Amber Carbine-March
Lamoille Union High School
“One day we may all be eating a cricket-based diet,” said Amber Carbine-March, Lamoille North science teacher who teaches courses in biology, anatomy, physiology and astronomy. “One kilo of crickets (which are high in protein) only requires one liter of water whereas raising beef requires 3500 liters of water per kilogram. In preparation for this projected eventuality, Carbine-March bakes high protein biscuits made with grasshopper flour and other vegan specialties for the students in her courses.
“I am a total science nerd,” she said. After visiting a dairy barn in Northwestern Vermont a few years ago, Carbine March became vegan as a way to reduce her carbon footprint. “My students have a difficult time accepting this decision. They don’t understand how I can live without Cabot cheese and Ben and Jerry’s,” she said.
“Though I originally set my sights on working with dolphins and participated in dolphin-based research in Hawaii and Florida, I found myself disheartened with the research,” she said. “I did, however, enjoy teaching students through the outreach education program. With that in mind, Carbine-March jumped right in to teaching middle school through Teach for America, moving to Manhattan and teaching students on 181th street in Washington Heights for five years.
A bit more than a decade ago, Carbine March made another move, this time to Vermont because of the state’s civil union’s legislation. She and her wife were married in Waterbury and she worked at Project SOAR in St. Albans.
This semester, Carbine-March is on a leave of absence from her teaching duties to care for their newborn daughter, Bailey in the log cabin she shares with her wife, their son, dog and two miniature donkeys. “The Lamoille River snakes through our property, making it an excellent place to kayak,” Carbine-March said. “We also have a garden, can cross-country ski here and the electricity for our home comes from the solar panels we have installed on our hay shed.”
“Amber was one of the adults who chaperoned the freshman hike up Elmore Mountain encouraging, supporting and helping students up and down while six months pregnant,” said Kim Hoffman, one of her colleagues. “I heard many students call her a beast and say I didn’t know pregnant women could do that and I hope I can be like that when I am older.”
