N.C. State Parks Host First Day Hikes

Update: The First Day hikes were a big success. Read a great story and view the photo gallery from the outing at William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh.

Start the New Year right with a hike at one of North Carolina's state parks. State parks in North Carolina are creating a new tradition for New Year’s Day, offering First Day Hikes on trails across the state.

First Day Hikes guided by rangers and volunteers will be held at 27 state parks. All state parks and state recreation areas will be open on the holiday with cold-weather recreation opportunities as well as warm visitor centers with exhibit halls presenting cultural and natural history.

Detailed information about scheduled hikes in North Carolina’s state parks can be found under “Education” on the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation website, http://www.ncparks.gov/ or by going to http://www.americasstateparks.org/

"First Day Hikes" are being promoted in North Carolina in concert with a national effort by America’s State Parks and the National Association of State Park Directors. News about hiking opportunities in all 50 states along with tips on winter hiking can be found on the America’s State Parks website, www.americasstateparks.org . The effort promotes a healthy lifestyle as well as appreciation of natural resources.

Here it is! EEnorthcarolina.org Launches New Site

Let us know what you think! We launched our new website today at 2:00 p.m. (December 19, 2011). We think you will find the new site leaner, more visually appealing and more user-friendly. If you have questions or comments, please direct them to Tracey.Ritchie@ncdenr.gov.

We're moving! Special Notice to Individuals In the EE Certification Program

Move Update!

We are up and running at the new location, so do not hesitate to send enrollments or Form B's for the EE Certification Program. Remember that we can accept Form B's by mail (the mailing address is the same), email scans (send to eecertificationnc@lists.ncmail.net ), or by fax. If you plan to fax, please call Marty Wiggins or Lisa Tolley prior to faxing, as our fax and phone numbers are now the same.

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs is moving the new N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Building in Green Square. This new, LEED Certified building is located on Jones Street in downtown Raleigh, and is adjacent to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the new Nature Research Center (which is still under construction). Learn more about this new facility.


In the mean time, the office staff are asking people enrolled in the N.C. Environmental Education Certification Program to hold all Form B’s until November 7^th to give us time to unpack and reestablish our computers and phone system. This also applies to new enrollments, Form B's for Continuing Education and Basics of Environmental Education Responces.


Not familiar with the N.C. Environmental Education Certification Program? Learn more!

Senate HELP Committee Includes EE in Federal Legislation

The No Child Left Inside Coalition recently reported that the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) completed its mark up of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and had included environmental education. From the report:

During the mark up hearing, the committee accepted an amendment put forth by Senator Casey (PA) that proposed a new grant program entitled “Well-Rounded Education” which includes environmental education as a subject eligible for funding under Title IV of ESEA. This marks an historic shift in federal education policy and is a significant and critical step towards our collective goal of ensuring access to high quality environmental and outdoor education programs for all students. Read more...

Strnad Named Governor's Conservation Achievement Award Environmental Educator of the Year

Renee Strnad receives the Environmental Educator of the Year award from David Knight, Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources, N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and John Crutchfield, President, North Carolina Wildlife Federation. 

This past weekend the North Carolina Wildlife Federation presented the 48th Annual Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards to 20 winners dedicated to conservation in North Carolina.

One of the most prized awards presented by the NCWF is Environmental Educator of the Year, and few in the North Carolina EE community were surprised that this year's award went to Renee Strnad.

Renee works at N.C. State University in Extension Forestry and is the State Coordinator for Project Learning Tree, a multi-disciplinary environmental education program for educators and students in PreK-12. In addition to her Project Learning Tree role, Renee supports 4-H natural resource programs statewide and serves as a liaison between the College of Natural Resources at N.C. State University and environmental educators, sharing relevant information between the two groups. She has worked extensively with Wiley Elementary School in Raleigh, where students in grades 3-5 get their first glimpse of being a forester, through tree measurement classes facilitated by N.C. State forestry students.

Renee has served since 2008 as a valuable member of the North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan Working Group. She has been a key part of efforts to align state standards with national environmental literacy guidelines and was instrumental in acquiring the first funding to support implementation of the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan through a baseline study of environmental literacy in North Carolina students.

In an effort to help North Carolina citizens better understand issues surrounding solid waste, Renee developed a workshop series on municipal solid waste in cooperation with the state office of Environmental Assistance and Outreach. She also serves the community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Scrap Exchange, a nonprofit creative reuse center located in Durham, North Carolina whose mission is to promote creativity, environmental awareness, and community through reuse.

Renee currently serves as President-Elect for EENC and will begin her role as the organization’s President next year. She also supports national environmental education efforts through her work with the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). She currently serves as Chair of the Volunteer Committee for the NAAEE conference scheduled for Raleigh in October of 2011.

Strnad is a graduate of Kansas State University with a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology and Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. She’s been with N.C. State University since 2000, and has been involved in environmental education since 1997. She has been a  North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator since 2003.

Renee’s passion for environmental education and for inspiring students and teachers is contagious. She is never content to sit back and wait for change. Renee is a true believer that you should “be the change you want to see in the world” and she has applied this philosophy to her work in the field of environmental education. She demonstrates a level of professionalism, teamwork and commitment that makes her a true leader in the field of environmental education.

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation first presented its conservation awards in 1958. "Each year we are amazed at the commitment and creativity of North Carolina citizens in protecting wildlife and wild places," stated Tim Gestwicki, executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. "Many of our award winners tell us their Governor's Conservation Achievement Award represents the high point of their career-whether they are full-time scientists or full-time volunteer conservationists."

 "This awards program brings together a remarkably diverse group of conservationists to highlight the `good news' about wildlife conservation in North Carolina," said Gestwicki, "Our primary focus is to applaud and honor these people who work so hard for wildlife and the air, water, land that they and all of us depend upon".

These prestigious awards honor those individuals, governmental bodies, associations and others who have exhibited an unwavering commitment to conservation in North Carolina. These are the highest honors given in the state. By recognizing, publicizing and honoring these conservation leaders - young and old, professional and volunteer - the North Carolina Wildlife Federation hopes to inspire all North Carolinians to take a more active role in protecting the natural resources of our state.

The awards were presented at the Annual Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards banquet and celebration held August 27th at the Hilton RTP in Durham, NC.

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to all North Carolina wildlife and its habitat since 1945.

EE Certification Projects: Benefiting Schools and Communities

Another benefit of the N.C. Environmental Education Certification Program is that the culminating Action Partnership has direct benefits to the people of our state. In a recent Tryon Daily Bulletin story, Polk Central Elementary Principal Dottie Kinlaw noted that the school's new nature trail, an action partnership project by N.C.Certified Environmental Educator and 4th Grade Teacher Andrea Walter, will be  incorporated into school's science-focused curriculum. The school also hopes to expand their outdoor classroom areas to improve hands-on learning. Christel Walter, another N.C. Certified Environmental Educator, volunteered to help with the project and has led workshops and activities on the trail and in the classroom for the students. View more photos of the Nature Trail on the Polk Central Elementary website . 

EE Certification Program in Action: Enrollee Aids Teen Nature Educators

The Greensboro News and Record recently published an excellent story about two Rockingham County High School teens that parlayed their love of the outdoors into a hands-on nature class for children at the Woodmont Child Development Center in Reidsville. The class was made possible with the assistance of Cyd Overby with Rockingham County Soil and Water Conservation. Cyd is enrolled in the North Carolina Environmental Education Certification program. 

Read all about it!

BOYS GONE WILD:Teens bond over a love of nature — so they’re sharing it with others

Story and photo from the Greensboro News and Record: Reporter, J. Brian Ewing; Photo by Jerry Wolford

North Carolinians that participate in the certification program work daily to improve their communities. Learn more about the program at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/certification.html

Environmental Education Focus Charter School Named NC School of Excellence

Evergreen Community Charter School has been named an Honor School of Excellence for the second consecutive year. This designation is for schools in which 90 percent of students pass required North Carolina end-of-grade tests. Evergreen had a 95 percent pass rate.In 2010, Evergreen won the first Exceptional Environmental Education Program presented by the Environmental Educators of North Carolina. Read more in the Asheville Citizen Times.

NC Envirothon Team Places in Top Ten at Canon North American Competition

Great News from New Brunswick, Canada!


The West Johnston High School Envirothon team, the 'Sequoias', came in 6th place out of 45 states and 11 Canadian provinces at the Canon North American Envirothon last week. Held at Mount Allison University in the small town of Sackville, New Brunswick Canada, the weeklong competition challenged the team's knowledge of forestry, soils, aquatics, wildlife and current environmental issues. The Sequoias' team, made up of recently graduated seniors from West Johnston High, includes team advisor Melody Lineberger, Team Captain Frankie Johnson, Casey Burns, Camille Brown, William Higgins and Thomas Lineberger. Each team member received a Canon Powershot camera, a medallion and $1400 each in Canon Scholarship monies. In addition, the team received a plaque for their accomplishment. This is the team's third time representing North Carolina at the national competition.

The Envirothon is North America's largest environmental education competition among high school students and is sponsored by the state’s 96 local soil and water conservation districts and their association, with organizing support from the N. C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation. The Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District assisted in sponsoring the 'Sequoias' trip to Canada. For information about the Envirothon, visit http://www.ncenvirothon.org/  or contact your local soil and water conservation district.

Advisor Melody Lineberger, Thomas Lineberger, Team Captain Frankie Johnson, William Higgins, Casey Burns, Camille Brown and Team Chaperone/Advisor Ethan Lineberger.

(Portions of this story originally appeared in the Johnston County Schools Reporter)

NC Certified Environmental Educator in the News!

The Salisbury Post recently did a story on one of North Carolina's newly certified environmental educators, Michael Lambert, assistant naturalist at Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury. We would love to share other media stories about NC Certified Environmental Educators. Please send them to eecertificationnc@lists.ncmail.net

Dan Nicholas naturalist earns certification

Photo from the Salibury Post

Wake Teacher Receives Prestigious National Environmental Education Award

Frank McKay, 8th grade math and science teacher, Exploris Middle School, Raleigh, N.C. has received the 2011 Bartlett Merit Award. The Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award, made possible through the generous support of Baxter Healthercare Corporation, was established in 2007 by the National Environmental Education Foundation to distinguish the teachers who best represent Richard C. Bartlett’s passion for and leadership in environmental education. For more than 40 years, Richard C. Bartlett has been inspiring environmental educators nationwide. While serving as president and CEO of Mary Kay, the company received numerous environmental awards. More information about the award and Richard C. Bartlett are available on the NEEF website.

The following story about Frank and his work appears on the NEEF site (reprinted with permission).

“Students leave my class understanding the complexities of environmental issues that impact the economy, public health and shared resources,” said McKay. By working collaboratively to propose solutions to environmental issues, they are better prepared to make decisions as citizens in the 21st century.”

Frank McKay is an 8th grade math and science teacher at Exploris Middle School in Raleigh, N.C. McKay expertly leverages partnerships with local organizations, such as the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and the City of Raleigh, to develop award-winning environmental service learning projects and engage his students in real-world environmental education. In 2008, McKay was on the leadership team that established a formal partnership with the N.C. Museum of Natural Science and rewrote the Exploris school mission to focus on global sustainability. Recognized as the 2008 Environmental Educator of the Year by Environmental Educators of North Carolina, McKay is very active in the environmental education community throughout North Carolina. He also authored curriculum on the PBS series “Exploring North Carolina” that has been distributed to all K-8 schools in North Carolina.

McKay’s students connect with the local environment on many levels beyond science. Participating in the Walnut Creek Oral History Project, students gained an understanding of the connection between Raleigh’s cultural history and the wetlands. His students also created resources for Raleigh’s Nature Programs. Over 95 percent of McKay’s students scored at or above grade level in 2010 and the SAS Education Value Added Assessment System indicated that his students achieve at a rate significantly higher than predicted by their incoming level. McKay’s students, particularly the 8th grade girls, have indicated in their self-assessments that their experience in his courses have led them to become more engaged in both science and environmental issues.

10 NC Schools in Princeton Review's 2012 Guide to Green Colleges

Ten North Carolina schools have made The 2012 Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges!

