Resume Highlights:
- Grosse Pointe South High School, Class of 2020
- Detroit River Schooner Program, July 2021 (featured presentation on river wildlife by DNR-OAC educators)
- Detroit River Boat-Building Workshop, August 2021 (included meet & greet with live sturgeons and lampreys by OAC educator Natalie Cypher)
- River Pathways Workshop, November 2022 (featured presentation by Michigan DNR Chief Ronald Olson)
- Instructor Apprentice, Detroit River Boat Building Workshops, July 2022 (featured marine life activities with OAC educator Katie Gillies)
- Adventure Guide, DNR Outdoor Adventure Center, 2023 –
- Wayne County Community College, AAS in Cybersecurity, 2022
- Wayne State University, BS in Cybersecurity and Computer Information Systems expected 2026
Kai’s Story:
I had been involved with the Healthy Kidz program as a kid, and they brought us out on the schooner. As I got older, I became a supervisor with Healthy Kidz, and we would go out to clean parks, beaches, and get education on things related to nature. We also went up north to assist the firefighters on controlled burns. After that, I was invited to be an instructor on the boat-building program—first with kids I’d known for a long time, and then with Green Door Initiative, learning how to teach strangers—how to run icebreakers, how to keep their attention. That’s how I eventually found out about the OAC job.
One thing I loved about the river programming was the educators and experts who came to talk to us, like the Detroit historian, Jamon Jordan, who told great stories, and a woman on the Detroit environmental committee who was one of the people responsible for putting the permeable layer of concrete in front of the Wright Museum to prevent floods.
I started at OAC as a floor host, got certified as an archery instructor, a summer camp counselor, and am now a member of the education team. We work with a lot of schools, summer camps, and other programs. I get to teach nature skills, like identifying native vegetation; water-related education, like learning about PH and ammonia levels and how that affects the ecosystem; and destigmatizing animals—like getting kids comfortable with snakes.
Words of Wisdom:
There’s a lot of opportunities around, whether it’s at OAC or at the State Parks or on the Michigan DNR website. You just need to put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to take volunteer positions. And don’t be afraid to talk to people, because a lot of people in this field are really helpful and willing to take you under their wing and teach you the ropes.
Photo Gallery:
A true Detroit River Champion, Kai has consistently put himself out there, bringing his resourcefulness, curiosity, and leadership skills to multiple river education projects over several years, as documented in the photos below.
