Jackie Kondel

Jackie Kondel is the director of children’s education at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, NJ. During the ten years she has held this position, over 10,000 students have participated in the “Hands to Nature” program for children ages three and up. Each year, Garden Club of Madison funds  eld trips for students from Newark, NJ, who otherwise might not be exposed to natural habitats. To prepare students, Kondel travels to the Newark schools beforehand to describe their upcoming Reeves adventure. When they arrive at the arboretum, she guides them in hands-on activities to teach appreciation of nature. She also develops all children’s activities for special events such as Daffodil Day and Celebrate Fall. She now has a staff of three to help support these very popular programs.