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)

A New Face at the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs!

The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs is excited to welcome a new staff member. Tracey Ritchie is the new adult environmental education consultant and will be managing the office's successful river basin education and consumer education programs. She will also administer the environmental education website and work on other adult EE programs and initiatives.

Tracey was born in New York but lived in Florida since she was three. She received a bachelor's degree in wildlife ecology and conservation with a minor in zoology from the University of Florida and has a master's degree in environmental education from Florida Atlantic University.

Tracey has held a variety of jobs and internships across the country, including work as a zookeeper in Oregon, a naturalist in coastal South Carolina and as education coordinator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando. She most recently worked at Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in West Palm Beach, Florida as the volunteer and public programs coordinator and was the instructor of a three semester program for Florida Atlantic University in environmental service learning.

"I wanted to come to North Carolina because this state is such a leader in the field of EE." Notes Tracey on her move to the state. "I am just so happy to be here and to be a part of such an amazing group of citizens that are committed to conserving and educating others about all of North Carolina’s natural wonders." Tracey is looking forward to working with other agencies and exploring all of North Carolina’s environmental education centers. We know everyone in the N.C. environmental education community is looking forward to working with her as well.

Outdoor Fun in N.C. Featured on OPEN/net TV

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' Community Development Consultant, Marty Wiggins, was recently featured on the N.C. Agency for Public Telecommunications OPEN/net program. Also featured were Brittany Whitaker, South District Interpretation and Education Specialist at the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation and Liz Baird, Director of School Programs, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.

The panel discussed outdoor education and recreation opportunties that can be found at N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources facilities and the many other environmental education centers around the state. Take a Child Outside Week activities were also emphasized and viewers were encouraged to explore their own communities and backyards this fall. The show can be viewed on the OPEN/net website.

Also on TV...Environmental Learning on Heart of Carolina Perspectives

The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' PreK-12 Education Consultant, Sarah Yelton, recently appeared on WTVD's Heart of Carolina Perspectives Program. She joined Sue Esperson, Outdoor Learning Specialist at First Environments Early Learning Center (FEELC) in Research Triangle Park and Richard Rairigh, Senior Program Manager for Be Active Kids with Be Active North Carolina.

The segment addressed the benefits of integrating outdoor environmental education into the classroom, as well as the health benefits of outdoor learning and school gardens. Includes great footage of FEELC.

Education Secretary Duncan Emphasizes Environmental Literacy

Education Secretary Duncan recently addressed the importance of environmental literacy at the U.S. Department of Education's first Sustainability Summit.

Duncan noted: "Historically, the Department of Education hasn't been doing enough in the sustainability movement. Today, I promise you that we will be a committed partner in the national effort to build a more environmentally literate and responsible society."

The full text of Duncan's address is available on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Legislation to Reauthorize National Environmental Education Act Introduced Today (Sept. 23)

The Project Learning Tree Network is reporting that legislation was introduced today (Sept. 23) in Congress to reauthorize the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA). Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) introduced the bill in the Senate and Representatives Jared Polis (CO) and Michael Castle (DE) introduced the companion bill in the House (H.R. 6194).

NEEA is the law that authorizes the EPA Office of Environmental Education, the Environmental Education and Training Program (EETAP, a national training grant program), environmental education grants and gellowships and much more all through the Environmental Protection Agency. The law has not been reauthorized since it was first enacted in 1990 and has not seen an increase in funding for more than a decade. The reauthorization would revise the law to take into account the movement on environmental literacy efforts and training for “green” jobs—a growing field.

Two N.C. Certified Environmental Educators Receive Recognitions

Two North Carolina Certified Environmental Educators have received notable awards for their environmental education efforts both inside and outside of the classroom.

Jodi Riedel, a Wakefield High School (Wake County) agriculture teacher received the N.C. Wildlife Federation's 2010 Environmental Educator of the Year Award. One of Riedel's notable accomplishments is a forestry curriculum she wrote when she took part in N.C. State University’s Kenan Fellows Program, which has been used with more than 700 students. Read more about Jodi's work on the N.C. State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' news site.

For outstanding efforts in integrating environmental education in and outside the classroom, veteran science teacher Randy Senzig of Fuquay-Varina High School was named “2009 Environmental Educator of the Year” by the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District .

The Garner News has an excellent piece on Senzig, which details his incorporation of environmental education into the classroom and beyond, as Senzig's students also take an active role in the community. Senzig photo from the Garner News

Senzig and Riedel are both North Carolina Certified Environmental Educators, which is open to teachers, nonformal eductors or any adult with an interest in environmental education. Learn more about this program at www.eenorthcarolina.org/certification.html.