The colleges and universities include: Appalachian State University, Brevard College, Duke University, Elon University, Guilford College, North Carolina State University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Warren Wilson College and Western Carolina University.

This is a great accomplishment, however, these are certainly not the only North Carolina colleges that have environmental education and sustainability programs. The N.C. Environmental Education Certifcation Program and other environmental education programs in the state partner with and promote excellent programs and faculty at other institutions, including Catawba College Center for the Environment, Montreat College, Winston Salem State, UNC Wilmington, Central Piedmont Community College Center for Sustainability, Southeastern Community College and Central Carolina Community College.

You can download the Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges free on their website.

More about the Guide from their website:

The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges profiles 308 institutions of higher education in the United States and three in Canada that demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and career preparation. The 220-page guide is the only free, comprehensive, annually updated guide to green colleges. To produce this book we partnered with the United States Green Building Council, an outstanding national nonprofit organization best-known for developing the LEED green building certification program. This past fall, USGBC launched its Center for Green Schools to increase its efforts to drive change in how campuses and schools are designed, constructed, and operated.

At the Water's Edge Teacher Institute

Staff from the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary Program were at Trinity Center in Salter Path last week facilitating the "At the Water's Edge" Teacher Institute.

News14Carolina did a great story about the ATWE! See it in the News14Carolina Coastal Section!

The At The Water's Edge Teacher Institute is made available by the Environmental Education Fund with funding provided by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program. The NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs provides administration for the institute. Partners include the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina Association of Environmental Education Centers, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and others.

You can view photos of the week's activities on Facebook .

During this week-long teacher institute, teachers participated in an in-depth investigation of North Carolina’s watersheds and river basins while exploring the unique natural habitats of the coastal region. Along the way, techniques for incorporating outdoor experiences into the curriculum using school grounds and field exploration were highlighted. By applying the interdisciplinary approach of environmental education, educators learned how to integrate science, social studies, language arts, math, health and art using the natural environment as the context for learning.

Register Now for North American Association for Environmental Education Conference Field Experiences!

Please see the message below from Renee Strnad, President Elect of Environmental Educators of North Carolina about the upcoming North American Association for Environmental Education Conference, which will held in North Carolina for the first time, at the Raleigh Convention Center October 12-15.

In case you haven't heard, Environmental Educators of North Carolina is hosting the 40th Annual North American Association for Environmental Education Conference this October in Raleigh, NC. We are so excited to welcome 1500+ environmental educators to our fabulous state - - and we want as many North Carolinians as possible to be involved!

There is a great team working on putting together field experiences, and these experiences are open to anyone.... even if you cannot attend the entire conference! As a previous attendee at NAAEE conferences across the nation, I am proud to say that the team has put together a great list of very affordable day and overnight experiences.Participating in these events will allow you to mix and mingle with educators from across North American and around the world. Additionally, you will also be able to earn credit for Criteria II or III for the NC EE Certification Program.

Registration is currently open and the early bird deadline is August 11th. Online registration can be found at http://www.naaee.net/conference/registration. You must use this system to sign-up/register for any of the field trips as well as Wednesday workshops (http://www.naaee.net/conference/program/workshops)

While you are poking around the web site, take a look at all the conference has to offer by looking at the conference brochure(http://www.naaee.net/sites/default/files/conference/NAAEE2011-ConfBrochure-L.pdf).

On behalf of the 2011 NAAEE NC Conference Committee:
Renee Strnad
President-elect, EENC
Volunteer Co-chair
volunteer2011@eenc.org

October 10 – 12 (Monday 4pm – Wednesday 4pm)


Mountain Geology and Alpine Ecosystems: Fee $190.00 per person
Head west through the fall foliage of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You will learn to interpret geologic features as you hike Linville Falls and Gorge, and Wiseman’s View at sunset. Summit Mt. Mitchell to study the combined effects of invasive alien species and acid precipitation.
Includes: 2 overnight accommodations, transportation, 5 meals (2-B, 2-L, and 1-D), entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts. Registration Cut-off is July 15, 2011 for this Field Experience!


Water Quality Monitoring and Marine Ecosystems: Fee $190.00 per person
Head east through traditional southeastern farmland to the crystalline sands of the Atlantic Coast. Learn about the FerryMon Project while crossing the Neuse River on your way to the UNC-CH water quality monitoring lab. Wednesday takes you to Carrot Island to share marine ecosystem research and spend personal time on a barrier island with wild mustangs within the Rachel Carson National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Includes: 2 overnight accommodations, transportation, 5 meals (2-B, 2-L, and 1-D), entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts. Registration Cut-off is July 15, 2011 for this Field Experience!

October 12 (Wednesday 9am – 4pm)

Sandhills Fire Ecology: Fee: $50.00 per person
North Carolina is the land of the Longleaf Pine and learn why at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve with the “Rooted in Time” EELE. Activities from the EELE relate the functions of fire and a vigorous Longleaf Pine ecosystem. Weather conditions permitting, you will take part in a controlled burn of a small plot on ahistoric private farm.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.

Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue: Fee $25.00 per person
“Let’s build a boat” at William B. Umstead State Park from repurposed materials and learn how a landfill was transformed into the new North Wake Landfill District Park. Afternoon brings watershed education activities at Blue Jay Point County Park, and the day concludes with demonstration of wildlife habitat helpers made from repurposed materials.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.

Prairie Ridge Ecostation - Educating with Research: Fee $35.00 per person
At Prairie Ridge Ecostation you will learn how they use bird banding, citizen science projects, and other scientific research as the core for their educational programs. Begin with a hands-on bird banding session and then test a new program on sustainability while exploring a variety of features such as wind turbines, solar panels, water harvesting strategies, a green roof of native plants, and the award winning Outdoor Classroom.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.

Building Healthy Communities through Educated Choices: Fee $25.00 per person
Visit the EPA campus and tour one of the largest engineered for efficiency buildings in the world. EE activities in organic gardening are practiced at the solar-powered daycare. See cost-effective construction practices at New Hope Crossing, North Carolina’s first affordable green community and a project of Habitat for Humanity. Last stop is among the sheep, at the SAS Institute Solar Farm.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.

