MEEA and NEEEA Project Coordinator Job Announcement

Hello MEEA Members,
We are excited to announce that MEEA is building capacity in our organization and we are looking forward to hiring our first paid contract staffer.  This person will have the exciting job of helping MEEA implement Maine's Environmental Literacy Plan.  We hope to find a great person for the job.  Please read on if you are interested in finding out more about this position...

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Projects Coordinator:

The Maine Environmental Education Association &

The New England Environmental Education Alliance

The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) and the New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA) seek a Projects Coordinator to support the work of both the MEEA and NEEEA Boards of Directors. The purpose of this new position is to efficiently manage specific capacity-building projects for these growing state and regional nonprofit associations, coordinate efforts to implement the Environmental Literacy Plans of the six New England states, and build membership, participation and collaboration through marketing and communication. This position will report to the MEEA/NEEEA Administration Committee. This five-person committee will consist of the president of each organization, the vice-president or president elect of each organization respectively, as well as the MEEA/NEEEA treasurer. The position reports directly to the MEEA or NEEEA president (depending on task).

THE ORGANIZATIONS:

The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) facilitates and promotes environmental education in Maine through the sharing of ideas, resources, information, and cooperative programs among educators, organizations, and concerned individuals.

The New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA) promotes quality environmental education across New England in partnership with all six New England state environmental education organizations including MEEA.

Both organizations provide networking and collaboration opportunities across New England through several formats:

• Hosting state & regional professional development opportunities with an annual conference (spring/MEEA and autumn/NEEEA), as well as training retreats & workshops.
• Recognizing exemplary environmental educators and programs through annual awards.
• Providing current EE information and resources through online newsletters, websites (www.meeassociation.org & www.neeea.org), list-serves and affiliation with the North American Association for Environmental Education.
• Assisting member organizations with board capacity, development and growth.

Both MEEA and NEEEA have growing finances and resources with annual operating budgets of over $50,000 and combined retained earnings of over $54,000. Both organizations currently have no paid staff and have 14 volunteer Board Directors each, with NEEEA’s board comprised of 2 representatives from each of the 6 New England states and their state EE organization— COEAA, RIEEA, MEES, SWEEP, NHEE, MEEA plus a board president and past president.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES & COMPETENCIES:

• Commitment to environmental education and a vision for helping achieve the missions of MEEA and NEEEA through increased capacity and implementation of state ELPs.
• Professional experience (5 years+), preferably in a nonprofit EE organization with a similar or related mission including project management and fundraising.
• Computer skills including spreadsheets, database, desktop publishing and the web.
• Enthusiasm for collaboration, creativity, innovation and sustainable growth.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The MEEA/NEEEA Projects Coordinator duties will include:

• Assist state organizations with the creation and implementation of state Environmental Literacy Plans including regional sharing and collaboration.
• Manage grant writing and fundraising projects including foundation and corporate support.
• Work with both boards on their 5-year strategic plans including audience segmentation, needs assessment, appropriate activities and alternative business plans.
• Work with the MEEA/NEEEA Treasurer on project related finances, accounting and budget reports.
• Maintain and improve MEEA and NEEEA databases, files, archives.
• Manage MEEA and NEEEA websites.
• Manage and implement $150,000 EPA Region 1 Grant (if awarded).
• Oversee marketing, membership and public relations projects for both organizations.
• Serve as NEEEA liaison to the 6 state organizations and as NAAEE Affiliate liaison.
• Various and sundry duties as they arise.

ANTICIPATED WORKLOAD:

2,400 hours from April 2, 2012 to December 31, 2013—

Average 30 hours per week: MEEA ~20 hours and NEEEA ~10 hours per week

The Projects Coordinator is expected to attend MEEA monthly board meetings and NEEEA quarterly meetings, and the MEEA and NEEEA annual conferences. An additional 10 hours/week is possible dependant on additional funding. This contract work will be paid on a monthly billable basis.

COMPENSATION:

Contractual position to be paid at $30/hour for a 2012-2013 maximum of 2,400 hours plus an expenses stipend of up to $1,500. Initial contract is for April 2, 2012 to December 31, 2013.

TO APPLY :

Please submit a cover letter and a current resume to the Projects Coordinator Staffing Committee, c/o Drew Dumsch, Treasurer, MEEA and NEEEA, at drew@fbes.org (in PDF format, please). EOE - we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability. Applications will receive priority consideration if received by February 20, 2012; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled. April 2, 2012 is the anticipated start date for this position. Those with questions about the position or search process may contact:

Drew Dumsch, MEEA and NEEEA Treasurer, ph: 207-283-9951 or email: drew@fbes.org.

