Science Matters comes full circle for one teacher

Experiences from our youth often stay with us for a lifetime. 

For Emily Antoniak, a seventh-grade teacher at East Samford School in Auburn, some of her earliest memories were made outdoors. These memories shaped her not only as a person, but also as a professional. What began as a childhood of being told to "go outside" quickly grew into a lifelong passion for nature, science and education. 

Antoniak first came to Auburn University as an undergraduate studying biology before continuing her education in graduate school, where she began working on a degree in nutritional ecology. She served as a graduate teaching assistant under Wendy Hood, Ph.D. 

Recognizing her enthusiasm for teaching and sharing the natural world with others, Robert  Lishak, Ph.D., encouraged Antoniak to pursue science education — a decision that ultimately led her to COSAM Outreach and Science Matters. 

She began working with Science Matters as a classroom counselor and quickly discovered the joy of teaching science outside of a traditional classroom. She went from counselor to instructor to assistant director before entering the classroom as a science teacher.  

"I loved seeing the fun," Antoniak said. "Watching campers explore in a setting with no assignments or tests really helped shape my future." 

Now, years later, Antoniak has returned to Science Matters in a different season of life. With her youngest child finally old enough to attend, she saw the opportunity to reconnect with a program that had such a lasting impact on her own career. 

"Coming back has rekindled the excitement I felt when I was a counselor years ago," she said. "It reminds me how important it is to make science feel like an adventure. I want my classroom to be a place of exploration and curiosity rather than just assignments and tests. Seeing kids excited about learning is exciting for me." 

Today, Antoniak brings that same philosophy into her seventh-grade classroom, creating hands-on experiences that encourage students to ask questions, explore their surroundings and discover the joy of science. 

“In Mrs. Antoniak’s classroom we were able to learn by doing” stated science matters volunteer and former seventh-grade student of Antoniak, Claire Jackson. “She encouraged students to go above and beyond and learn more than what was expected. It provided a classroom experience I will use in my own future career, and one I looked forward to every day.” 

Returning to Science Matters has also given her a new perspective as a parent. Watching today's campers experience the same sense of wonder she once did as a child exploring the woods is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact informal science education can have. 

For Antoniak, Science Matters isn't just where she spent a few summers. It's where a childhood love of the outdoors grew into a career dedicated to inspiring curiosity in others, proving that the lessons learned in youth truly can last a lifetime.