Conserving Native Species and Natural Communities: Fee $25.00 per person
See one of the Southeast’s premier carnivorous plant collections with an introduction to Horticultural Therapy Program at the North Carolina Botanical Gardens. Visit Mason Farm Biological Reserve to hike through one of the most biologically diverse natural areas of the Piedmont region of North Carolina.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.

Community Projects & Partnerships for Conservation Education & Sustainable Agriculture: Fee $20.00 per person
Begin at Historic Yates Mill County Park, the last operating grist mill in the Raleigh area, and trace agricultural practices from the 1700’s. Move to the future with the application of new technologies and practices at North Carolina State University’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems and the Agro-Ecology Farm. Successful growing and charitable distribution of local produce is highlighted at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Community Farm.
Includes: Transportation, entrance and activity fees, professional guides and hosts.
Lunch is on your own at NC Farmers Market

October 16 (Sunday)

From Flow to Faucet, the Neuse River: Fee $40.00 per person (9:00am – 12:30pm)
Professional guides lead you on a two and a half hour paddle trip down the source of the water that feeds the thirst of the 2011 NAAEE conference, the Neuse River. While keeping watch for wildlife, you will identify the components of an “ecological address” and measure your own ecological footprint. Or just drift down the river not listening to anything but the birds.
Includes: Transportation, lunch, canoe and all safety equipment, professional guides and hosts.

Farm to Fork: Fee $20.00 per person (11am – 4:30pm)
See where your brunch came from with a trip to Coon Rock Farm where it was growing in the field or barn earlier in the week. The farm ensures that they not only supplies their restaurants, but hosts interns, and K-12 and college agriculture education classes and programs to see and experience the true meaning of a local, sustainable food economy.
Includes: Transportation, professional guides and hosts.
Brunch is on your own at the Piedmont Restaurant. Menu items from $7 to $15.

No Child Left Inside Bill Reintroduced: What it means for North Carolina

Update! The NCLI was introduced in the House and Senate on Thursday, July 14, 2011!

NCLI Act? N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan?
What does it all mean?

This piece by Sarah Yelton, the formerPreK-12 Environmental Education Program Consultant for the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, spells out what NCLI could mean for North Carolina, why we need an Environmental Literacy Plan and the steps being taken to develop it. An earlier version of this story appeared in the Environmental Educators of N.C. Newsletter.

My guess is that many of you have heard the term “No Child Left Inside” by now. It’s a term that has been floating around for a few years and is used most often to refer to federal legislation that will have a significant impact on the state of environmental education in North Carolina and across the country.

So why is this important for North Carolina? The NCLI Act establishes and sets aside funding for two new federal grant programs for environmental education. School districts will be able to partner with EE centers, non-profit organizations, natural resource agencies, colleges and universities and others to develop and evaluate new programs for teacher professional development and capacity building in environmental education. These might be teacher training institutes, programs that provide outdoor experiences for students, new policy approaches for incorporating EE into the curriculum at the state or district level, or evaluating the effectiveness of EE in improving student achievement, to name just a few examples. But to be eligible for either of these grant programs, North Carolina must have in place a plan that ensures graduates of our state educational system will be environmentally literate.

To position North Carolina to take advantage of the funding made possible through NCLI as soon as it becomes available, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) entered into a partnership to develop a state environmental literacy plan in the fall of 2008. In April of 2009, the Environmental Literacy Plan (ELP) Working Group, which includes stakeholders from the education and environmental communities such as EENC and the NC Association of EE Centers, convened for the first time with DPI and DENR Office of EE and Public Affairs staff to begin developing the environmental literacy plan.

When complete, North Carolina’s environmental literacy plan will describe how DPI will measure the environmental literacy of students, including relevant academic content standards regarding EE and a description of how the plan relates to graduation requirements. It will also provide for teacher professional development opportunities that support environmental literacy of students and explain how DPI will implement the plan, including securing funding and other necessary support. The team has already completed a first draft of the ELP plan, which is available for public review: http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/ncenvliteracyplan.html. A second draft will be available by late spring or early summer. Individuals can sign up for email alerts for ELP updates at the link.

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and NCDPI held an event May 12, 2010 at Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary in Raleigh to officially kickoff the ELP partnership. News 14 Carolina did an excellent video and report. Visit this link for the complete story. Senator Josh Stein delivered remarks, as well as State Superintendent June Atkinson and N.C. DENR Secretary Dee Freeman.

Great video from the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan Kickoff

An earlier version of the NCLI Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives with broad bi-partisan support before the 110th session of Congress ended in 2008. The NCLI Act was listed as one of 4 key pieces of legislation that will impact the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind). In North Carolina, Representatives Price, Shuler and Etheridge signed on as co-sponsors of the 2009 bill. 

We will continue to provide updates on the progress of the North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan and the 2011 No Child Left Inside Act.  

Community/School Garden Site in Charlotte Location for Nourishing North Carolina Kickoff

 A successful community and school garden partnership in Charlotte will the the location for the Nourishing North Carolina program kickoff event. Four of the garden's 24 plots are used by Winterfield Elementary School, which is located near the garden. Students work in the garden and the school integrates the garden into its curriculum.

The goal of Nourishing North Carolina is to establish at least one community garden in each North Carolina County. More about how to partcipate in this grant program can be found on their website.

Here is the kickoff announcement from Nourishing North Carolina:

Nourishing North Carolina - A Kickoff Event

Please join us as we launch Nourishing North Carolina, the first initiative of its kind to create, maintain or sustain 100 community gardens – one garden in each of North Carolina's 100 counties. We're growing this comprehensive, statewide program through a unique partnership with the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has a long-standing commitment to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians. Nourishing North Carolina continues to build upon this legacy and will help ensure that North Carolinians in every county have the means of sustaining a local source of healthy food.
Want to learn more? Join us June 7 in Charlotte as local officials and garden enthusiasts come together to kick off this exciting initiative. Come take a garden tour and learn how Nourishing North Carolina is establishing roots in the Charlotte area.

Where: Winterfield/Sheffield Community Garden
Adjacent to Winterfield Elementary
3100 Winterfield Place
Charlotte, NC 28205
When: June 7, 2011
10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Please RSVP by June 1

Chapel Hill High wins Green Your School Challenge through DoSomething.org and HP

North Carolina's youth continue to rack up the awards!

As reported in the examiner.com: Chapel Hill High School of Chapel Hill, NC was one of ten winners announced May 10, 2011 for the DoSomething.org & HP’s Green Your School Challenge.


Chapel Hill High School’s “green plan” involved seven main tasks that addressed the focus topics of contest. They installed motion-sensor light switches in the teacher lounges, hosted an earth week with plenty of green-inspired events, created a Facebook page to promote their efforts, grew a community garden, decorated recycling bins, built a recycling center, and created a paper re-use program. Technology played a huge role in the school’s success in the contest.

Read the entire post by Kelly Partner.

NC Teen Wins Planet Connect Grant

Alex Hall of Gastonia was one of only ten teens in the nation to win a Planet Connect grant. From the Cleveland County Star:

"Alex Hall will be spending a part of his summer helping to stop erosion at Crowders Mountain State Park.

Hall was one of only 10 students across the country chosen for a Planet Connect environmental grant. Planet Connect is a program of the National Environmental Education Foundation created in partnership with The Weather Channel." 

Read more about his project:  Teen helps preserve Crowders Mountain

Update! National Environmental Summit for High School Students To Be Held at Catawba College Center for the Environment

UPDATE! Registration for the summit has been reduced! 

The cost for the National Environmental Summit for High School Students is $150 (a $50 deposit, which is refundable if the participant attends the summit, and $100 for the program, room and board).

High school students from around the country will converge at the Catawba College Center for the Environment this summer for the National Youth Environmental Summit, "Redesigning Our Future." The college expects 200 rising high school juniors and seniors to attend, where they will work with sustainability designers, scientists and engineers from the Rocky Mountain Institute of Colorado, the Center and Catawba College professors.

The Catawba College news notes:

Scheduled for July 20-24, 2011, with follow-up activities through May 2012, the summit will emphasize whole systems thinking, helping students become collaborative leaders and effective communicators. Summit leaders will provide knowledge and analytical skills that will help the participants return to their schools and communities empowered to have a tangible impact.

One of the distinctive elements of the summit is that it will involve multiple disciplines. Students will explore the concept of environmental leadership through the perspective of their own skills and interest in the arts, humanities, education, history, business, science and technology. They will learn how essential elements of these varied disciplines — creativity, expression, innovation, observation, experimentation and teamwork — are critical to their effectiveness as environmental leaders.

"This summit has an ambitious goal, but it is one that is within our reach," says Center Executive Director John Wear. "We want these young leaders to develop their considerable talents so they can make the world a better place. And that will involve nothing less than redesigning our future."

The cost for participants is $200, which includes tuition, meals, lodging, activities and materials. Limited scholarship assistance is available so participants should apply early.

The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs is a promoting partner on the Environmental Summit, and encourages rising high school juniors and seniors in North Carolina students to apply. The deadline to apply is June 1.

More details on the conference, the application and scholarships are available on the Center for the Environment website.

North Carolina Envirothon Winners Announced

RALEIGH – State officials have announced the winners of the North Carolina Envirothon, the annual environmental science competition for middle and high school students held at a park near Burlington in late April. The five winning high school teams earned cash awards, a plaque and medallions.

They are as follows:

1st – the Sequoias, of West Johnston High School, won $200 and a trip to the North American Canon Envirothon in July.

2nd– the FFA Anti-Derivatives, of Bartlett Yancey High School in Caswell County, won $150 and a chance to compete in the National FFA Competition.

3rd – DC Endemic, of Davidson County Home School, won $100.

4th – Sub-Chronic Exposure, of Enloe High School in Raleigh, won $75.

5th – Natural Disasters, of Durham 4-H Envirothon, won $50.

The winning middle school teams also earned cash awards, a plaque and medallions. They are as follows:

1st – the Bodacious Baboons, of McGee’s Crossroads Middle School in Johnston County, won $125.

2nd – DC Awesome Opossums, of Davidson County Homeschool, won $100.

3rd - Awesome Possums, of McGee’s Crossroads Middle School in Johnston County, won $75.

4th – The Octopi, of the H.O.M.E. School in Cumberland County, won $50.

5th – Organic Waste, Home School of Wilson County, won $25.

More than 100 middle and high school teams competed in the Envirothon competition at Cedarock Park in Alamance County April 29-30. Winners were determined by combining test scores from the Envirothon curriculum’s five subject areas: forestry, soils and land use, aquatic ecology, wildlife and current environmental issues. Teams study resource materials related to these areas throughout the year to prepare for the event.

When students arrived at Cedarock Park on Friday, they reviewed everything they learned by meeting with resource professionals from the N.C. Division of Forest Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, N.C. Division of Water Quality, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, N.C. Division of Water Resources and the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation. The teams took academic tests on Saturday and an awards ceremony was held later that day.

The Envirothon is sponsored by the state’s 96 local soil and water conservation districts and their association, with organizing support from the N. C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation. For information about the Envirothon, visit http://www.ncenvirothon.org/ or contact your local soil and water conservation district.

Don't forget about those Grants and Contests!

Several new grants have been added to the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs grants listing. Several expire in May, so be sure to check them out before it is too late. There are a wide variety of grants for environmental education centers, schools and various community development projects that are related to or would support environmental education or related programs.

EE Grants

And don't forget the EE Contests and Awards page. Many of these carry cash awards for projects, and many are good projects for schools, environmental education centers and other groups. Scholarships are also listed on this page.

EE Contests

Exciting Upgrades to the Statewide EE Calendar!

Some of you may have noticed some changes to the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs online events calendar.

The EE Calendar is now searchable! Using the search menus at the top left, you can choose to only show nearby events and/or ones that include a keyword(s). With the toggle buttons on the right, you can choose to view:

*Only professional development events for environmental educators (e.g., workshops, conferences, symposia);
or
*Only public programs (e.g., celebrations, summer camps, festivals, hikes, classes); or

*All events, which shows both public and professional development events.

We hope these latest updates make our EE Web site even more enjoyable and easy to use! Give it a test run today!

