Mike Dondorfer
Rochester,NY
Summary
Passionate about youth development and dedicated to designing and delivering engaging nature- and play-based learning activities. Committed to empowering young individuals by equipping them with necessary skills and values for future success and productivity. Several years of experience in this field, driven to support youth in their personal growth and development journey.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Lead Learning Guide Instructor
Earthworks Center for Youth
03.2024 - Current
- Motivated students towards gaining an appreciation for nature through a mixture of structured and unstructured programs.
- Designed and implemented forest school curriculum during the Fall, Spring, and Winter.
- Planned, organized, and delivered activities for Earthwork's Summer Camp for youth ages 5-15.
- Assisted various in-school nature-based learning efforts in the RCSD, such as leading groups during field studies, pushing in to after-school programs, and guiding youth in social-emotional learning activities.
- Collaborated with other Earthworks and Center for Youth staff in the creation and delivery of an after-school program at School #45.
- Created a variety of marketing materials and assisted in managing the organization's social media accounts.
- Various tasks as required by the program manager.
Teaching Host
Strong Museum of Play
02.2022 - 02.2024
- Delivered lesson plans to classes visiting the museum on a range of topics from the history of play, to early economics, to butterfly life cycles.
- Helped design new lessons to keep in line with the development of museum exhibits.
- Led guest service efforts in the new Level Up exhibit, working closely with the Exhibits and Guest Services teams to generate and implement new ideas for the new exhibit, accommodating 100s of guests per day.
Member
AmeriCorps VISTA - Rochester Youth Year
08.2019 - 08.2020
- Company Overview: Cooperative Extension seeks to enable people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work and extend knowledge to the public
- Served as liaison between 4-H program and partners to build the organizations capacity to work alongside underserved youth in the City of Rochester
- Created training sessions, networked, and managed volunteers
- Developed distance-learning programs and video series in response to the COVID epidemic
- Cooperative Extension seeks to enable people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work and extend knowledge to the public
Team Leader
Learning and Exploring at Play
09.2016 - 04.2019
- Company Overview: LEAP engages undergraduates in helping kindergarten through fourth grade students develop the language, literacy, math, and social skills necessary to succeed in school
- Responsible for working personally with students from the Rochester City School District in order to develop math, english, science, and social skills
- Collaborated with other undergraduate tutors and designed play-based lessons to help partner children hone the aforementioned skills
- Supervised 6-10 staff in 1:1 staff to student play-based activities
- LEAP engages undergraduates in helping kindergarten through fourth grade students develop the language, literacy, math, and social skills necessary to succeed in school
Intern
Verona Street Animal Shelter
07.2015 - 08.2015
- Participated in a summer employment program through RochesterWorks! and was placed at Rochester Animal Society on Verona Street.
- Carried out a variety of clerical tasks including assisting guests upon visiting the shelter, organizing visitations, and providing support to the shelter's veterinarian.
ZooTeen Volunteer
Seneca Park Zoo
06.2011 - 08.2015
- Managed stations that promote topics such as ecology, zoology, and conservation
- Cooperated with other volunteers to engage visitors in educational programs
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Environmental Studies
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY05-2019
Skills
- Data-driven decision making
- Project-based learning
- Teaching strategies
- Activity-based learning
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Lesson planning
- Positive Youth Development
- Child development
- Adaptable nature
- Google Suite
Timeline
Lead Learning Guide Instructor
Earthworks Center for Youth
03.2024 - Current
Teaching Host
Strong Museum of Play
02.2022 - 02.2024
Member
AmeriCorps VISTA - Rochester Youth Year
08.2019 - 08.2020
Team Leader
Learning and Exploring at Play
09.2016 - 04.2019
Intern
Verona Street Animal Shelter
07.2015 - 08.2015
ZooTeen Volunteer
Seneca Park Zoo
06.2011 - 08.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Environmental Studies
University of Rochester
Similar Profiles
Alizea RobertsonAlizea Robertson
Volunteer Players at Players Youth For Youth CenterVolunteer Players at Players Youth For Youth Center
Ghada TahaGhada Taha
Procurement Coordinator at Local Youth Center, Ministry of Sports and Youth, Pearling Season International SchoolProcurement Coordinator at Local Youth Center, Ministry of Sports and Youth, Pearling Season International School
Donny PasseyDonny Passey
General Forman at Laser Undergroud EarthworksGeneral Forman at Laser Undergroud Earthworks