Riverside Forest School
At Riverside Forest School, we combine child-led exploration with Washington State Learning Standards to create meaningful, nature-based learning experiences for every child. Our curriculum centers equity, ensuring that children of all backgrounds receive personalized support in a welcoming, inclusive environment.
Riverside Forest School and our sister program, Greenwood Grove, are built on the belief that all children deserve a space where they feel safe to learn, explore, and be fully themselves — including queer and trans children, children of color, children with disabilities, and neurodivergent learners.
Riverside Forest School grew from the roots of Greenwood Grove, our licensed family child care program, where we witnessed firsthand how deeply children thrive when learning outdoors. Inspired by those early experiences, we set out to expand access to outdoor education for more children in our community.
Founded in late 2024, Riverside Forest School is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, led by a team of experienced facilitators who hold Early Childhood Education certificates or higher. Our mission is to help children lay the foundation for joyful living through inclusive, nature-based learning.
Through hands-on discovery, skilled guidance, and deep connection to the natural world, we help children grow into confident, compassionate individuals who know their worth and care for their community and environment.
Our Team
Cameo Bodey
Founder and Educator
Cameo is the founder and lead educator of Greenwood Grove and Riverside Forest School. She holds a Washington State Early Childhood Education Certificate with a specialization in outdoor learning, and brings several years of experience creating joyful, inclusive, nature-based learning environments where children feel seen, supported, and inspired.
Cameo’s teaching philosophy centers on whole-child development — engaging the mind, heart, and sense of self through hands-on discovery, mindfulness, and creativity. Her lessons are designed to help children build a deep sense of belonging, confidence, and curiosity about the world around them.
Before founding her programs, Cameo worked as an outdoor guide, kayak instructor, yoga teacher, and art gallery manager in places like Yosemite, Alaska, and the Ozarks. These diverse life experiences shape her adventurous, artful approach to education.
Outside the classroom, she can be found picking huckleberries, working on fiber arts, or wandering local trails.
Tara Hardman
Board Secretary and Educator
Tara Hardman brings over a decade of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and STEM educator to her role at Riverside Forest School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Education from Boise State University and a master’s in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Tara has co-taught Forest Fridays with Greenwood Grove for over a year, sharing her passion for inquiry-based, nature-connected learning. Her background includes middle and high school science education, instructional leadership, and community-based maker spaces, all rooted in a deep belief in equity, access, and hands-on exploration.
She is trained in restorative practices and brings a culturally responsive lens to all she does. Tara supports our mission to create inclusive, meaningful learning experiences.
Tara lives in Spokane with her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, fly fishing, reading, and discovering new hobbies — always eager to learn and grow alongside her students.
Nick Taylor
Board President
Nick Taylor is an Instructional Designer at Spokane Colleges, where he enjoys the mission-driven environment of the community college. He is passionate about open education and is continually exploring new systems and frameworks for supporting effective and equitable design. Nick enjoys the complex problems that his work provides and is constantly finding ways to stress his ability to create interesting and authentic learning experiences. In the past Nick has supported everything from textbook development to educational technology from early childhood education to medical schooling.
Outside of his role, Nick enjoys exploring the climbing spots around Spokane, and making music with his family. If he can’t be reached, he is most likely trying to complete home projects that reflect his hands-on approach to problem-solving and disdain for hardware stores.
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