North Carolina Environmental Education Calendar

Prairie Ridge Ecostation's Brittain wins Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Mary Ann Brittain is not only an outstanding science educator with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, she is now a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious awards bestowed by the Governor of North Carolina. The award, which recognizes individuals with a proven record of extraordinary service to the state, was presented to Brittain by Tom Earnhardt, host of UNC-TV’s “Exploring North Carolina” television series and President of the Friends of the Museum, at a Board meeting Thursday.

During Brittain’s 43 years of service to North Carolina, she has successfully established many innovative, award-winning programs which have had a tremendous impact on students, teachers and Museum visitors. As Director of Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife and Learning, the Museum’s 45-acre outdoor learning facility in west Raleigh, Brittain has led the conversion of a former cow pasture into an amazing field station for outdoor education. By recreating the traditional biodiversity once found in this area — planting hundreds of native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers — Brittain and her co-workers have prepared an unmatched urban classroom/laboratory for generations to come. Now, amazing wildlife abounds for visitors and school groups to enjoy in an ideal setting for experiential learning about the natural world.

Previously, as Director of School Programs at the Museum for 23 years, Brittain began the Museum’s volunteer program and created hands-on natural science programming in the Museum and across the state for students and educators. She developed Curiosity Classes, hands-on natural science programs for groups visiting the Museum’s classrooms, and developed the award-winning UTOTES (Using the Outdoors to Teach Experiential Science) program, which has been a catalyst for schools to get students involved with learning about the world they live in by using their school grounds as outdoor teaching laboratories. 

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh documents and interprets the natural history of the state of through exhibits, research, collections, publications and educational programming. Find more information online at www.naturalsciences.org. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm and Sunday, Noon-5pm. General admission is free. The Museum is an agency of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Dee Freeman, Secretary.

National Environmental Summit for High School Students To Be Held at Catawba College Center for the Environment

UPDATE! Registration for the summit has been reduced!
The cost for the National Environmental Summit for High School Students is $150 (a $50 deposit, which is refundable if the participant attends the summit, and $100 for the program, room and board).


High school students from around the country will converge at the Catawba College Center for the Environment this summer for the National Youth Environmental Summit, "Redesigning Our Future." The college expects 200 rising high school juniors and seniors to attend, where they will work with sustainability designers, scientists and engineers from the Rocky Mountain Institute of Colorado, the Center and Catawba College professors.

The Catawba College news notes:

Scheduled for July 20-24, 2011, with follow-up activities through May 2012, the summit will emphasize whole systems thinking, helping students become collaborative leaders and effective communicators. Summit leaders will provide knowledge and analytical skills that will help the participants return to their schools and communities empowered to have a tangible impact.

One of the distinctive elements of the summit is that it will involve multiple disciplines. Students will explore the concept of environmental leadership through the perspective of their own skills and interest in the arts, humanities, education, history, business, science and technology. They will learn how essential elements of these varied disciplines — creativity, expression, innovation, observation, experimentation and teamwork — are critical to their effectiveness as environmental leaders.

"This summit has an ambitious goal, but it is one that is within our reach," says Center Executive Director John Wear. "We want these young leaders to develop their considerable talents so they can make the world a better place. And that will involve nothing less than redesigning our future."

The cost for participants is $150, which includes tuition, meals, lodging, activities and materials. Limited scholarship assistance is available so participants should apply early ($50 is a refundable deposit).

The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs is a promoting partner on the Environmental Summit, and encourages rising high school juniors and seniors in North Carolina students to apply. The deadline to apply is June 1.

More details on the conference, the application and scholarships are available on the Center for the Environment website.

Congressman Sarbanes Plans to Reintroduce the No Child Left Inside Act

U.S. Representative John Sarbanes (MD) discusses environmental education and his plans to reintroduce the No Child Left Inside Act in a recent Earth Day blog post on his website.

“In the coming weeks, I will reintroduce the No Child Left Inside Act (NCLI) so that children have the opportunity to make the environment a priority year round. NCLI promotes environmental education by creating new federal grant opportunities for environmental education curriculum development and teacher training. States that participate in the grant program would develop a K-12 plan to ensure high school graduates are environmentally literate. The legislation is supported by a coalition of over 2,000 organizations in the educational, environmental and public health arenas.

Robust environmental education is a down payment to grow the next generation of scientists, promote environmental stewardship, and encourage Americans to live healthier lifestyles. Across the globe, protecting clean air and water, finding alternatives to the finite supply of fossil fuels, global warming, and many other challenges are increasingly acute: they are issues that confront today’s young people every day. Our country also has a growing public health crisis – our kids are spending less time outdoors learning and exploring and more time inside hooked up to video games or surfing the web. Increasing outdoor instructional time will lead to our children having a greater, more active appreciation for nature. Environmental education is not only about protecting the natural world, it has also been shown to improve the physical health of our young people and to have a measurably positive impact on student achievement in science, reading, math, and social studies. “

Read the complete post on Rep. Sarbanes website.

Raleigh student receives President’s Environmental Youth Award

A Raleigh high school student was awarded the President's Environmental Youth Award on Saturday, April 16, as part of the Planet Earth Celebration in Raleigh.

Kyle Kittelberger, a student at Ravenscroft School, was honored for his project at Sandling Beach at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. The project included the construction of an 80-foot wetland boardwalk and wildlife observation deck. The complete N.C. DENR Press Release follows below the photos of Kyle's project.

This is a HUGE honor. Congratulations Kyle!

 

Beverly Eaves Perdue, Governor
Dee Freeman, Secretary

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Release: Immediate

Contact: Jamie Kritzer

Date: April 15, 2011 Phone: (919) 715-7357

Raleigh student to receive President’s Environmental Youth Award on Saturday

RALEIGH – A Raleigh high school student on Saturday will become one of only 10 people in the nation to receive this year’s President's Environmental Youth Awards.

State and federal environmental officials will honor Kyle Kittelberger, a junior at Ravenscroft School, during Saturday’s Planet Earth Celebration near the State Capitol.

Kittelberger will be recognized for his construction of an 80-foot wetland boardwalk and wildlife observation deck at Sandling Beach at Falls Lake State Recreation Area in Wake County. Kittelberger took more than two years to complete the project, which started as an effort to earn his Eagle Scout Award and grew from there.

