Tuesday, April 23, 2019
April is often considered “Earth Month” because of special observance days like Environmental Awareness Day on April 22 and Arbor Day on April 26, among others (for a list of special days in April, visit EEinWisconsin.org). This month, we also celebrate excellence in environmental education in our schools and communities.
DPI partners with the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education (WAEE) and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education to recognize leadership at the annual Celebration of Excellence in Environmental Education. The event will take place in Milwaukee on April 27. Eleven organizations and individuals will be recognized, including Wisconsin’s 2019 nominee to the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools program, Schlitz Audubon Nature Preschool in Milwaukee--the first preschool in the state to be nominated for this recognition.
The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin will be honored for several things; namely, their role in providing critical funding for PK-12 environmental education through grants from their Teachers Outdoor Environmental Education Fund and the Go Outside Fund.
Several Wisconsin educators will be recognized as well. Sandy Benton, co-founder and former teacher at Fox River Academy in the Appleton Area School District will receive the WAEE’s Formal Educator of the Year award. Benton served on the writing committee for Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability and currently serves as an instructional coach to help teachers integrate environmental education across subject areas. She also received the 2019 Conservation Educator of the Year award from the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
Brittany Hager, co-founder, and director of Northern Waters Environmental School in the Hayward Area School District will be recognized as WAEE’s Administrator of the Year. Hager’s accomplishments are numerous, and perhaps her most important contribution is that of developing future leaders. One letter of recommendation noted, “Under her leadership, a new crop of environmental leaders grows from being students to active community contributors each year.”
Scott Anderson and Aleisha Miller will be recognized as K-12 Energy Educators of the Year. Anderson, from Juda High School, consistently pushes his students to engage in green energy projects that help their school, their community, and the world. As the math/engineering teacher at Juda, his classes have helped install solar, lower electrical costs, and win multiple grants helping the school work towards its 10% green energy on-site goal.
Miller provides the School District of River Falls the best possible science-based water and energy conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy education with support from the City of River Falls. Fondly known as the “Energy Lady,” Miller’s hands-on programming positively impacts the elementary curriculum and culture of the region.
These organizations and educators help students connect, explore, and engage with natural and cultural systems, which are the goals for environmental education in Wisconsin schools.
To learn more about environmental education in Wisconsin schools, visit: https://dpi.wi.gov/environmental-ed.
To learn more about the Celebration of Excellence in Environmental Education event, visit: http://www.waee.org/awards-banquet.
Subscriber Submission: Victoria Rydberg, Environmental Education, and Service-Learning Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction