Deb Perryman (IL), Elgin High School Teacher. As a child, Deb spent hours gliding across Crooked Lake in a canoe or exploring the cedar swamp across the road. Her dream was to become a wildlife biologist. Fortunately for the children of School District U46, Deb became a high school science teacher. Noticing a 35-acre tract of land behind the school, Deb immediately sought protection for the land and was granted temporary permission to utilize the area as a multi-sensory laboratory.