“Kyle is a great example of how important it is to engage youth in the environment and in environmental education efforts in our state,” said David Knight, assistant secretary for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “His project improves public access to a wonderful natural area while still protecting the valuable ecosystem.”

Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will present Kittelberger with the award at noon Saturday during the Earth Day celebration on Jones Street outside the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

The President’s Environmental Youth Award program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the president and the EPA have recognized young Americans for protecting our nation’s air, water, land and ecology. The award is one of the most important ways EPA and the president demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation’s young people.

Kittelberger’s award will be presented by officials from the EPA’s Atlanta-based Region 4, which covers North Carolina and other states in the Southeast. The EPA honors one winner per region for all 10 regions in the United States.

Kittelberger’s construction of the wetland boardwalk helped him earn his Eagle Scout in April of 2008. Then, he constructed the observation deck, and built staircases to prevent erosion and improve public access to the boardwalk. He also built eight recycling centers for the park's seven picnic shelters and one boat access site. During construction, he noticed a lot of Autumn Olive, an invasive species that competes with native vegetation. Kittelberger consulted park rangers and then led a volunteer effort to get rid of the Autumn Olive. By removing the invasive shrubs, Kittelberger and the volunteers enabled native plants to flourish and improved the park’s wildlife habitat.

Kittelberger has been involved in other environmental endeavors. He recently won first place in photography for the American Birding Association Young Birder's Award competition. He also installed a video camera at Jordan Lake, where he could monitor an active bald eagle nest.

Saturday’s Planet Earth Celebration is a fitting tribute because it is hosted by staff members with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, who knew Kittelberger from his work as a volunteer at the museum’s Prairie Ridge EcoStation in northwest Raleigh. If it rains Saturday, the award will be presented in the Gold Classroom on the 3rd floor of the museum at 11 West Jones St.

The Planet Earth Celebration, one of many Earth Day events and North Carolina’s largest sustainability festival, is 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday in downtown Raleigh. The event is free. Learn more at http://www.planetearthcelebration.com/. 

# # #

Statewide Earth Day Events!

Earth Day, environmental education and sustainability-related events have really taken off in North Carolina! Cities, nonprofits and other agencies across the state are sponsoring these events in April. Here is a just a sampling of those events, and you can also go to the state-wide environmental education calendar to find other activities for adults, kids, families, as well as professional development: http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/.

Know of any others? Please send to Marty.Wiggins@ncdenr.gov and we will list them!

Some events have pasted, but are listed in blue for reference. Note that due to the impact of the terrible storms that struck the state on April 16th, some of the events may be cancelled or modified. Please check before attending.

• The Town of Kernersville, Earth Day event, April 21st
• Annual Earth Day Celebration: Think Today, Sustain Tomorrow, Appalachian State University, over 14 days in April (7th - 20th)
• N.C. DOT Spring Litter Sweep, state-wide, April 16-30th.
• UNC Chapel Hill, Earth Week Events, through April 30th
• Duke University, "Earth Day All Month"
• Holly Springs Earth Day, April 21st, Holly Springs Cultural Center 
• N.C. Aquarium, Roanoke Island, Earth Day, April 22nd 
• N.C. Aquarium, Pine Knoll Shores, April 17-23 Party for the Planet
• City of Durham, Earth Day Festival, May 1st
• Town of Cary, Earth Day Activities, April 30th
• The N.C. Department of Natural Resources agencies and employees are also taking part in several Earth Day event around the state. See the press release for the listing.
  
  Past events:
• N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and Burt's Bees Planet Earth Celebration, Downtown Raleigh, April 16th.
• Planet Party 2011, Piedmont Environmental Alliance, Winston-Salem, April 16th
• Greenville: Earth Day Celebration-Returning to Nature, April 16th at River Park North. Richard Louv speaking 7 pm, Friday April 15th C307 Science and Technology Building, East Carolina University
• Orange County Earth Day, April 16th
• Union County Earth Day, April 16th
• N.C. State, Earth Day on the Brickyard, April 15th
• N.C. Aquarium, Fort Fisher, Race for the Planet 5k, April 17th
• N.C. Zoo, Party for the Planet, April 16th
• Briar Chapel Community, Chapel Hill, Earth Day Events, April 16th
• City of Concord, Viva Verde Earth Fest, April 16th
• Town of Garner, "Eggstravaganza," April 16th

It's National Environmental Education Week!

April 12, 2010
Contact: Dan Seligson, communications director, National Environmental Education Foundation,
202-365-5568

Students, Educators Celebrate National Environmental Education Week

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Millions of students and thousands of teachers across the country will take part this week in National Environmental Education Week (EE Week), the largest environmental education event in the United States held annually during the week leading up to Earth Day.

EE Week, a project of the National Environmental Education Foundation, runs from April 11-17, features field trips, class exercises, outdoor classrooms, school garden planting and other activities at schools, nature centers and museums. This year’s focus on the connection between water and energy will help K-12 students better understand how usage of each affects the other and empower students to come up with strategies for conservation.

In the United States, generating power consumes 3 percent of our nation's water annually and 13 percent of the energy produced in this country each year is used to treat, transport and heat our water. Conserving water saves energy, and vice versa. The water-energy connection is complex, but it provides an excellent opportunity to get students thinking about the interrelatedness of ecological and environmental concerns.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, in a message to educators said EE Week will “engage young people from every grade level and help lead us to the 40th anniversary of Earth Day later this month.” “Whether it’s taking students to explore nature, planting native species gardens to prevent runoff, or developing in-school recycling projects, these creative activities can make a positive – and lasting – difference,” Jackson said.

Diane Wood, president of the National Environmental Education Foundation, said this year’s theme provides timely lessons to students. “Water conservation and learning about the water-energy connection engages students to take an active role in problem solving,” Wood said. “Their learning, whether in classrooms, on field trips or through activities on school grounds spark ideas for solutions for conserving resources, saving water, saving energy and ultimately having a real impact in their schools and their communities.”

A seven-day lead in to Earth Day, EE Week features class outings and activities focused on the understanding and protection of the natural world. Last year, more than 2,500 partners – including schools, zoos, aquaria, nature centers and museums – took part engaging an estimated 4.5 million students around the country.

