For more than three decades, Harry Monroe was a familiar figure on the trails of Dallas ISD’s Environmental Education Center, inspiring students with an endless sense of wonder and connecting them with nature.
Now, after 51 years in education, more than 30 of those at the EEC, Monroe is retiring, leaving behind a legacy rooted in hands-on learning and a deep love for the environment.
“When I first came to Dallas ISD, there were learning centers across the district, class sizes were limited to 18, and teachers made home visits,” Monroe said. “It was about building a very personal relationship with your students and their families.”
Monroe started as an English teacher. He later followed his passion for science, teaching the subject to sixth graders.
Eventually, that path led him to the EEC. Monroe said he was reluctant at first, but everything changed the moment he led his first group of third graders down the center’s trails.
“At that moment, I realized, this is where I’m meant to be,” he said.
Nestled on 500 acres in Seagoville, the EEC is more than just a school field trip destination; it’s a living, breathing classroom. Students explore nature trails, conduct experiments in science labs, visit a fossil pavilion, and study the stars from an on-site observatory.
“I think that a city school district deserves to have an escape away from the skyline. It’s awesome that this little heaven exists within Dallas,” he said.
Monroe’s favorite program was limnology, the study of freshwater ecosystems.
“The biotic side, that’s the fun part,” he said. “Students put on chest waders, step into the pond beside me, and use nets to collect samples. You’d be surprised how many kids have never even touched a fish before.”
His connection to the outdoors runs deep. Raised in the small town of Kingfisher, Okla., Monroe grew up fishing, hunting, and exploring nature. That early love became a lifelong calling.
“One of the things I always tell my students is, ‘eventually, you’ll have to take care of this planet. And how can you protect something if you don’t understand it,’” he said.
Monroe is retiring due to a heart condition called transthyretin amyloidosis, or ATTR.
“I probably could’ve kept going, but I just can’t be the same person out here anymore,” he said.
Monroe’s impact is far-reaching. Many former students, now teachers at Dallas ISD, return with stories of their own time at the EEC. One of them, Sara Ramirez, works alongside him. Monroe taught here when she was in eighth grade.
“He’s a great teacher,” Ramirez said. “I feel like I’ve known him forever.”
With a warm laugh, he adds, “I consider myself the last of the dinosaurs.”
Monroe leaves behind a lasting legacy rooted in curiosity and exploration. He hopes the EEC will continue to thrive long after he’s gone because Monroe believes hands-on learning is the key to student success.
He paused before sharing a quote that sums up his teaching philosophy.
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand,” he said.
