Bennoch, 38, joined the Peace Corps after college and spent two years in the Philippines, where he worked in large animal hus bandry. Bennoch is Fayetteville Public Schools' co-director of the Lake Fayetteville Environmental Study Center, a facility that operates as a partnership with the Fayetteville and Springdale school systems. It is located just south of the main curve along Lakeview Drive north of the lake, and the place has been where Bennoch has made his day job for eight years. The Environmental Study Center opened in 1974 as a joint operation to provide the two districts' students with outdoor science learning experiences. The operation is directed by Bennoch and Springdale co-director Lawanna Banning. "It was very forwardthinking for 1974," Bennoch said. A job opening at the center is rare, so Bennoch believes he is very fortunate to have gotten the job in 2001. He and Banning, who came to work there in 2004, both succeeded the district representatives that had operated the center continuously since it first opened. "There aren't many jobs like this," he said.
Philippines RPCV Kevin Bennoch is the co-director of the Lake Fayetteville Science Center
Ozark Profile : Bennoch promotes outdoor science at Lake Fayetteville
BY BRETT BENNETT Northwest Arkansas Times
Posted on Monday, March 2, 2009
Caption: Kevin Bennoch is the co-director of the Lake Fayetteville Science Center in Fayetteville. Bennoch teaches outdoor science to students from both Fayetteville and Springdale at the center. Photo: Anthony Reyes Northwest Arkansas Times
Kevin Bennoch's days of traveling the country and globe are not completely over, but for nine months of the year, he does maintain a steady job in Northwest Arkansas.
Bennoch is Fayetteville Public Schools' co-director of the Lake Fayetteville Environmental Study Center, a facility that operates as a partnership with the Fayetteville and Springdale school systems. It is located just south of the main curve along Lakeview Drive north of the lake, and the place has been where Bennoch has made his day job for eight years.
The Environmental Study Center opened in 1974 as a joint operation to provide the two districts' students with outdoor science learning experiences. The operation is directed by Bennoch and Springdale co-director Lawanna Banning.
"It was very forwardthinking for 1974," Bennoch said.
A job opening at the center is rare, so Bennoch believes he is very fortunate to have gotten the job in 2001. He and Banning, who came to work there in 2004, both succeeded the district representatives that had operated the center continuously since it first opened.
"There aren't many jobs like this," he said.
A native of Springfield, Mo., Bennoch attended Central Methodist University in Missouri after high school.
Bennoch said he did not come from a family of educators. His father was a doctor, and his mother was a hospital administrator.
"It just didn't fit me," he said.
He did earn a bachelor's degree in science education, he said, but he never actually earned a teaching certificate.
Bennoch, 38, joined the Peace Corps after college and spent two years in the Philippines, where he worked in large animal hus bandry.
After his time in the Peace Corps was up, Bennoch sought opportunities to play rugby, a game he had always enjoyed.
"I flew from the Philippines to New Zealand, where I played rugby," he said.
He later returned to Missouri and played a stint with the now-disbanded Colombian Outlaws rugby team, just holding down random jobs as he could.
After deciding it was time to end his days of playing rugby, Bennoch found a job at the Ozark Natural Science Center in Huntsville. He held the job for three years, and it helped provide him with experience in a science center prior to accepting his current position.
As part of his duties at the center, Bennoch helps provide science lessons to fifth grade students and 10th grade students from the two districts. Those grade levels visit the center annually for hands-on science learning in an outdoor environment.
"I like to turn kids on to the outdoors," Bennoch said. "I never had an interest to teach 'in' the classroom."
For the high school students, he will even take them out on the lake in the center's pontoon boat to get water samples.
"We do a lot of water quality testing," Bennoch said.
The visits to the center apparently make a vivid impression on some students, even though visits to the center are infrequent over a pupil's educational career in the districts.
Bennoch said, though, that he will frequently run into students around town and they will say, "Hey, aren't you the 'Lake Guy?'"
Bennoch said he also likes the recent trend to build outdoor classrooms and learning areas on public school grounds. An example would be the new outdoor classroom that opened this year at Washington Elementary School.
"I just think the more outdoor education opportunities they can provide, the better," he said "It's a great idea for all schools to have some sort of outdoor project or learning environment."
Even when not at work, Bennoch said he likes to spend as much of his free time as possible outdoors.
"I like to cycle," he said. "I like to play Frisbee golf."
He said he enjoys watching the Tour De France bicycle race on television.
During part of his summer time off in 2004, he visited France before the race and bicycled part of the route. It took him about twice as long to ride the route as most of the Tour De France riders.
In 2001, before he was married, Bennoch bicycled from Seattle to Northwest Arkansas during the summer. He said it took him about 26 days to complete the ride.
"I lucked out. I had the time," Bennoch said. "In the last year, I've done less long-distance riding and more riding around town."
He said he does like to ride his bike to work, but he does not do it every day. He and his wife, Leslie, have been married a year and a half and live in Fayetteville.
During his off time, Bennoch said he also likes to spend time a country property he owns near West Fork.
Besides his outdoor activities, Bennoch also sings music in a band and as a solo artist. He regularly plays guitar at the Pesto Cafe in Fayetteville.
"Every Thursday night for the last eight years, I play guitar and sing," he said. "I start at 7, go until around 10."
