Employee Spotlight: Darlene Kerr
At the heart of the Anne Springs Close Greenway’s Outdoor Programs team is Darlene Kerr, a dedicated educator whose passion for teaching and nature shines through in everything she does. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area as one of six children, Darlene has always had a love for learning. She pursued her passion for education by earning a degree in Special Education from the University of Illinois and a Master’s in Literacy from Lesley University.
Throughout her career, Darlene has impacted learners of all ages. After moving to Fort Mill in 1990 with her husband, Steve, Darlene found her way to the Greenway, where she has been an integral part of the team since January 2018. Since that time, Darlene’s love for the Greenway has grown.
“With everyone’s busy schedules and so much time spent indoors, it’s incredible that you can come out here and lose yourself on a trail. You can leave everything behind and just go for a walk or a hike,” she says.
As the Lead Outdoor Programs Facilitator, Darlene plays a crucial role in shaping educational experiences for students and visitors. She creates and develops programs that align with school standards, ensuring meaningful learning opportunities in nature. During the school year, she leads field trips and team-building activities, and in the summer, she helps facilitate Fish Tales Camp. Beyond education, she assists with races, concerts, markets, campouts, scouting programs and other special events. She also cares for the reptiles used in educational programs, making sure they remain healthy and ready to engage young minds.
For Darlene, the best part of her job is teaching field trip lessons, especially working with the four-year-old kindergarten groups that visit from the Fort Mill School District each month. “It’s amazing to watch their curiosity and love for nature grow throughout the school year. Seeing them get excited about the Greenway and nature is what makes this job so special.”
Darlene added, “Ms. Close loved seeing kids enjoy their time here and she believed it was important to introduce children to nature as early as possible so their love for it could grow with them. If she ever saw kids on a field trip, she would stop and talk to them about what they were learning. That legacy is something we carry on today.”
As the Greenway celebrates its 30th anniversary, Darlene is looking ahead with the knowledge that the Greenway will continue to thrive for generations to come. “As Ms. Close said, I hope this place is here for our grandkids and their grandkids. I want the programs to grow but always stay true to our mission of conservation and education. Most of all, I hope the Greenway always values children the way it does now—through programs like Little Explorers, Nature Preschool, camps, and so much more. In 30 years, I hope today’s kids will be the adults bringing their own children here to explore and love nature.”