Environmental Literacy Specified in Proposed Federal Education Budget

A lot happened this week in environmental education on the federal level! For the first time, environmental literacy has been included in the proposed federal education budget. This was noted in a news update this week from the American Forestry Association:

The President’s budget request includes $246.1 million through the Department of Education for a new program, Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education, which would support competitive grants to local school districts, alone or in partnership with states, to support education programs focused on “well-rounded” subjects, including environmental education. The President included this in his 2011 budget request. This funding could help to support the No Child Left Inside Act, if the bill is included as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

To view the text from the budget, follow this link and look under "Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education, A Well-Rounded Education."

This is a major development for the environmental education field and shows that environmental education is increasingly recognized as an effective methodology to enhance learning in all subjects and provides direct, measurable academic and health benefits to students.

Senator Jack Reed and Congressman John Sarbanes were each quoted in a press release from the No Child Left Inside Coalition about the provision. Reed and Sarbanes respectively introduced the No Child Left Inside Act in the Senate and House and have continually supported environmental literacy on the federal level.

"This budget takes an important step toward boosting environmental education in the classroom and giving more kids the opportunity to get out and learn about the natural world around them," said Senator Jack Reed (RI). "Environmental education can help raise student achievement in other core subjects like math and science. This is a smart investment in our children's future and the future of our planet."

"The President's budget proposal is a terrific first step for environmental education," said Congressman John Sarbanes, author of the No Child Left Inside House legislation. "I look forward to working with the Administration to more fully incorporate environmental education into school curriculums across the country."

More details on the budget and No Child Left Inside legislation can be found in the NCLI press release.

Here are more updates on environmental education at the federal level. Thanks goes to the American Forest Foundation for keeping an eye on Washington and allowing the use of their news release.

This week, Congress began debating a Continuing Resolution, a bill to fund the federal government through the rest of 2011. On Monday, the President released his Budget Proposal to Congress for 2012.

EPA’s Office of Environmental Education (funded by the National Environmental Education Act) In the Continuing Resolution for 2011 funding, the Office of Environmental Education escapes cuts and is funded at 2010 levels of $9.038 million. We will continue to watch for amendments that would propose cuts to this program. The President’s Budget for 2012 funding proposes an increase of $847,000 to $9.885 million.

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Learn and Serve America.

The Continuing Resolution (2011) proposes to completely cut all funding for CNCS programs, including Learn and Serve America, which provides direct and indirect support to K-12 schools, community groups and higher education institutions to facilitate service-learning projects.

The President’s Budget (2012) proposes level-funding (same as 2010) at 39.5 million.

Other Details from the President’s Budget

The President proposes a $46.8 million investment through the Department of the Interior in initiatives to foster the next generation of conservation leaders and connect youth to America’s Great Outdoors.

Next Steps: The House will continue to debate the Continuing Resolution for 2011 funding throughout this week, possibly voting on final passage by the end of the week. We are watching for amendments that propose further spending cuts. Later this month, the Senate will debate and vote on the 2011 Continuing Resolution. Then, the House and Senate will resolve any differences and send the final bill to the President for his signature. If the 2011 Continuing Resolution is not passed by March 4, 2011, the federal government shuts down.

Throughout March and April, the Congressional committees will hold hearings to review the budget for 2012. We can expect the committee votes and full House and Senate votes to take place later in the spring and summer.

Register NOW! N.C. Outdoor Classroom Symposium | April 7-9

Registration is now open for the 2011 North Carolina Outdoor Classroom Symposium!!

2011 NC Outdoor Classroom Symposium
Green and Growing!
April 7-9, 2011
NC Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill

This symposium is targeted to PreK-12 teachers, administrators, parent volunteers and others working toward creating outdoor classrooms at schools. Sessions will be appropriate for educators who already have an outdoor classroom and for those who are just beginning to develop their schoolyard areas for outdoor environmental learning. Teachers can earn CEU credits and participants can earn credit towards their N.C. Environmental Education Certification.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• Jane Taylor, founding curator of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden at Michigan State University
• Wendy Banning, educational consultant and co-author of Lens on Outdoor Learning.

Click here for more information, including the agenda, speaker bios and the link to online registration.

We hope to see you there!