Ryder Scott, MEEA President, ph: 207-665-2935 or email: ryder.scott@maine.edu

Lisa Purcell, NEEEA President, ph: (802) 353-9440 or email: lisa@fourwindsinstitute.org

MEEA 2012 Call for Award Nominations

Hello MEEA Members,
MEEA is seeking nominations for our 2012 awards... please read below:

Maine Environmental Education Association Awards 2012

~ Call for Nominations ~

The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) is seeking nomination applications for recognition of outstanding environmental achievement in Maine in the following four categories:

• The Eberhard Thiele Environmental Educator Award
• Excellence in Environmental Education Program Award
• Maine Environmental Education Association School of the Year Award
• Maine Environmental Education Association Business of the Year Award

Nominations may be submitted using the attached form either by the nominee or by a colleague on its behalf. Applications are due by Monday, February 27th 2012. The selection criteria for each of the awards are as follows:

The Eberhard Thiele Environmental Educator Award is designed to recognize either an environmental education professional who works outside the formal classroom setting or a public or private school classroom teacher that incorporates environmental education into their pedagogical philosophy and practice. Eberhard Thiele was the first President of MEEA (1981), served many years on the board, and inspired many students as the Director of Environmental Studies at the University of Maine, Fort Kent.

The award recipient:

• makes continuous and enduring contributions to environmental education 
  demonstrates capacity for creating and implementing successful EE activities

• encourages students and/or audience to make informed decisions about environmental issues
• shows creative and innovative approaches to EE programming
• promotes environmental education by inspiring colleagues and/or providing training or resources to other educators

The Excellence in Environmental Education Program* Award is designed to recognize an outstanding environmental education program that is:

• innovative and creative
• sustainable
• has a strong evaluation component
• results in action or changed behaviors by participants.

*Recipients for this award might include nonprofits, land trusts, city programs and others.

The Maine Environmental Education Association School of the Year Award is designed to recognize an outstanding Maine public or private school or school program that demonstrates a commitment to one or more of the following:

• reducing the school's environmental impact and improving energy efficiency
• environmental and sustainability education that incorporates service learning.
• creating a healthy school environment (i.e. high school standards for nutrition, fitness, physical environment such as air and water quality, and quantity and quality of outdoor time for both students and staff)

The Maine Environmental Education Association Business of the Year Award is designed to recognize an outstanding Maine Business that is committed to one or more of the following:

• connecting to local land and resources which highlights conscious understanding of health, conservation or environmental and economical sustainability
• serving their community through the support of green initiatives
• reducing their environmental impact and improving their energy efficiency

MEEA awards will be presented at the annual conference, Building Partnerships for Sustainable Communities: Gathering the Usual and Unusual Suspects, March 23rd, 2012 at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset.

Please complete the application form attached to nominate yourself or a colleague for one of the 2012 awards. Submission by e-mail is required. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact:

Olivia Griset MEEA Awards Committee Chair oliviagriset@yahoo.com

Please Note:  Individuals that serve as MEEA Board Members and the programs those individuals oversee are not eligible to receive MEEA awards during their term of service and for one year after. In addition, MEEA does not have to award every award every year; if MEEA deems there are not enough quality nominations in any one category an award may not be given in that category that year.

Maine Environmental Education Association

AWARDS NOMINATION FORM 2012

Nominee’s Name: ____________________________Award category:________________________________

Home Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

Organization/School Name & Address: _________________________________________________________

Job title or Grade and subject taught:_________________________________________________________

Home Phone: ________________Work Phone: __________________Email:___________________________

Contact information of person nominating this individual or program (if different than nominee):

Name:________________________________Phone:________________Email:________________________

Address:__________________________________________________________________________________

HOW TO APPLY:

Complete this form and write a narrative essay of no more than 750 words which explains how the applicant meets the award criteria.

Please e-mail application and essay on or before Monday February 27^th, 2012 to:

Olivia Griset oliviagriset@yahoo.com

THE SELECTION PROCESS

All materials are due by February 27th, 2012. Applications will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the MEEA Board of Directors by March 12th, 2012, after which all applicants will be notified.

MEEA awards will be presented at the annual conference, Building Partnerships for Sustainable Communities: Gathering the Usual and Unusual Suspects, March 23rd, 2012 at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset.

Please help MEEA in recognizing excellent environmental educators, programs, schools and green businesses in the state of Maine!

MEEA 2012 Conference Call for Presenters Deadline Extended Until Jan 31st

MEEA members...it is once again time to start thinking about our exciting 2012 conference.  If you have a workshop to share please note the deadline for submission has been extended until Jan 31st... please consider submitting a proposal for a workshop!  For unline proposal submission head to the MEEA website at http://www.meeassociation.org.

