Hi DSST Team, my name is Lauren Jones-Kaplan (LJK), and I was the recipient of the 2020 Core Value Award for Curiosity. This is my seventh school year at DSST, and I am currently the Director of STEM & Innovation at the Home Office. At the core of my work is curiosity, and I am lucky to be in a position where I can constantly research, explore, and synthesize new ideas to bring to DSST.

At DSST we define curiosity as seeking to learn more about ourselves, our community, and our world. For me, an important personal connection is to the natural world and the interconnectedness of our ecosystems. An organization that supports the connectedness of our ecosystems, and inspires curiosity to learn more about how we can protect the biodiversity of some of our key species is the Audubon Rockies, the local chapter of the National Audubon Society. Birds are important in many ways to our ecosystems, including pollinating wildflowers, dispersing seeds, providing natural pest control, and even preventing the spread of disease as scavengers.

Birds are also a simple visual reminder to pause and be curious about the world around us. The best nature documentary narrator ever, Sir David Attenborough said, “Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?"

I am proud that DSST will donate to this organization on my behalf. For more ideas on how you can be curious about birds in your area, or inspire students to learn more about birds, check out Cornell’s Ornithology Lab: The Celebrate Urban Birds Kit.