Beth Cranford New N.C. Environmental Education Certification Manager

The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program has a new manager at the helm. Beth Cranford recently became the new EE Certifcation Program Consultant for the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. Beth replaces Libby Wilcox, who recently retired. Beth is the third manager of this popular program, which started in 1996 and has certified nearly 1,000 environmental educators. North Carolina was the first state to develop a professional development program of this nature, and several states and the Republic of South Korea have modeled the N.C. program.

Beth grew up in North Carolina and started her path to environmental education at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences as a volunteer. She has her MEd in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Environmental Education from Florida Atlantic University where she also worked at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center.

Beth has worked at a variety of outdoor and environmental education facilities in California, New York state, Texas and Oklahoma. She says that her travels around the country have helped her appreciate North Carolina’s wonderful and unique natural areas. Beth worked most recently was an educator and camp coordinator at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill.

"I'm excited to be working in the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs because I get to help people throughout the state by working with environmental educators. I look forward to meeting you all in the near future!"

Environmental Education Jobs and Internships!

Looking for an environmental education-related job, or know someone who is? The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' Jobs and Internships page is the place for you! This page offers a variety of jobs and internship opportunities in the environmental education and outdoor education and recreation field. Opportunities are listed chronologically by date of application closing, so be sure to scan the whole list. This is the time of year when environmental education centers, parks and related organizations are hiring seasonal positions, and the list is full of them. These are great educational opportunities and resume builders for anyone that wants to enter the field.

The EE Jobs and Interships page is located on the News and Events tab on http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/.

EE program providers, please take advantage of this job and internship posting resource. Contact us to see how to post jobs on the listing and on the NC-EE listserv. Marty.Wiggins@ncdenr.gov or 919-733-0711.

Peggy Sloan Named Director at N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher

The new director at the Aquarium at Fort Fisher is a familar face to many in the North Carolina environmental education community! Peggy Sloan, who has served as the Aquarium’s education curator since 2001, was named director on February 1. Many of you already know Peggy as a dedicated environmental educator. She has more than 20 years experience in management, education and operations in aquarium and zoo settings and serves on numerous boards and committees including the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ National Conservation Education Committee. Peggy also serves on the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan working group and is a North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator. She is also a member of the Environmental Educators of North Carolina, our state's nonprofit professional development organization.

Read more about Peggy and her plans for the Aquarium.

Wilkes County Teacher named N.C. Outstanding Conservation Education Middle School Teacher

Russell Sparks, an East Wilkes Middle School science teacher has been named North Carolina’s Outstanding Conservation Education Middle School Teacher. The award is given annually by the N.C. Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Read the full article about Sparks' work and how environmental education benefits his students in the Wilkes Journal-Patriot.

Image from the Wilkes Journal-Patriot

Environmental Education Certification Project Garners DENR Sustainability Award

Jake Vitek, a ranger at Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro, recently took second place in the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Sustainability Awards Contest. This contest recognizes N.C. DENR employees that show "initiative in implementing programs that result in or promote responsible environmental stewardship within the department." These efforts provide direct environmental benefits and often result in cost savings as well.

Vitek's project was the action partnership for his North Carolina Environmental Education Certification. All state park rangers are required to become EE Certified. The program requires 200 hours of environmental education workshops and outdoor experiences, which includes a project which benefits their community. The enrollee must also work with partners from the community to complete the project. The certification program is coordinated by the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs.

Vitek worked with a local boy scout that needed an Eagle Scout project to develop a program to make Bear Island trash free. It involved building boxes that hold biodegradable bags visitors now use to carry out all trash--all trash cans were removed. Visitors also had to be educated about the new policies. The park has already seen benefits in reduced litter, cost savings and better habitat for wildlife. You can read the full story in the Tideland News.

Harvard Education Letter Features Story on Environmental Education (Update)

The Harvard Education Letter recently included a piece on environmental education that has some North Carolina connections. The article, by Raleigh-based freelance journalist Lucy Hood, discusses and dispels many of the misconceptions about EE by going straight to the source--nationally recognized EE experts and teachers that use EE in the field to enhance student learning across the curriculum. The article includes interviews with science teachers from Southwest Guilford High School in High Point, N.C. and details how they use EE concepts and methods to enhance learning in all of the sciences. N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs staff members Sarah Yelton and Marty Wiggins contributed to the article.

The Greening of Environmental Ed:
Teachers focus on complexity, evidence, and
letting students draw their own conclusions

Update! U.S. Representative John Sarbanes (MD), author of the No Child Left Inside Act, recently posted a response to this article in the Harvard Education Letters 'Voices of Education" blog:

Let's Leave No Child Inside

Comment Period on N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan Extended to February 4

The first draft of the North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan is now available for public review and input. The plan calls for a wide variety of recommendations with the end goal of enhancing environmental literacy among North Carolina’s PreK-12 public school students.

Download a copy of the draft plan by clicking on the link below, then use the online feedback form to provide your comments by February 4, 2011.

North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan: Smart Minds, Greener Future – Draft 1.0

Access the Online Feedback Form

The N.C. Department of Environment & Natural Resources, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and numerous partners have been working together to craft an environmental literacy plan for North Carolina. The plan is one way in which North Carolina is responding to proposed federal legislation to enhance environmental literacy among public school students. It will ensure that environmental education is integrated throughout North Carolina's PreK-12 formal education system. To qualify for future federal funding for environmental literacy, the plan will have to be adopted as policy by the North Carolina State Board of Education.

The plan describes how our state will prepare students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental challenges facing North Carolina and the country. There are four main components, each one outlining specific strategies for ensuring that North Carolina students graduate as environmentally literate citizens. These components include state educational standards and graduation requirements as they relate to environmental literacy, teacher professional development in environmental education, model school grounds and facilities, and strategies for measuring the environmental literacy of students.

Find out more about the NC Environmental Literacy Plan at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/ncenvliteracyplan.html.

Arbor Day in N.C. Did you know March 18 is Arbor Day in North Carolina? Under state law, the first Friday following March 15 is Arbor Day in our state. Several states celebrate their own Arbor Days in addition to National Arbor Day (April 29) to coincide with the ideal time to plant trees in the region.

There are several ways you can celebrate the importance of trees to our environment, health and economy.

-The North Carolina Division of Forest Resources explains more about N.C. Arbor Day and has suggestions on easy ways to participate.

-Get outside! Several N.C. Environmental Education Centers have events and programs today and this weekend. Many EE Centers have notable tree specimens--as a matter of fact, several are arboretums, have a forestry focus or have interpretive areas with examples of native N.C. trees. North Carolina also has a network of seven Educational State Forests across the state--the perfect place to get outside and learn more about trees.

-Last but not least, the N.C. State University Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources and several other partners is hosting a N.C. Arbor Day Celebration at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday (March 18). Lots of fun and education, as well as free redbud tree seedlings, is guaranteed!

N.C. Environmental Education Centers Featured in STEM Education Column

N.C. Environmental Education Centers and the role environmental education can play in enhancing and instructing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) subjects were featured in a recent article in Local Tech Wire's STEM News section.

EE Centers pique education interest statewide

STEM News is a new feature on Local Tech Wire through a collaborative effort with the NC STEM Community Collaborative, MCNC, and the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Center (SMT Center). Local Tech Wire is Capitol Broadcasting Company's regional online technology journal.

Moving Outdoors in Nature Act Introduced in House

Congressman Ron Kind (D–WI) introduced the Moving Outdoors in Nature Act in the U.S. House of Representatives in November. This bill would support federal, state and local efforts that encourage children to get outdoors and active. The bill would provide funding to state and local governments and agencies, schools, colleges and universities and nonprofits for a variety of programs and projects, including outdoor classrooms, trails and greenways, educational programs, health initiatives and more. The bill would also provide funding for the development of state "Moving Outdoors in Nature Strategies."

Click this link for the complete bill text. The "Section 2, Findings" is quite interesting and notes much of the current research on on the benefits of outdoor play and learning.

The National Wildlife Federation also has information at beoutthere.org/MONA .

2011 North Carolina Outdoor Classroom Symposium

SAVE THE DATE!

2011 North Carolina Outdoor Classroom Symposium
Green and Growing!
April 8, 2011*
North Carolina Botanical Garden

* Main symposium activities will take place on Friday, April 8. Optional workshops and outdoor classroom site visits will occur on Thursday, April 7 and Saturday, April 9.

Announcing Call for Presentations!!

Presentations should focus on an aspect of creating or using an outdoor classroom area at a school and should relate to at least one of the five Symposium Themes:
- Getting Started! Creating new spaces – How to start from scratch.
- Raking in the Dough! How to find money to make your great ideas a reality.
- Expanding and Improving Spaces! Ways to make your existing outdoor classroom even better.
- Emerging Gardens! Everything you need to know about gardens for young learners.
- Naturally Connected! Connecting schoolyards to curriculum - Dazzle your school administrators with all kinds of curriculum connections to improve student performance.
Click here to submit a proposal. (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011NCOCS). Proposal submissions must be received no later than 5pm on Friday, January 21, 2011.