N.C. Environmental Education Centers Do Well in Top Field Trips List

Carolina Field Trips Magazine has released its always much-anticipated top 25 North Carolina Field Trips List. These rankings were for the 2009-2010 school year. Once again, facilities listed as North Carolina Environmental Education Centers dominate the list. Below are the EE Centers that made the top 25, listed by ranking. Visit the CFTM website for the complete listing. Find out more about these and other N.C. EE Centers at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/.

1. Dan Nicholas Park (home of Rowan Wildlife Adventures), Salisbury

3. North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro

4. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh

5. North Carolina Aquariums, Manteo, Pine Knoll Shores, Fort Fisher

7. Morehead Planetarium, Chapel Hill

8. Natural Science Center of Greensboro

9. Museum of Life and Science, Durham

12. Schiele Museum of Natural History, Gastonia

13. Catawba Science Center, Hickory

15. Discovery Place Inc., Charlotte

18. Neuseway Nature Park, Kinston

19. SciWorks Science Center, Winston-Salem

23. Cape Fear Museum of History & Science, Wilmington

25. North Carolina Museum of Art (N.C. Art Park is listed as an EE Center), Raleigh

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) has launched a new statewide effort to build North Carolina’s local food economy. The 10% Campaign encourages consumers to spend 10 percent of their existing food dollars on foods produced in North Carolina. By supporting local food producers and related businesses, the 10% Campaign will create jobs, boost the viability of North Carolina farms and fisheries and promote healthy communities statewide.

“In these challenging times, buying local foods will benefit our farmers and fishermen and help grow our economy,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF president. “Golden LEAF is proud to support the 10% Campaign because North Carolina’s agricultural products are fresher, tastier and healthier.”

North Carolinians spend about $35 billion a year on food. If individuals spent 10 percent on foods produced locally – roughly $1.05 per day – about $3.5 billion would be available in the local economy.

“North Carolina is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the increased consumer demand for locally produced foods,” said Nancy Creamer, co-director of CEFS. “Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. The state’s climate, soils and coastal resources support production of a wide variety of produce, meats, fish and seafood. We have the capacity to build a robust local food economy to the benefit of all; the 10% Campaign will help get us there.”

Critical to the success of the 10% Campaign is the active support of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. Extension has designated a local foods coordinator in all 100 counties and for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to help connect consumers and food producers and support local businesses and organizations who want to participate in the campaign.

Compass Group, the world’s largest foodservice company, is another key partner. In addition to sourcing 10 percent of the produce it sells to all its North Carolina clients from local producers, Compass Group will also work with CEFS to develop a model “farm to institution” buying program.

Three opportunities exist for businesses and organizations to participate in the 10% Campaign. They can pledge 10 percent of their purchasing/growing power; host an employee/member challenge; and/or promote the campaign externally.

Two of the campaign’s 31 launch partners include North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and North Carolina A&T State University, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Both have pledged to join the campaign at each of the three levels. Additionally, the North Carolina State University Campus Enterprises and University Dining has pledged to serve 10 percent locally grown or produced foods at all campus dining facilities, including all catering operations, by 2012.

The website’s "About" page details more about launch partners and how consumers, businesses and organizations can support the campaign.
Individuals joining the 10% Campaign can register online at http://www.nc10percent.com/ and pledge to spend 10 percent of their food budget on foods produced/grown locally. The website also hosts a wealth of information about the efforts of the many great organizations already working in the field.

For more information about participating in the campaign contact the 10% Campaign manager Teisha Wymore at nc10percent@ncsu.edu or by phone at 919-515-0244. Media contact: Meg Ryan O’Donnell at 919-755-3804 /meg@capresults.net

Registration Open! “Heading Out! Discovering Nature’s Classroom” September 23-25, 2010.

Applications are now being accepted for the “Heading Out! Discovering Nature’s Classroom” teacher workshop scheduled for September 23-25, 2010. The workshop will take place at the First Environments Early Learning Center on the EPA-NIEHS campus in Research Triangle Park, NC. The workshop is offered by the Environmental Education Fund at no cost to participants due to generous funding provided by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program.

This workshop will provide educators with strategies to easily incorporate outdoor experiences, gardening, storytelling and art into their curriculum in an effort to improve student health and learning. First Environments Early Learning Center provides the ideal site for educators to learn from a model facility that successfully incorporates outdoor learning into the curriculum. During this three-day workshop, educators will participate in a variety of in-depth investigations that can easily be incorporated in the classroom upon return to the school setting. Hands-on, real world experiences will be emphasized! All content and activities are aligned with the NC Foundations for Early Learning and the NC Standard Course of Study for K-5 Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Mathematics and Healthy Living.

