Vanessa is an easygoing educator with over three years of experience supporting students through the BC high school curriculum. She’s passionate about student-led and experiential learning, always encouraging students to think outside the box and take ownership of their education. Vanessa believes in balancing fun with academics to create an engaging and dynamic learning environment.

Vanessa currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and is currently completing her Bachelor of Education with teachables in Biology, General Science, and Social Studies, her main goal is to ensure students have fun while learning and grow into confident, independent thinkers.

Vanessa loves tea, volunteering, spending time outdoors, hanging out with family & friends and learning.

For the past 20 years, Marlo has worked with teens, beginning in foster homes for at-risk youth. While not his primary career, his experience in social services and later as a care aide has given him a deep understanding of the unique challenges young people face. Although he pursued teacher’s assistant training, he found traditional school systems too rigid and not always suitable for addressing the needs of students.

 Over the years, Marlo has had the opportunity to work one-on-one with youth, helping them build life skills, develop a sense of community, and find their place in the world. His passion lies in empowering young people to overcome obstacles, create connections, and discover their strengths as they move toward a brighter future.

A homeschooling veteran of 20+ years, Erika has a love for life learning and all the messiness that comes with it. Originally a homeschooling mom Erika returned to university in 2011 to get her B.Ed so that she could work as a home education support teacher, later continuing on to finish a BA. Erika is constantly curious, and this has led her to experiment with a variety of roles in education, including curriculum writing, classroom teaching, online teaching, and working in inclusive education.

 Most recently, Erika began working towards her certification as a Career Development Practitioner, with a focus on helping youth and adults overcome barriers to achieve meaningful employment and career goals.

 Having a house full of neurodiverse people has allowed Erika to see the wonder and beauty in the different brains in our world and how we can use our superpowers to do amazing things.

Erika is insanely proud of her four children, who all grew up and moved out to become concept artists and education assistants and joiners and archeologists in training. She has filled the empty spaces in her house with animals. 

 Erika loves to help young people see the abilities in themselves and work towards their goals. She is incredibly excited to be part of the Open Air team this year.

Briar is an early childhood educator with a BA in Child and Youth Care, who has been working with children, youth, and families for nearly fifteen years. She is passionate about supporting young people in ways that are holistic and responsive to their individual needs, and she’s a firm believer in experiential, hands-on learning. For Briar, the most powerful learning happens when children and youth are invited to co-create their own experience—when they have voice, agency, and a sense of ownership in the process.

One of the ways she brings this philosophy to life is through tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), particularly Dungeons & Dragons. Far more than just a game, TTRPGs offer a rich platform for developing real-world skills—like literacy, numeracy, collaboration, communication, conflict resolution, and critical thinking—all through immersive storytelling and imaginative play. Whether navigating fantastical quests or solving in-game challenges, youth have a chance to explore identity, build confidence, and experience the joy of collective problem-solving in a way that feels meaningful and fun.

When Briar isn’t working with families in the community, she’s usually playing TTRPGs, indulging in creative hobbies, or walking her dog!

Rylin is an adventurous girl who enjoys working with kids and being outside. Her skill set is diverse, ranging from horse vaulting to co-owning a small business. Her involvement in her vaulting club has taught her how to work hard to achieve her goals. As an entrepreneur, she has learned time management and communication skills. When this busy high schooler is not crocheting for her small business or vaulting, Rylin likes to play with and train with her dog, Bruce. Rylin is currently learning American Sign Language and dreams of working as a special education teacher one day. At the moment she is working for her vaulting coach as a barn hand and has also recently started coaching the newer vaulters, alongside working at Open Air Learning.

Ethan is a motivated and enthusiastic Grade 11 work experience student with a passion for staying active and exploring new challenges. His background in competitive figure skating has instilled discipline and perseverance, and he has recently expanded his athletic pursuits to include rowing. When he’s not on the ice or the water, he can be found mountain biking or dirt biking, embracing the thrill of outdoor adventure.

Beyond sports, Ethan has a creative side, with a keen interest in building design. He enjoys drafting house blueprints just for fun. He is also an avid traveler who loves experiencing new places, diverse cultures, and different cuisines. This love for food has sparked an interest in cooking, and he enjoys experimenting with recipes from around the world.

In his downtime, Ethan enjoys spending time with his dog, Charlie, who is always by his side for walks and adventures. His diverse interests and adventurous spirit make him a dynamic and engaged member of our team.