s Outstanding Thesis Prize” at Harvard University and graduated from their sustainability program with a Master of Liberal Arts. She also holds a master’s certificate in resource management, a master of science in environmental education, a bachelor's degree in outdoor education, and an Outward Bound Educator certificate.
She is a certified mentor teacher from Harvard's Graduate School of Education and a certified maker spaces leader from MIT. She has taught in both higher education and preK-12th grade private and public schools. In 2020, she moved to Santa Barbara to be a STEM educator and later the Director of Academic Innovation at the Riviera Ridge School. In 2023, she was awarded Santa Barbara Environmental Teacher of the Year at the Earth Day Festival. She is the owner and founder of the Little Blue Creche and a faculty member at Harvard University's Extension School.
Kendall
K-12 educator
Kendall Cos (Ms. Kendall) brings a strong foundation in education, outdoor learning, and child development to our school. She earned both her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction and her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Mississippi and holds teaching credentials in Elementary Education, English, Social Studies, and Mild/Moderate Disabilities. Kendall is also a certified Wilderness First Responder and CPR/AED instructor.
Her experience spans traditional classrooms, special education, and immersive outdoor education. As an Outdoor Education Instructor and Snorkel & Kayak Instructor with Naturalist at Large, Kendall has led children through hands-on adventures that foster confidence, curiosity, teamwork, and a meaningful connection with the natural world.
Brianne
outdoor director
Brie has a Master of Arts in Education and over eight years of experience taking children outside. Whether on wilderness trips throughout the state or in the garden creating plots and compost Brie loves using the natural world to help children discover more about themselves and the Earth. She recently finished her Early Childhood certificate from Ventura College and is a Certified Agricultural Literacy Educator, a Certified School Garden Coordinator, an Environmental Action Civics Trained Educator, and an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.
Brie will be leading our on-site garden program and will also be managing our nature-based Summer Day Camp for ages 4-10 years old around Ventura County. Brie can often be found hiking the mountains with her baby and partner.
What
We Cherish
01.
The coast is our classrom.
We don't just learn about nature. We learn in it. The beach becomes a laboratory. A trail becomes a classroom. A storm becomes a weather lesson. A tide pool becomes biology. Building a shelter becomes engineering. Sharing a wave becomes community. Children begin to understand not only what they are learning, but where they belong in the world.
02.
Rain or shine.
We are an outdoor school.
That means wetsuits. Rain jackets. Mud. Cold mornings. Bare feet. Sandy car seats. Wet clothes coming home in a bag. It means learning how to be comfortable outside instead of always making the outside world comfortable for us. Our children learn to assess risk, trust their bodies, care for one another, and move confidently through wild spaces. They get dirty, tired, and capable.
03.
We belong to it.
We want a Blue School child to recognize the rhythm of the tides. To notice when the seasons change.
To know that the ocean deserves both wonder and respect. To recognize the plants, animals, birds and landscapes that make the California coast home.
And eventually, to understand that this place belongs to them—and they belong to it.
