Discovery Hall @ DISL

All of our residential summer camps and courses rely on the dedication and hard work of not only the full-time Sea Lab staff, but also our summer counselors. Many of our counselors come back year after year, looking forward to summers on Dauphin Island as their own vacation, of sorts. They truly love the time spent with campers, and consider them their extended family while here. Please take a moment to get to know our exceptional counselors, without whom our programs would not be the same.

Marty Dunn
Marty has been a counselor at DISL for over ten years. During the school year, he teaches 5th grade students at Hillcrest Elementary in Enterprise, AL. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from St. Mary’s University of Texas, Master’s degrees in Personnel Management and Elementary Education, and certification as a School Counselor from Troy University. The U.S. Army, with assignments around the world, was his home for twenty years. Marty is married, with four children and ten grandchildren.

Philip Cosper
Philip is from Sylacauga, AL. He has been coming to the Sea Lab for the past 7 years for workshops, as well as to work as a counselor for the Gulf Island Journey and Barrier Island Explorer camps. He is a National Board Certified Science teacher and teaches 7th grade Science. He loves the outdoors and animals, and is always ready to teach young scientists about the world around them. He loves DISL, and has had some of his greatest adventures there. Philip is also very tall, at 6’10, and is called the Great Blue Heron at the Sea Lab, so we know you won’t miss him!

Bonnie Glaze
Bonnie has degrees in both biology and English from Huntingdon College, Montgomery. She teaches middle school biology, and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an honorary teachers’ fraternity. Bonnie loves her career, and loves learning new things about her students and science. She has received the Teacher of the Year award and Alabama Power’s Educator of the Month award. Bonnie has loved marine biology since she was a child, and has been working as a counselor at DISL for seven years.

Rick Harding
Rick has been a counselor with the Discovery Hall Programs for the past seven years. He graduated from Auburn University, and has two Master’s degrees. As a teacher of thirty-five years, he prefers American History, government, and economics. He has been married for 30+ years, and has three daughters. Rick and his wife enjoy camping and riding their Harley around the countryside. This past summer, they took a trip to Sturgis, SD, rode the Blackhills, and visited Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Devil’s Tower. Rick is hoping to retire in a few years, and would like to visit the major Civil War sites and travel down Route 66.

Kim Toney
Kim has been a counselor at DISL since 2006, and has also been involved with many Sea Lab events throughout the years. She helped initiate the DISL-Orphanage Emmanuel (OE) shoe recycling project, which has sent close to 3,000 pairs of donated DISL shoes to Honduras. Kim taught SCUBA and canoeing at Auburn University, and is secretary to the Board of Directors for the AL Dance Council. She has a B.S. in Accounting from Auburn University, celebrates 30 years of marriage this October, and has three children. Kim’s hobbies include kayaking, reading, and spending time on the beach!

Jessica Hewitt
Jessica attended the University of Alabama, receiving her B.S. with concentration on Marine Science and Biology, taking some courses at DISL. After graduating, she was an intern at Dolphin Quest Oahu in marine mammal training and care. She then returned to Alabama to further her career in the environmental education field as an educator at Camp McDowell Environmental Center. Jessica is now an instructor at the Catalina Island Marine Institute in California. This will be her third summer to return as a counselor for the Discovery Hall Programs.

Amanda Pickens
Amanda is a ninth grade biology teacher at Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham, Alabama. She coaches varsity and junior varsity cross country and track. One of her favorite things to do is travel, whether it be going to Costa Rica to tag sea turtles, to China for fun, or to Austria with People to People. Amanda has been married for 3 years and has two dogs. Her favorite animals are sea turtles and elephants. Amanda is a huge Alabama and Red Sox fan. This will be her 6th summer as a counselor at DISL.

Rissa Stephens
Rissa teaches sixth grade Earth Science at Emma Sansom Middle School in Gadsden, AL. She will complete her Education Specialist degree from the University of Alabama this May. She has been a counselor at the Sea Lab for seven summers, and also brings her class for field trips during the academic year. Rissa enjoys outdoor activities, reading, and her four grandchildren, ages 3 and under.

Elaine Piazza
Elaine has been a teacher for Gadsden City Schools for over 30 years, and currently serves as a guidance counselor for the elementary schools. She received her B.S. and M.S. in physical education from Jacksonville State University, and has her Education Specialist degree in Guidance. Elaine enjoys birding, gardening, traveling, and reading, and being a DISL counselor is on her “Bucket List.” This will be her third summer as a counselor with us.

Nikki Cosper
Nikki was born and raised in Mountain View, CA, and moved to Sylacauga, AL in 2005. She received a B.A. degree in Natural Science at San Jose State University, and a Masters in Education from the University of Montevallo. In addition to teaching 6th grade, she is a voracious reader of books of all kinds, and is an avid horsewoman, specializing in dressage and jumping. Nikki loves marine science, and has enjoyed being a part of Dauphin Island Sea Lab, either participating in classes, camps or visiting, since 2006.

Emily Venglarik
Emily joined us this past summer as a counselor for the Barrier Island Explorer and Gulf Island Journey camps. She is from Birmingham, AL, and has also lived in Rochester Hills, MI. She recently received her B.S. in General Science Education, and is planning on being a science teacher for grades 6-12. Emily is currently a long term substitute at Opelika Middle School for a sixth grade earth and space science class. Being a camp counselor at Camp McDowell, and experiences through Auburn’s college of education, has taught her a lot about the development and different learning styles of students.

Patton Williams
Patton is a student at the University of Alabama, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biology Education. This will be his second year with Dauphin Island Sea Lab's summer camps. He was also a camper at DISL's summer programs in 2003 and 2004. Outside of classes, Patton has helped coach Tuscaloosa Academy's track teams since 2007. He is looking forward to spending another great summer on Dauphin Island, and having a great time with DISL's summer programs!

Danielle Boyd
Danielle has been coming to the Sea Lab since middle school. She attended both Gulf Island Journey and the High School Marine Science course. Danie has an Associate’s Degree from Motlow State Community College, and will attend Middle Tennessee State University in the fall. She has been a counselor for the Girl Scouts at Camp Sycamore, and also a lifeguard and canoe instructor. This will be her second summer as a counselor for the Discovery Hall Programs. Danie loves coming to DISL, and plans on incorporating marine biology into her teaching career.