The Discovering Nature’s Classroom workshop is open to North Carolina early childhood educators and administrators and public, private or charter school teachers or administrators of grades PreK-5. While the workshop is open to educators state-wide, preference will be given to applications from the 36-county Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program region.
For more information or to apply, visit the web site at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/naturesclassroomworkshop.html.

N.C. School Finalist in Tom's of Maine "50 States for Good" Grant

Votes Needed to Make the Top Five Award

Jay M. Robinson High School in Concord is one of 41 finalists in the Tom's of Maine "50 States for Good" program. This program will share a $100,000 prize in support of grassroots community projects with the five organizations receiving the most votes. Votes can be placed on the Tom's of Maine website until September 10, 2010.

The high school's project is headed by Joy Knight, an AP Environmental Science, Forensics and Earth/Environmental Science Instructor. The project, if funded, will develop a three-season community garden using sustainable farming methods. The garden will be collectively tended and harvested with a portion donated to a local food pantry.

Knight feels that even though this is a local project, it will represent the efforts of environmental education for the whole state, especially on the K-12 level, and hopes that people will take the time to go online and vote. "I hope this project can be a model for other schools and will encourage them to seek similar grants for projects. The N.C. Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs' grants list and NC-EE listserv are a great resource for this--it's how I found out about the Tom's of Maine program."

Programs like this one can be found on the office's Grants and Contests and Awards pages at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/. Both can be found under the "News and Events" tab.

NC Zoo Society Program Brings Together Technology, Literacy and Nature

An innovative program is happening this summer at the N.C. Zoo in Asheville. KidsConnect teaches real-world problem solving while engaging children with technology, local libraries and the natural world. The following program description from the N.C. Zoo Society explains the program, which has been in place since 2006 and is sponsored by the Dell Foundation, Inc.



The KidsConnect program is designed to bring education resources and access to technology to underserved youth, ages 8-13, while also bringing them closer to nature through understanding conservation. Library outreach workers in Greensboro, High Point, and Forsyth County are trained in using the Field Trip Earth site and curriculum materials developed for the KidsConnect program and are then provided with more advanced technology training. The library staffs select community-based partners and provide training to their staffs who offer programming to underserved youth and bring the curriculum, technology and hands-on experiences to their students.

Each site uses Field Trip Earth to learn about conservation and its importance to our planet and then selects a local project to research and act on. All projects integrate the use of technology and the building of literacy skills into their efforts.

This year the sites consisted of five locations, including an international program site with English as a second language. Student projects were documented using technology. Presentations about their experiences were created using power point, animation and other programs.

Throughout the program students also communicate using an on-line community created for the project. In late summer, 200 students gather at the Zoo to celebrate what they have accomplished and to make presentations, and to receive recognition for “Saving a piece of the world for wildlife.” Some students that age out of the program still help as mentors and are given special recognition and a small gift. Leadership skills are also developed as students take responsibilities in the day, make presentations and host display tables.

Community participation in the program has grown, as has the number of youth served. But the most important growth has come in the students who gain stronger literacy skills, improved technology skills and discover their leadership skills and find that they can make a difference in saving a piece of the world of wildlife. Over the years the program has expanded and impacted more students, leveraged library resources and expanded the capacity of the partnering organizations.

Recognition of the program has included a visit by local Dell representatives, media attention, and publication in Boys and Girls Club magazine and on Fox 8 TV; and designation by the N.C. Extension Service of High Point program’s garden as a “Community Garden”. This garden was included on the “Master Gardeners Training Tour” and listed on the state website. Students have also made presentations to City Council and other civic groups to share what they have learned and to advocate for the environmental issues they were working on.

To learn more about the program and see presentations and more information about the project, go to If you would like to see what kids have done, go to http://kidsconnect-nc.org/ or contact Kathy Bull, NC Zoological Society at 336-879-7286 or kbull@nczoo.com.

US EPA's 2010-2015 Strategic Plan Leaves out Environmental Education

Public Comment Period Ends Today, Friday, July 30

Earlier this week, Brian Day, Executive Director of the North American Association for Environmental Education, sent out a notice regarding the absence of the words “environmental education” in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Strategic Plan for 2010-2015. This has been a cause for concern in the NC environmental education community and across the nation. Mr. Day noted that the absence of environmental education could impact environmental education programs across the nation, as the EPA’s Office of Environmental Education (created by the National EE Act) serves as a resource for the whole country and funds the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), the EPA’s EE Grants, the Environmental Education And Training Partnership (EETAP) and regional EE grants.