Read on for more info on workshop strands:

We invite you to submit proposals for the 2012 Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) Annual Conference in Wiscasset, Maine on Friday, March 23. 

"Building Partnerships for Sustainable Communities:  Gathering the Usual and Unusual Suspects"

  

MEEA seeks to gather not only our usual environmental education population, but also people from across sectors - land trusts and conservation organizations, outdoor recreation, government, business, sportsmen, agriculture and health care.  MEEA is an active member of the Maine Outdoor Coalition and through our year-round promotion of environmental education, including our annual conference, proudly joins sector and statewide partners in efforts to engage Mainers of all ages in the outdoors.  We will be looking for workshops that consider or reflect the strands below.  

We look forward to reading your proposal!

MEEA Conference Committee

Conference Strands

Effective Partnerships:  How do effective partnerships work? What are the challenges and outcomes of such partnerships? How can individuals and organizations from across sectors come together to work toward a common goal? Systems Thinking: What is "systems thinking," and how does it relate to community vitality?  How can we use systems thinking to maximize the effectiveness of our work? Environmental Literacy:  What is "environmental literacy," and how does it relate across sectors?  How can programming for environmental literacy enhance our work? Outdoor Engagement:  Address the growing trend in decreased outdoor activity in our culture.  How is it affecting our health and well-being?  Is it affecting our investment in and care for our natural resources?  What are creative solutions to this issue? Business and Tourism:  How is business and tourism impacted by outdoor engagement and environmental literacy?  What is the role of business and tourism in the promotion of these topics, and can these sectors be enhanced through this work?

PLT and MEEP announce GreenSchools Workshop Coming Soon...

Hello MEEA members, 


Thought you might be interested in the announcement that PLT and MEEP is hosting a GreenSchools workshop in Maine.  Read on for more info:

Maine Energy Education Program (MEEP) and Maine Project Learning Tree (PLT) Present
An Introduction to GreenSchools Workshop
Date: March 6, 2012 from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Washington Academy, East Machias

This workshop is designed for grades 4 through 12 teachers and will:
  a.. Prepare teachers to conduct GreenSchools Investigations with their students.
  b.. Provide information about both in-school and local resources from Maine Energy Education Program, Project Learning Tree and others.
  c.. Give teachers the first steps to forming GreenSchools teams of students, staff, teachers and community members.
Learn about tools used for collecting energy data in your school; explore the PLT PreK-8 Activity Guide and the PLT GreenSchools website and Investigations.

Pizza will be provided plus a certificate of attendance.

Workshop presenters include Stefany Gregoire, Director of Operations with MEEP and Pat Maloney, ME PLT Coordinator.

With thanks to the Maine Office of Energy Independence & Security , there is no charge for this workshop, however we require that you register to attend no later than February 28, 2012 by contacting Pat Maloney at meplt@gwi.net or calling 626-7990


Patricia Maloney
Maine PLT Coordinator
153 Hospital Street
Augusta, Maine 04330
207 626-7990
www.mainetreefoundation.org
www.plt.org

Energy Related Feild Test Opportunity for 9-12 Teachers

Hi MEEA members,
Just saw this information about a new field test opportunity for an energy course and thought some of you high school teachers might be interested-if so read on for more info: 

Energy concepts are fundamental to all science disciplines, and a basic understanding of energy concepts is essential to thoughtful civic participation on issues of foremost national interest. To help teachers more effectively teach energy-related concepts, BSCS, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), the National Teacher Enhancement Network (NTEN), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) are developing and researching an online course entitled Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT). Funded by NSF, EMAT will be an innovative online, multimedia, professional development course focused on energy-related concepts within a context of the production and use of alternative energy.

The EMAT course will address three major energy concepts across a variety of alternative energy contexts: 

A systems approach is necessary when considering energy and energy transformations.  Energy is neither created nor destroyed in energy transformations. It is possible to track energy and matter inputs and outputs in energy transformations.  In all energy transformations, some energy is lost from the system as heat. This energy is not destroyed; it merely leaves the system under consideration. The efficiency of an energy transformation is related to the amount of energy lost from the system as heat.  The EMAT course is composed of the following six units:
> Energy in Coal
> Energy in Nuclear Reactions
> Light Interactions with Matter (Solar Energy)
> Biofuels
> Heat Transfer Across the Globe (Energy from Wind and Waves)
> Energy Inside the Earth (Geothermal Energy) 

In addition to helping teachers enhance their knowledge about energy concepts, theEMAT course will help teachers enhance their teaching practice by learning strategies to create coherent science content storylines as well as strategies to reveal, support, and challenge student thinking. 

Teachers and students are valuable, critical friends and help us design and improve programs like EMAT. Teachers like you are key partners in the development process by helping us test what will benefit teachers and students in the future. Due to the online nature of the new materials, participating teachers will need a computer and Internet access to complete the online course and participate in this project.