Due to the hands-on nature of this symposium, we highly encourage you to be creative with your presentations! Proposals will be reviewed for originality, quality and alignment with chosen symposium theme(s). Preference will be given to presentations that actively engage all audience members and are experiential in nature. Additional presentation details and requirements can be found on the submission form in the link above. The NC Outdoor Classroom Symposium is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Botanical Garden and the NC Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, with support provided by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program and the Environmental Education Fund.

More information regarding symposium details will be available on the http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/ website in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
For any questions, please contact Sarah Yelton at 919-715-4453 or sarah.yelton@ncdenr.gov.

TV "Teacher of the Week" Uses N.C. River Basin Resources!

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs got a pleasant little suprise in the video of a recent "Teacher of the Week" story from WRAL in Raleigh. Like many teachers across the state, featured teacher Jonita Lee, an eighth-grade science and math teacher at Crossroads Middle School in Benson, uses the North Carolina River Basins materials in her classroom. While these materials are designed for general public education and are used in a variety of ways, many teachers have found them a invaluable resource in meeting the N.C. Standard Course of Study. Watch the clip and you'll see the N.C. River Basins poster, and Lee is teaching about watersheds, wetlands, rivers and river basins; all of which are part of the 8th Grade Standard Course of Study. River Basin materials are also used extensively by Earth and Environmental Science Teachers and in other subject areas.

Learn more about the Discover N.C. River Basins education materials at this link.

N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs Receives Environmental Educators of N.C. Outstanding Partnership Award

The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' Tracey Ritchie and Libby Wilcox (center) accept the EENC Outstanding Partnership Award from EENC's Sarah Fuller (far left) and Keith Bamburger (far right).

The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs recently received the 2010 Outstanding Partnership Award at the 2010 Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) Conference in Blowing Rock. The office received the award in recognition for its longstanding work in partnering with EENC to raise the perception of environmental education as a whole and by providing the EENC members with support and leadership.

The Outstanding Partnership Award recognizes organizations who have partnered with EENC to support the mission and growth of EENC and environmental education within the state. Several of the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs’ programs support and expand on the EENC mission: the Environmental Education Certification Program, the NC-EE email listserv and the http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/ website all support the efforts of EENC and its members. The office has also involved EENC members and leadership in updating the EE Certification Program, in the ongoing development the N.C. Environmental Literacy Plan, and the recently completed North Carolina Environmental Education Plan. Both the office and EENC work constantly and vigilantly towards a more environmentally literate public and provide high quality environmental education opportunities for teachers, students, peers and the general public.

Each year EENC publicly recognizes environmental educators, EENC members, organizations, and partners for their valuable contributions to environmental literacy, the field of environmental education, the EENC organization, and environmental well-being of North Carolina. EENC's mission is to promote excellence in professional development and facilitate networking opportunities, inspiring educators to create an environmentally literate citizenry. Environmental education is a learning process that increases people's knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations and commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action.

Please contact Keith Bamberger, EENC Membership Co-Chair (828-296-4553), or the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs (919-733-0711 with questions or for comments.

N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' Wilcox Receives EENC Outstanding Service Award

The Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) recently awarded Libby Wilcox, Environmental Education Certification Program Consultant with the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, their 2010 Outstanding Service Award. Libby has managed the N.C. Environmental Education Certification program for eleven years and has been instrumental in developing the skills of hundreds of certified educators and in developing high-quality environmental education programs.

Each year EENC publicly recognizes environmental educators, EENC members, organizations, and partners for their valuable contributions to environmental literacy, the field of environmental education, the EENC organization and the environmental well-being of North Carolina.

The Outstanding Service Award recognizes an EENC member who has served in key leadership roles and has made a significant contribution to future the mission of EENC. North Carolina was the first state to create a professional development program for environmental educators and Libby has overseen the program since 2000. In that role she has worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities and support professional development across the state. As program coordinator she has helped nearly 1,000 individuals obtain their certification and works with agencies, parks, organizations and programs to ensure the professional development classes and workshops they offer meet the highest standards of environmental education.

