provided to The Santiva Chronicle
The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island welcomed two new interns this month to assist with its WoW (Wildlife on Wheels) mobile classroom program for the 2025-2026 school year. Leslie Rebelo and Hadley VanLandingham will work with Urban Education Leader Melissa Maher teaching Title-1 students on visits to the Tice community and greater Lehigh Acres area within the Lee County School District.
Rebelo is originally from Michoacán, Mexico, but has been living in Iowa since age 11. She graduated from Iowa State University, Ames, in 2023 and last summer served through AmeriCorps as an environmental educator in east central Iowa. She holds a bachelor’s degree in animal ecology with emphasis in interpretation of natural resources.
“I already have had the opportunity to see the roseate spoonbill, and I’m hoping to see more bird species within the next months,” said Rebelo. “I am looking forward to connecting with youth and sharing my love for nature. Being an educational WoW intern seems like one of the best ways to reach out.”
Her internship is made possible by the SJK Educational Internship. Established in memory of SamSabrina Kaplan, it fully supports one WoW intern for the upcoming season.
“I am thankful to SamSabrina’s mother Nicki Turano and grandfather Vincent Turano for this opportunity, and I’m excited to share my knowledge with youth and teach conservation of wildlife,” she said. Her favorite spare-time activities include reading, bike-riding, and birding.
Betty Bishop WoW Education Intern VanLandingham grew up in Spokane, Wash. She most recently lived in Bellingham, Wash., where she completed her undergraduate degree in March at Western Washington University with a double major in environmental studies and Spanish, and minors in geography and honors interdisciplinary studies. She worked for the city of Bellingham’s Parks and Recreation, helping to run its weekly volunteer program.
“So far, my favorite thing about Sanibel is the infrastructure built in to make walking and biking super safe and accessible,” said VanLandingham. “I am really looking forward to exploring the island that way. I am also eager to get out and about with WoW. It will be great to be a part of the community in that way and make a difference.”
Her hobbies include guitar, reading, and solving Rubik’s cubes.
“I want to give a big thank you to Betty Bishop,” VanLandingham said. “I would not be here without her generosity, and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to work and live in such a special place and with such a special program.”
“Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) provides housing, living stipends, and other benefits for six to eight interns each year. Since Hurricane Ian destroyed onsite intern housing in 2022, DDWS has procured off-site housing with the intent to build onsite housing in the future.
“We welcome Hadley’s and Leslie’s energy and enthusiasm,” said Maher. “WoW has become one of the refuge’s most robust teaching tools, and it takes the input of our interns to help keep the curriculum and student interaction relevant and fresh.”
DDWS currently stewards six named internships for the 2025-2026 year and is accepting donations for future named intern funds at $21,500 for a nine-month internship, $27,000 for a year, which are the costs for supporting one intern including housing, stipends, travel, and other expenses. For information about supporting refuge internship programs, contact DDWS Executive Director Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-789-8991.
Leave a Comment