532 Spring 2015.pdf

Alumna's Adventurous Spirit Takes Her
Around the World
Alumna Maya Higgins has experienced a decade’s worth
of adventure since graduating from Sandia Prep in 2006. A
self-styled globetrotter, Higgins makes her living educating
students about the world’s biological and cultural ecology from
her own experienced perspective. During the school year, she
works with a nonprofit known as NatureBridge, where she is
responsible for developing and teaching an environmental
science curriculum that allows students to experience science
first-hand on the trail. In the summers, she helps lead National
Geographic Student Expeditions to international locales such
as Vietnam and Belize, where students take part in service
learning and conservation education.
Higgins’ transformation into the confident cosmopolitan leader
that she is today did not happen overnight, however. She vividly
recalls a class hiking trip through El Malpais during 7th grade
(her first year at Sandia Prep) as one of many experiences that
solidified her love for the outdoors. In particular, a night hike
with her classmates and Middle School science teacher Mr.
Hanley impressed upon her: “I was terrified and also felt so
alive. That experience was really transformative for me and it
sparked my interest in camping and being outdoors.”
While at Sandia Prep, Higgins took every science class she
could in preparation for a career in the field. She attributes her
interest in the subject to Prep’s amazing science department,
fondly recalling time spent working with fruit flies alongside
Mr. Polansky, scouting for wildlife off the Rio Grande with Mr.
Buxbaum, and tinkering with projects as part of Mr. Suding’s
classes: “All of those classes and moments increased my
interest in a science career. I have always been someone who
was interested in a lot of things and wanted to mesh several
careers into one.”
That desire is part of the reason that, following her graduation
from Scripps College in 2010 with an honors degree in
Organismal Biology and Ecology, Higgins left the States
for a one-year sabbatical as a Thomas J. Watson fellow. The
competitive fellowship, which awarded her a grant to study
the effects of ecotourism on island biodiversity and cultures,
gave her an unprecedented opportunity to travel the world in
pursuit of her emerging passion.
Higgins traveled to dozens of locales, including the Galapagos
Islands, New Zealand, Micronesia, Palau, and Madagascar. She
organized her own home stays, immersed herself in foreign
culture, and went scuba diving alongside whale sharks. “[The
journey] completely changed my own perception of the ocean,
of the world, and most importantly, of my own capabilities. I
learned to embrace failure, to be fearless of making mistakes,
and to put myself out there.”
Higgins had to learn a number of languages in order to
communicate across cultural barriers over the course of that
year. She picked up Malagasy, Yapese, and Spanish during her
time abroad. Higgins said the task of learning these languages
was made much less daunting by her exposure to French
during her time at Prep. “[French teacher] Mr. McJimsey really
motivated me to learn as much about the language as possible
and also made me feel comfortable making mistakes and
speaking, even when I knew that it wasn’t going to be perfect.
That fearlessness is so essential when learning a new language.”
Following the Watson fellowship, Higgins became a Fulbright
scholar and spent another year overseas teaching in Thailand.
While in Southeast Asia, she developed a passion for cooking,
sharing, and — of course — eating food with others. “In
Thailand, instead of asking ‘How are you?,’ the first question
you often ask someone is ‘Have you eaten yet?’ I’ve definitely
taken this motto to heart.”
After two and a half years spent mostly living abroad, Higgins
returned to the United States and ultimately began work at
NatureBridge, where she has been an educator since January
of 2014. Her job combines her passion for teaching with her
love for adventure, and her days are anything but predictable:
“My days vary so much depending on many uncontrollable
factors like weather, wildlife, and group abilities. Often,
lessons don’t go according to plan because the wind will pick
up unexpectedly and blow all of my cards away, or a whale will
appear offshore while the group is having a serious discussion…
When these interruptions happen, I have to just laugh about
them and go with the flow.”
Higgins’ parents still live in the Albuquerque house where
she grew up. During her visits home, Higgins makes a point
to reconnect with Mr. Polansky. She considers Mr. Polansky
and his wife “second parents” due to their encouragement
and support throughout high school and college. Higgins, a
Lion, spent five years playing on Prep's girls soccer team and is
still friends with a couple of her teammates. “I think that my
experience at Prep — taking so many challenging classes while
playing soccer — taught me how to manage my time, push
myself, and work with others to succeed.”
So what’s next for Maya? Besides a planned return to Thailand
to lead a National Geographic Student Expedition this summer,
Higgins is planning a dogsledding trip to Canada with her
father. It's a far cry from the tropics and the west coast, but a
challenge she’s both nervous about and excited for: “I had a
good friend tell me once, ‘If you aren’t nervous or scared about
what’s coming next, you aren’t challenging yourself enough.’
I’ve kind of taken that quote to heart throughout my life. I like
to push myself and grow and try new things constantly.”
- Justin Brough