Who We Are
Starshine brings the magic of nature alive through outdoor adventures for kids & adults
~ and ~
is dedicated to empowering kids
to shine their inner selves
Owner & Director
Jennie Sharp
Local Naturalist and educator, Jennie Sharp, has been leading outdoor adventures for kids and adults since 2008. With ten years living her husband and two kiddos in Central Oregon, she's acquired a wealth of local knowledge she loves to share. Jennie is passionate about both, the natural world and performing arts. She is dedicated to providing opportunities to have fun while expanding imaginations, curiosity of the natural world, and performing arts skills.
She started Starshine in 2019 to offer summer camp offerings for local kids. Since then, Starshine has grown to offer programs not only for local kids, but also for kids and adults visiting Central Oregon from around the world.
Jennie received a bachelors degree from UC Berkeley in Art History with a minor in Forestry in 2005. She earned a teaching license in 2007 from University of San Diego, and a Masters of Science in Leadership for Sustainability Education from Portland State University in 2012.
Jennie, has had a variety of roles in education, from teaching outdoor field science; to teaching core subjects like language arts and social studies in Oregon schools; to guiding hikes for kids and adults in Yosemite National Park.
Since 2015, Jennie has taught Performing Arts teacher at the Black Butte School in Camp Sherman. She directs Black Butte School's annual winter performance, creating memorable and timeless experiences for the performers and their adoring audiences. Click here to read press about Black Butte School performing arts.
Guide
Liz Flage
Born and raised in San Diego, Liz grew up taking in the beauty of southern California all the while feeling a yearning for the forests and seasons of the PNW. Developing a passion for animals from a young age, she spent any free time at the local aquariums, zoos, and tide pools, cementing an identity as that excitable kid who will gladly ramble off endless random animal facts!
Liz earned bachelors degrees in Environmental Biology and Developmental Psychology from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Ca. It was during a semester abroad program in the jungles of Belize that Liz's passion for animal diversity merged with a deep-seated call to environmental stewardship and education.
Upon graduation, she moved to the redwood forests of Santa Cruz to work as a Naturalist, leading 6th grade campers to a greater familiarity with and appreciation of the natural world around them. Childhood dreams came true when Liz was hired on at SeaWorld San Diego, caring for dozens of marine species and working with the Rescue & Rehabilitation team to care for beached and injured animals while educating the public on human impacts of coastal environments.
Liz and her daughter made Sisters their new home in 2022, fully embracing the beauty of Central Oregon's seasons and wilderness. When not teaching throughout Central Oregon school districts, you can find Liz climbing, reading, or obsessing over her beloved San Diego Padres. Throughout her fifteen-plus years of experience as an animal care specialist and educator, Liz's original childhood zeal for our natural world has remained an energizing force in all she does and is a passion she hopes to pass on to the participants of Starshine programs!
Guide
Allison Lutz
Allison has always felt most at home in the natural world, but what ignited her spark for natural history and environmental education was a year spent in the North Cascades National Park as a young adult. This rugged and wild place inspired her writing and art and she dove into a deep study of its unique ecosystems. She was eager to share all that she was learning about its plants, animals, and landscapes with anyone who wanted to learn.
She started her path as an educator by earning her Masters Degree in Education, specializing in Natural Science and Science education at Western Washington University in 2004. She has worked with students of all ages at North Cascades Institute, Olympic Park Institute, and North Olympic Land Trust.
Allison has a special love for teaching nature writing and art inspired by nature. Most of all she loves spending time outdoors with children, guiding and supporting the natural curiosity and awe for nature that exists in all humans.
She has lived in Bend, Oregon since 2008 with her two children and husband, spending as much time outside as possible, whether it’s in the backyard, exploring the local creek, or venturing into the wilds of the Pacific Northwest.
Pediatric First Aid & CPR Certified
Pediatric First Aid & CPR Certified
Guide
Koli Williams Anderson
Koli is a Native Oregonian, who was raised primarily in the valley but spent her summers riding her horse in Camp Sherman at the family cabin. She attended the University of Oregon and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She is a HUGE Duck fan and loves all sports. Her husband Kyle also shares the same love of sports, as do her two children.
After graduating she worked in a law firm for 10 years as their Paralegal and Office Manager. During Covid she also became a substitute teacher to help out her daughter's Charter School and really enjoyed working with the children. While she enjoyed the office setting, after her children were born, she longed for a slower lifestyle without the hustle and bustle of the city.
Her family recently moved from the Portland area to the cabin permanently in June of 2023. She always knew Camp Sherman was her happy place and finally felt at home. She still puts on her “office hat” and works part-time as a bookkeeper. She is also very involved with the community and the Black Butte School. She recently became the PTO President and loves dedicating her time to the children and volunteering in any way she can. When she’s not working or volunteering, you can find her boarding down the slopes of Hoodoo or on the back of her horse riding around Camp Sherman.
Guide
Delaney Sharp
Delaney Sharp is a local teacher and naturalist. Delaney has been teaching outdoors and in the classroom for over twenty years; seven locally in the Metolius Basin. He is also a local angler with experience teaching young children and adults how to fly fish.
Delaney has a Bachelor's in History from Oregon State University and a Masters of Teaching from Lewis and Clark. He received his Principal's License also from Lewis and Clark in 2024. He has taught in Oregon public schools since 2013, and currently as Principal & Teacher at Black Butte School in Camp Sherman. He also has experience teaching outdoor school programs for OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) on the Oregon Coast and in the Cascades, Nature Bridge in Yosemite, and for Cascade Mountain School at Mt. Adams in Washington.
Pediatric First Aid & CPR Certified