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Environmental Educators
of the Year 2002
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The Idaho Environmental
Education Association (IdEEA) has selected three Idaho teachers as
"Environmental Educators of the Year."
The awardees for 2002 are:
Teri Burch kindergarten teacher, Fernan Elementary School, Coeur
d'Alene (phone: 208 664 2659)
Burch enthusiastically
guides her learners through units which follow the seasons and study
changes in the weather. She says, "I have found it very easy to
integrate environmental education into my lesson plans."
Kris Ablin-Stone , life
science/physical science/earth science/mathematics teacher, Riverglen
Junior High School, Boise (phone: 208-322-3870)
Students of Ablin-Stone's
work on three on-going environmental education projects as part of her
life science course: raising rainbow trout in the classroom, building
awareness of noxious weeds, and construction of a wetland on their
school grounds. About her teaching philosophy, she says, "I am not there
to influence their opinion on environmental issues, but to show them how
they can collect facts to help them make informed decisions."
Jennie Rylee ,
environmental education coordinator, Boise City Public Works, Boise
(phone: 208 384-3901)
Last school year, Rylee
presented lessons to more than 4,000 students in 160 Boise school
classrooms. Topics of her lessons include air quality, composting, water
protection, recycling, and papermaking. She notes, "In environmental
education, we can show children that they have a huge amount of
control-and not just over their clothes, hair, or friends, but over the
fate of the Earth."
Each winner was presented a
certificate, $100 scholarship, and original piece of wildlife art. These
presentations took place during the awards reception of the Idaho Science
Teachers Association Annual Meeting, held earlier this month at the
Ketchum Ski & Heritage Museum. Artwork was donated by Pocatello Zoo
curator of education Bonnie Jakubos.
IdEEA gives these awards annually to recognize exemplary teaching about
our environment. Based on nominations from across the state, both
classroom teachers and non-formal educators are commended.
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