Out of the Classroom: Into the Outdoors
August 06, 2016
By : Inspired Woman Magazine

by Renae Hoffmann Walker

Photography: Photos by Jacy

A way to stay busy, time outdoors, and a chance to earn extra income— these are some reasons teachers work outside of the classroom during the summer.

Brad Leingang and Brieanne Schmidt have found their summer callings in jobs that involve people and nature. Brad’s job as a Park Ranger at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park in Mandan revolves more around landscape, while Bree works with animals at the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck.

Brad LeingangBRAD LEINGANG

Brad is a social studies teacher and coaches football and track at Bismarck High. He teaches summer school in the morning and works at Fort Lincoln three days a week “to stay young and keep in shape” and because the job is anything but routine. During the week Brad does maintenance, weed whacking, tree pruning, and collects fees at the entrance station. Closer to the weekend, he helps with visitor services and park rule enforcement.

“One summer, a brother attacked another with a roofing hammer. A few years ago I caught someone driving through the park with an open container; the guy was pretty hostile,” says Brad. “We also inform visitors that Fort Lincoln is a no fly zone for drones.”

As a Mandan native and social studies teacher Brad loves the park’s history.

“I uncovered a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) pathway about six years ago. I noticed some sandstone and removed the sod revealing work that was done about 80 years ago. I also found the 1860 Brass Officer Shoulder Scales that officers wore; they are currently on display in the museum.”

Brad enjoys seeing current and former students, parents, and co-workers come through Fort Lincoln. He also works alongside some students and school employees and is known as a practical jokester. When he is not working, Brad takes his wife and kids to popular North Dakota destinations. He starts his 16th year with Bismarck Public Schools later this month. He will work at Fort Lincoln through Labor Day and loves to help at the Haunted Fort in October.

Bre SchmidtBRIEANNE SCHMIDT

Brieanne is a school psychologist for Bismarck Public Schools. She works at Miller and Murphy Elementary Schools, as well as St. Mary’s Grade School, and Shiloh Christian School.

Bree was born and raised in Bismarck; she attended Riverside and Moses Elementary Schools, Wachter Middle School, and St. Mary’s Central High School. When a friend told her about a job at Dakota Zoo, she says, “It put my two passions together—kids and animals—so I couldn’t pass it up!”

During her interview, when asked why she wanted to work at the zoo, Bree said everyone from Bismarck knows what a great place it is. She started in the admissions area and gift shop and within two weeks was asked if she was interested in working in the education department. Bree says she loves all three of her roles at the zoo.

“In admissions, it’s fun to see how excited people are to come to the zoo. I see other school employees come through, as well as students. In the gift shop, children are excited when they get to pick out a stuffed animal. If we have that animal at the zoo, I tell the child its name,” says Bree. “In the edu- cation department, I supervised a five-day junior zookeeper camp and really got to know the participants, as well as the middle school students who work as Junior Docents and high school students who are part of the Zoo Crew.”

Bree says she loves learning new things about the zoo from the experienced zookeepers. She likes the behind the scenes work and handling small animals like domestic rabbits and hedgehogs. Bree says Dakota Zoo is working hard to bring in new exhibits and hopes by 2020 that they can raise enough money for red pandas, penguins, and meerkats.

Bree says she will probably stay on at Dakota Zoo through the winter because it’s only open weekends. In the meantime, she is busy with her two dogs, a cat, a fish, and a bird—most of which are rescue animals. Bree will start her 7th year with Bismarck Public Schools this fall and is engaged to be married in September 2017, so she’s hoping to work at the zoo again next summer to help with wedding expenses.

To see more photos of Brad and Bree working their summer jobs, click on their names below:

Brad at Ft. Lincoln

Bree at Dakota Zoo


Renae Hoffmann Walker

Renae Hoffmann Walker has worked for Bismarck Public Schools since November 1988. As the Community Relations Director her summer job is very similar to her job during the school year! She and her husband Dwayne are river rats, empty nesters, and seasoned travelers.

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