The EPA is now accepting comments on the proposed Plan. The Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs has already submitted comments, which can be viewed at http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/images/CommentsEPAStrategicPlan.pdf

The deadline for comment is today, July 30th by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Comments are accepted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480b054e6
Comments can be entered directly online—letters can be attached as well.

N.C. Envirothon Team Heads to National Competition

On August 1st, a team of 5 local high school students from Durham County will be traveling to Fresno, CA to represent North Carolina in the 2010 Canon Envirothon. The Canon Envirothon is North America's largest high school environmental education competition. Reaching more than 500,000 students across North America annually, the Envirothon will test teams in their knowledge of wildlife, soils, aquatics, forestry and current environmental issues. Teams completing in this years competition will come from states across the US and Canadian providences. The 2010 Canon Envirothon is being held on the University of California at Fresno’s campus August 1-6, 2010. Winning teams receive scholarships for college and more.

Durham County’s students, the ‘Vicious Vipers’, won the chance to represent NC at the event by taking 1st place at the Area 4 Envirothon on March 26, 2010 and then 1st place at the NC Envirothon on April 23-24, 2010. The team includes, Nathanael Gass, Anna Gass, Merilee Nixon, Peter Barrow, Michael Estes, and advisor Cindy Gass. Also traveling with the group is Steve Bennett, NC Envirothon coordinator and Jennifer Brooks, Durham County Envirothon Coordinator.

In Durham County, the Envirothon program is sponsored by the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District. The competition is open to middle and high school public, private and homeschool groups. The Vicious Vipers have been competing in Envirothon for 4 years now, starting in middle school.

For more information, please contact the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District at (919) 560-0558 or jbrooks@co.durham.nc.us (Press release provided by Jennifer Brooks. Thanks!)

N.C. DENR Takes Part in America's Great Outdoors Listening Session

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Dee Freeman and representatives from N.C. DENR's Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs and Division of Parks and Recreation provided input at the America's Great Outdoors Initiative Listening Session that was held in Asheville on July 15th. Several other agencies and organizations involved in environmental education attended as well, including the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the Environmental Educators of North Carolina and other local environmental education centers and programs.

This is one of several sessions that will be held across the country. The Initiative and listening sessions are the result of a memorandum issued by President Obama that directed the Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the EPA and Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality to create a 21st Century Strategy for America's Great Outdoors.

The initiative has three main goals:
-Reconnect americans to the outdoors-Enhance conservation partnerships-Protect and restore our lands and waters using science

This article from the Asheville Citizen-Times reports on the event and provides video of the welcome by Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy (she mentions environmental education!).

Wilmington Area Women Go to Sea Again to Research Plastic Marine Debris Pollution

We know that litter on the ground can find its way into storm drains, which empty into waterways that lead to the ocean. Once trash enters the ocean it becomes marine debris--but what happens after that?

Follow Keep America Beautiful of New Hanover County’s Jennifer O’Keefe and UNC-Wilmington’s Bonnie Monteleone on a voyage 700 miles off the North Carolina coast to find out what happens to litter from our streets, parking lots and school yards. The first stop is Bermuda where beach surveys on this island inside the North Atlantic Gyre last year showed massive amounts of plastic pollution.

After a couple days in Bermuda, they’ll board the Research Vessel Atlantic Explorer for 5 days of sampling. Plastics collected will be taken back to UNC-Wilmington where they will be weighed and analyzed. This is a continuation of O'Keefe and Monteleone's work last summer. Also, in September, Monteleone sailed into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on a similar research mission.

You can follow their adventures at by visiting http://theplasticocean.blogspot.com/ to view photos and videos from this trip and last year’s research.

Teachers are "At the Water's Edge" This Week to Learn about Wetlands, Wildlife and Water

Teachers from across the state have gathered at Trinity Center in Salter Path this week (July 11-16, 2010) for the "At the Water's Edge: Exploring Wetlands, Wildlife and Water" environmental education professional development institute.

The Institute is made available by the Environmental Education Fund, with funding provided by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program. The Institute is administered by the Office of Environmental Education. Partners include the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Cooperative Extension, NC Coastal Federation and others.

Office of Environmental Education staff will be posting photos and updates through out the week on Twitter and Facebook. Photos from last year's institute are available on the Office's Educator page.

The Office of Environmental Education received more than a hundred applications for twenty-four spots in the workshop. The Office has coordinated similar institutes each summer since 2002.

During the week, teachers will participate 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 will be emphasized. By applying the interdisciplinary approach of environmental education, educators will learn how to integrate science, social studies, language arts, math, health and art using the natural environment as the context for learning.