Statement of Purpose: Holly Steele

At Ten Strands, we introduce our team through statements of purpose that reveal the motivations and ambitions behind their work. Holly’s statement traces her journey from a lifelong curiosity and classroom teaching to systems-level leadership in science and environmental education—guided by the belief that inquiry, empathy, and environmental literacy empower young people to understand their world and drive meaningful, community-centered change.

As a curious child, my parents bought me a copy of The Big Book of Tell Me Why. Perhaps they were just tired of me asking so many questions and wanted a break. Whatever their reason, I devoured all 600+ pages of that book, and then promptly asked, I’m sure, more questions. As I grew and pursued formal education in STEM, my childhood curiosity was refined into a strong lens for professional inquiry. I thrive on asking questions that reflect my curiosity and desire to understand situations, people, and systems. Those questions don’t just help me; I have learned that they also often help others engage in sense-making. For me, inquiry and a shared intent to understand others are the heart of discourse and empathy. And so for the past 20 years, I’ve supported learners of all ages in using inquiry and innovation to improve our world. 

This deep purpose, grounded in inquiry and innovation, has taken several forms over the course of my career. I served as a middle school science teacher for nine years at Beechwood School in Fullerton, CA. There, I was passionate about developing positive relationships with learners as they sought to make sense of their world, and I was honored to be named an Orange County Teacher of the Year and a nominee for California State Teacher of the Year. 

With the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, I transitioned out of the classroom as a Teacher on Special Assignment to lead the Fullerton School District’s efforts to implement the standards in grades TK-8. I began to develop a lens for systems thinking in this role, which I later continued to hone when I moved to the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), where I served as a Senior Administrator within Educational Services. It was at the county office that my professional engagement with environmental literacy deepened to match my love of the outdoors.

I feel most at home and at peace in the outdoors–the sweeping vistas of the Scottish Highlands, the perspective-shaping heights of the California Redwoods, and the quiet beauty of the high deserts. In these places I feel most connected to the world. And I was fortunate enough to have these personal experiences intersect with environmental education through OCDE’s amazing Inside the Outdoors program that serves more than 125,000 learners a year in the Southern California region through school-based and field trip programs. I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the power of environmental education to inspire and empower young people to take action in their communities. Every child deserves these opportunities, both in and out of the classroom.

In a world where there is increasing tension between the natural and human-built environments, environmental literacy becomes imperative for everyone and especially for youth who will bear the burden of changes to come. As many have seen across the state, we’ve witnessed the local effects of climate change in Orange County. This has been unmistakably evident in the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires, including one that devastated Inside the Outdoors’ beautiful home, Rancho Soñado, in December 2020. 

Ultimately, this is what brings me to the shared work of Ten Strands, with a primary focus on supporting educators in implementing the Seeds to Solutions curriculum. Designed to empower students to be environmentally literate, engaged community members, Seeds to Solutions represents an opportunity for learners to use inquiry to understand California-specific changes to our environment, while positioning them as advocates for local change and innovation. Like many others at Ten Strands, I feel incredibly fortunate to engage in professional work that is so strongly aligned with my personal values and purpose.