Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Honors Outgoing Director of Education, Kim Botelho, and Welcomes New Education Coordinator, Camden Palm

Kelly Bernatzky • April 20, 2021

With profound gratitude and appreciation, the Maria Mitchell Association announces the departure of Kim Botelho, Director of Education.


The MMA has been extremely fortunate to have Botelho’s leadership, passion for education, and dedication to scientific learning. During her seven year tenure, and under her leadership as Director of Education, the Nantucket Science Festival has grown to be the largest off season event on the island with many incredible partner organizations; the Maria Mitchell Giving Garden has helped provide fresh produce to the Nantucket Food Pantry; the Summer Discovery programs have received a number of awards and now reach over 600 children each summer; and the MMA’s 5th Grade Trees in the Community Program has given out over 1,200 native trees with the help of our community partner, Annie Mendelsohn. Since the fall, Botelho has been teaching monthly STEM lessons with Nantucket Elementary School’s Kindergarten classrooms. Over the years, Botelho has also led and served as a mentor to nearly 100 interns through our environmental education internship program. When reflecting on this experience, she shares that, “Having the opportunity to pass on my knowledge, experience, and passion for the natural world to the next generation of environmental educators and science teachers fills my soul with joy and gratitude.”


Beyond our island, Botelho has served on the boards of the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society, the New England Environmental Education Alliance, as the partner representative for the National Informal STEM Education Network, and as a state affiliate representative for the North American Association of Environmental Education. In these roles, she was able to provide teacher professional development opportunities for hundreds of teachers across the Commonwealth and across the country. 

The MMA is grateful to Botelho and her dedication to sharing our mission. Botelho shares, “It has been one of the great honors of my life to represent Maria Mitchell, a truly, amazing woman whose convictions for science, learning by doing, and equal rights and opportunities for all resonate within myself. The educational initiatives and community partnerships I have been a part of over the years have been some of the most rewarding of my career. I hope Maria Mitchell would be proud of the work I have endeavored to do in her name. Before I leave, I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of the camp families, community partners, students, teachers, and coworkers who have helped make my time here so meaningful. I hope our paths continue to cross in the future.”

Next month, the MMA will officially welcome Camden Palm as its new Education Coordinator. Palm was born and raised in Southern California, and found a love for environmental education on an 8th grade field trip to Yosemite National Park. After spending many summers in New Hampshire and Connecticut, she is excited to be back working and exploring the New England ecosystems.

 

Her passion for environmental education was cultivated while attending the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) where she studied Environmental Studies and Statistics. During her time at UCSB, she volunteered with an environmental education organization teaching local students environmental stewardship and sustainability curriculum. After graduating, she worked as an Instructor and Assistant Director for the Catalina Environmental Leadership Program on Catalina Island, located off the coast of Los Angeles. Similar to the programs at the Maria Mitchell Association, this program promotes a passion for science and sustainability through land and sea exploration. Taking her experience from one island ecosystem to the next, she is excited to continue connecting students, participants, and campers to the natural world.


Palm will be leading the MMA’s summer programming, including the popular Discovery Camps, overseeing the 2021 Education Internship Program, mentoring this year’s Education Interns, and continuing the MMA’s school year STEM programming in partnership with Nantucket schools.

The Maria Mitchell Association is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.

For Immediate Release

April 19 2021

Contact: Kelly Bernatzky, MMA Development Associate

kbernatzky@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

PEACE

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • January 5, 2026
As Walt Whitman once wrote, “Peace is always beautiful.” Peace can mean many different things. I have used this Whitman quote above before – my Father loved Whitman. And when I quote Whitman, it makes me feel like my Father is here. Maria and her father, William, were close. In fact, even with a large family of twelve people, the Mitchells were all close. My family is close as well, though we have our moments as most, if not all, families do. As we bring to a close another difficult year in which the world and its people continue to struggle, take a moment to be thankful and to find and give peace. May you always find peace in yourself and peace with others. May our world become more peaceful and may we all learn that this small space we inhabit is shared and meant for everyone. In the echoes of one of my favorite Maria Mitchell quotes, your small step, your small gesture to another or towards helping something happen, can make a difference – more than you think. I’ll end with another quote – and a poem I have used the last few years – that is fitting and that also reminds me of another Whitman poem. JNLF In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells] Alfred, Lord Tennyson - 1809-1892  Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out a slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Ring out the want, the care, the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good. Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.

Keep Calm and Bird On: January 2026

January 1, 2026
“If you don’t look, you don’t see. You have to go and look.” -Edith Andrews

Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Announces Strategic Property Acquisition and Appointment of Workshop/APD

December 30, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA—The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is pleased to announce two significant milestones in its ongoing Capital Campaign: the acquisition of three properties adjacent to its historic campus, and the appointment of Workshop/APD as the architectural firm leading the design of its future facilities. After more than two years of discussion and planning, the MMA has acquired the Noyes family property, which includes 27 and 25R Washington Street and 10 Coffin Street, for $2.5 million. This acquisition secures critical land and housing that will play a vital role in advancing the Association’s long-term campus plan and mission-driven growth. “This is a game-changing moment for the Maria Mitchell Association and for Nantucket,” said Joanna Roche, Executive Director, Maria Mitchell Association. “The acquisition allows us to thoughtfully expand our campus while deepening our ability to serve the community through science, history, and education.” The acquisition also carries deep historical significance. The Noyes family’s relationship with the Maria Mitchell Association dates to the 1980s, when Robert Noyes served as President of the Board and volunteered extensively on behalf of the organization. The partnership represents a meaningful legacy and a full-circle moment for both the family and the Association. In addition, the Maria Mitchell Association has selected Andrew Kotchen, Michael Luft-Weissberg and the Workshop/APD team to serve as architects for the project. Workshop/APD is a nationally recognized architecture firm with more than 25 years of experience working on Nantucket. Known for its thoughtful, context-sensitive design, the firm brings a deep understanding of the island’s architectural heritage and environmental landscape. “I am truly excited to create this lasting legacy to Maria Mitchell and to this community,” said Andrew Kotchen, founding principal of Workshop/APD. “This project offers a unique opportunity to provide a view into the nature and science of this island while honoring its history and sense of place.” With the property acquisition complete and Workshop/APD in place, the Maria Mitchell Association is prepared to advance into the next phase of the project. Engineering will be led by Nantucket Surveyors, construction oversight by Board Vice President John Wise, and architectural design by Workshop/APD. Over the coming months, the MMA will finalize campus plans incorporating the newly acquired properties, complete updated surveys, and begin the permitting process. Founded in 1902, the Maria Mitchell Association is dedicated to the legacy of astronomer Maria Mitchell Founded in 1902, the Maria Mitchell Association is dedicated to the legacy of astronomer Maria Mitchell through education, research, and preservation in astronomy, natural sciences, and history. The Association’s programs serve thousands of learners annually and inspire curiosity, scientific inquiry, and stewardship of Nantucket’s unique environment. For more information about the Capital Campaign and the future of the Maria Mitchell Association, visit www.mariamitchell.org . ###
Show More