Libby will be retiring in early 2011. Congratulations on a well-deserved award and a successful tenure as EE Certification Program Manager!

The first EENC awards were given in 1995, and people from all regions of the state and careers have been recognized over the last fifteen years. EENC's mission is to promote excellence in professional development and facilitate networking opportunities, inspiring educators to create an environmentally literate citizenry. For more information about the EENC Awards, contact Keith Bamberger at 828-296-4500 or keith.bamberger@ncdenr.gov

Museum educator Liz Baird named EENC's Environmental Educator of the Year

(N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences Press Release)

The Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) have named Liz Baird Environmental Educator of the Year. EENC is the state's nonprofit EE professional development organization, whose mission is to promote excellence in professional development and facilitate networking opportunities, inspiring educators to create an environmentally literate citizenry.

Baird is director of education for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh. This award recognizes an educator who stands out among environmental educators, exemplifies excellence and lends credibility to the field. Through valuable contributions, they are regarded as a “dynamo” that other environmental educators strive to emulate. As director of education at the Museum, Baird engages students and teachers across the state and around the world with unique and innovative natural science experiences. Throughout her 15-year tenure, she has affected the lives of thousands of teachers who, in turn, affect the lives of thousands of their students.

Read more about Liz and her award on the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences website!

Call for Proposals Now Open for 2011 NAAEE Conference in Raleigh!

The 40th Annual Conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education is coming to Raleigh in 2011! Join NAAEE and EENC (Environmental Educators of North Carolina) as we host attendees from around the world October 11- 15, 2011 at the LEED Silver certified Raleigh Convention Center. The call for presentations is open now; it closes February 1, 2011. Six strands compliment the conference theme: Rooted in Time: Branching to the Future.

Visit the NAAEE web site to learn more: http://www.naaee.org/conference/call-for-presentations

2011 NAAEE Conference Strands
• Conservation Education
• Climate Change
• Environmental Issues in EE
• EE Goes to School
• Environmental Justice
• Network and Leadership Development

Teachers gather to learn about outdoor classrooms

Teachers attending a workshop in Research Triangle Park learned that an effective way to improve student achievement and health is to let kids get their hands dirty.

“Heading Out! Discovering Nature’s Classroom” was held Sept. 23-25 at the First Environments Early Learning Center on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences campus near Raleigh.

Photos from the workshop can be viewed on the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs Facebook Album.

The workshop supported the use of outdoor classrooms and schoolyard gardens to improve academic achievement and address issues such as childhood obesity that have become more common due to a lack of outdoor exercise. Educators learned strategies to easily incorporate outdoor experiences, gardening, storytelling and art into their curriculum.

First Environments Early Learning Center is an ideal site for educators because it incorporates outdoor learning into the classroom, on the playground and even in food service. The workshop emphasized hands-on learning, and content and activities were aligned with the N.C. Foundations for Early Learning and the N.C. Standard Course of Study for kindergarten through 5th grade courses in science, social studies, language arts, math and healthy living.

“Heading Out!” was coordinated by the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs. It was made possible by the Environmental Education Fund at no cost to participants, thanks to funding from the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program.

Preference was given to applicants from the 36-county Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program region in northeastern North Carolina. However, teachers from as far west as Polk County will be in attendance.

For more information about First Environments Early Learning Center, visit http://www.firstenvironments.org/. For more information about the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs, visit http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/.

EENC Conference October 8-10 in Blowing Rock

Reminder, the Environmental Educators of North Carolina's annual conference "The Blow-out in Blowing Rock" begins Friday!

Find out more on the EENC website.

Maryland Passes Environmental Literacy Requirement

From North American Association for Environmental Education reports...

The Maryland State Board of Education voted unanimously last week to require all Maryland public schools to incorporate environmental education into their curriculum.

Every Maryland public school must now provide a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary environmental education program aligned with the Maryland Environmental Literacy Curriculum. Each local school system can design its own program, which will be reviewed by Maryland State Board of Education every five years. The requirement does not require an additional course or specific number of environmental education experiences--each local school system can implement its environmental literacy plan based on the resources unique to their system. This decision is expected to provide the opportunity for all public school students to participate in quality, integrated environmental education programs. The state board rejected language that would clarify the provision as a high school graduation requirement.

For more details:

Environment to be added to state curriculum (Baltimore Sun)

Md. Stops Short of Making Environmental Ed. a Graduation Requirement (Education Week)