What is EcoTeam?

EcoTeam is an environmental education program that strives to enrich the education of 3rd graders in Asheville and Buncombe County by sending Warren Wilson College students into local elementary schools to teach lessons about the environment to 3rd grade classes. The hope is that by fostering a love for the environment early on in these children, they will strive to care for it as they grow and develop into members of our society.

It is overseen and supported by the AmeriCorps Afterschool Corps VISTA, who is part of the Community Engagement office and located in the Log Cabin. For the 2025-2026 year, Bell Wyman Nishimoto serves the campus and community in this role.  

When does EcoTeam teach during the semester?

EcoTeachers, or the WWC students on EcoTeam, go into their classrooms during the school day each week. There are 7 lessons that are currently part of the EcoTeam curriculum. An hour is the allotted time for EcoTeachers teach the lesson with their co-teacher. They also prepare for their lessons before they are scheduled to visit their class and travel to and from the school.