This year’s focus, “Be Water and Energy Wise” includes focused lesson plans, quizzes, water measurement kits and nature journaling exercises. The materials cut across all academic areas, from math to language arts and art to science.

In North Carolina, there are hundreds of environmental education events and programs this week, as well as numerous Earth Day events across the state. For more information on EE Week in North Carolina, contact the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs at 919-733-0711. View EE Week and Earth Day events on the office's statewide EE Calendar, http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/.

2nd N.C. Outdoor Classroom Symposium a Big Success!

The 2nd N.C. Outdoor Classroom Symposium has drawn to a close and nearly 200 teachers and other educators have returned home energized and ready to utilize what they have learned, benefiting students around North Carolina.

Participants heard inspiring addresses by Jane L. Taylor, founding curator of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden and by Wendy Banning, co-developer and program director of Irvin Learning Farm, a hands-on outdoor learning program at the Triangle Land Conservancy’s 269-acre Irvin Farm Preserve in Chapel Hill. Attendees also took advantage of numerous concurrent sessions and Saturday tours of schools with outdoor learning environments located across the greater Triangle region.

Photos and updates from the event can be viewed on the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affair's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaEE (you do not need a Facebook account to view the photos). You can also read tweets from the conference on Twitter and comments are still welcome on the conversation with hastag #ncocsym.

Symposium to Showcase Benefits of Outdoor Classrooms

The second North Carolina Outdoor Classroom Symposium begins Friday at the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill! 

The symposium will provide more than 120 teachers, school administrators, parent volunteers and non-formal educators with techniques for creating, maintaining and using outdoor classrooms. The first symposium was held in 2009, also at the N.C. Botanical Garden. 


Presenters will discuss integrating outdoor learning into school curricula. They will offer sessions on designing school gardens, creating natural areas and using the outdoors to connect students to scientific research, food production, health and nutrition. 


“Schools across North Carolina are using their school grounds to engage students in learning math, science, language arts and art while meeting curriculum goals and creating an enthusiasm for the outdoors,” said Lisa Tolley, program manager for the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. “Teachers and parents recognize first-hand the positive academic, health and behavioral benefits of outdoor learning.”


Friday morning’s featured speaker is Jane L. Taylor, founding curator of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden, which is considered the national model for the design of gardens for children at public garden sites. Closing remarks on Friday will be delivered by Wendy Banning, co-developer and program director of Irvin Learning Farm, a hands-on outdoor learning program at the Triangle Land Conservancy’s 269-acre Irvin Farm Preserve in Chapel Hill. Banning recently co-authored a book with Ginny Sullivan, “Lens on Outdoor Learning,” which documents children’s learning in the outdoors.


The symposium is sponsored by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, the N.C. Botanical Garden, the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, N.C. Cooperative Extension, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, the Environmental Education Fund and others. 


“We are privileged to provide this unique professional development experience for teachers that will provide them with new tools and techniques to meet their classroom goals,” said Bill Crowell, director for the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program. “It will not only help their students with basic academics, but will also hone their 21st Century job skills, including teamwork, critical thinking and communication.”


Pre-symposium environmental education workshops will be held Thursday. A series of mobile workshops on Saturday will let participants visit school and community gardens in the Triangle. Teachers can earn continuing education credits and all participants can earn credit towards their N.C. Environmental Education Certification.

For more information, visit http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/outdoorsymposium/2011/about.htm.

You can also follow the symposium’s activities on Facebook facebook.com/NorthCarolinaEE or Twitter twitter.com/NorthCarolinaEE with the hashtag #ncocsym.

NAAEE Interim Director has a North Carolina Connection

The North American Association for Environmental Education has a new interim executive director. Many in the North Carolina environmental education community will find the name familiar! Linda Rhoads, who recently took the position after the departure of Brian Day, once lived in North Carolina and worked for the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education (N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources). Linda will serve as interim while NAAEE searches for a new executive director. This comes at an exciting time, as Linda will be serving during the planning for the NAAEE Conference, which will held in Raleigh October 12 - 15, 2011. Linda has already been back in North Carolina, working with the Environmental Educators of North Carolina and the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs.

Welcome back "home" Linda!

Below is a message from NAAEE President, Diane Cantrell about the change in leadership. After five and a half years as executive director of NAAEE, Brian A. Day has decided to leave the association to take his career in a new direction. Linda Rhoads will serve as interim executive director while the NAAEE Board conducts its search for a new leader. During his tenure, Brian led the association through its most recent strategic planning and was a catalyst for NAAEE’s leadership in advocacy for the EE profession. Under Brian’s tenure, NAAEE has cemented its relationship with the National Council for the Accreditation for Teacher Education to ensure that future teachers know how to incorporate environmental education across the curriculum. The Board is very appreciative of his service to the organization, both as executive director and previously as a Board member. He is assisting Linda Rhoads with the transition to ensure that all of NAAEE’s projects proceed smoothly.

A former Executive Director for the EE Association of Oregon for more than seven years, Linda has been an active member and volunteer for NAAEE for at least a decade. Her leadership skills have been evident in her role as Advocacy Committee chair for two years, during which the number of participants in the EE Advocacy network grew by leaps and bounds. She also co-founded the Sustainability Education Commission. As an Affiliate director, she was active on the Affiliate Network Steering Committee. Linda also is a Guidelines facilitator and trainer.

N.C. Environmental Education Advisory Council Member Receives "Order of the Long Leaf Pine"

Michele Aydlett, a member of the N.C. Environmental Education Advisory Council (EEAC), was recently inducted into the state’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine. The EEAC advises and makes recommendations to the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs on its educational efforts and strategic direction and informs the Office on trends in education, government, business and the non-profit sector. The Council is comprised of representatives from the academic, business, cultural arts and environmental communities.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is one of the highest honors awarded to a North Carolina citizen, in recognition of service to the state or special achievement. Aydlett is an active education volunteer, a retired educator, active conservation volunteer and elections official. The award was specifically given for her service to Dismal Swamp State Park. Aydlett founded the Friends of Dismal Swamp State Park and actively promotes the park across the region and state. Congratulations Michele!

Photo courtesy of the Daily Advance, Elizabeth City