 BSCS will work with each teacher's district to fulfill the district's research requirements. Once BSCS has met these requirements, field-test teachers must agree to participate in a process that extends over two academic years and includes administering pretests and posttests to students (during the 2012-13 school year AND the 2013-2014 school year), filming themselves (using a camera provided by BSCS) teaching an energy-related lesson sometime between September and December 2012, taking the online EMAT course during summer 2013, filming themselves teaching the same energy-related lesson sometime between September and December 2013, and answering questions about the EMAT course in online surveys.  Field-test teachers receive a $400 stipend for their participation ($200 during the 2012-2013 school year, and $200 during the 2013-2014 school year) and three (3) graduate credits from Montana State University for completing the EMAT course.

Note: teachers must pay a $200 deposit to take the course, but the deposit will be refunded after all course requirements have been met.

BSCS is excited about working with classroom teachers around the country to develop the EMAT course. If you are interested in being a field-test teacher, please complete the online application and submit the required signature page. If you have questions, please contact me. The deadline for submitting applications is April 1, 2012.

Please share this opportunity with colleagues who may be interested. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Sue Kowalski

Science Educator, 

Project Director

(719) 219-4148
skowalski@bscs.org

Announcing MEEA's 2012 Conference and Call for Presenters

The 2012 MEEA Annual Conference will be held on Friday March 23 at the Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasset, Maine.

We invite you to submit proposals for the 2012 Maine Environmental Education Association Annual Conference Conference Theme: "Building Partnerships for Sustainable Communities: Gathering the Usual and Unusual Suspects" MEEA seeks to gather not only our usual environmental education population, but also people from across sectors - land trusts and conservation organizations, outdoor recreation, government, business, sportsmen, agriculture, and health care. MEEA is an active member of the Maine Outdoor Coalition and through our year-round promotion of environmental education, including our annual conference, proudly joins sector and statewide partners in efforts to engage Mainers of all ages in the outdoors. We will be looking for workshops that consider or reflect the strands below. We look forward to reading your proposal! MEEA Conference Committee Conference Strands Effective Partnerships: How do effective partnerships work? What are the challenges and outcomes of such partnerships? How can individuals and organizations from across sectors come together to work toward a common goal? Systems Thinking: What is "systems thinking," and how does it relate to community vitality? How can we use systems thinking to maximize the effectiveness of our work? Environmental Literacy: What is "environmental literacy," and how does it relate across sectors? How can programming for environmental literacy enhance our work? Outdoor Engagement: Address the growing trend in decreased outdoor activity in our culture. How is it affecting our health and well-being? Is it affecting our investment in and care for our natural resources? What are creative solutions to this issue? Business and Tourism: How is business and tourism impacted by outdoor engagement and environmental literacy? What is the role of business and tourism in the promotion of these topics, and can these sectors be enhanced through this work?

Who can submit? MEEA is seeking proposals from educators, conservation professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders, naturalists, artists, scientists, state organizations and others who have experiences or resources that relate to our workshop strands. We encourage professionals from a wide range of fields to join us. Traditionally, workshops have been 1-1.5 hours in length. If you have a workshop that is practical, instructional, or inspirational, we hope that you will share it at the 2012 MEEA conference. Click here to submit your proposal on line. Questions? Contact Tamara Whitmore, Conference Co-Chair. Deadline for submissions is January 30, 2012. Notification of selected workshops expected by February 10, 2012. Workshop presenters will be required to register for the MEEA Conference. Conference Registration will be available online by February 1.

MEEA Members...Green Schools Webinar Opportunity.

Hello MEEA Members...
We thought this upcoming webinar might interest many of you!
Click here to register: http://www.classroomearth.org/gswebinars

Going Green through the Curriculum Webinar
The National Environmental Education Foundation (www.neefusa.org<http://www.neefusa.org/>) in partnership with the National Education Association Foundation (www.neafoundation.org<http://www.neafoundation.org/>) and Green Schools National Conference (www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org<http://www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org/>) is hosting its third webinar to help educators around the country learn from experts and peers how to green their schools and curriculum. In this series of three webinars, participants will interact live with national experts and teachers who are transforming their schools for the 21st Century.

Wednesday January, 18, 2012 7pm EST- 8:30pm EST
Whether you are an environmental educator or a classroom teacher, you will love this webinar!  David Sobel, Gerald Lieberman, and Jennifer Seydel have teamed up to provide you with some ideas and practical strategies to use the local community and environmental issues to teach science and socials studies content AND improve reading, writing, and math skills!

David Sobel, Senior Faculty
Antioch University New England
David will provide examples of how teachers use local case studies to integrate the 3rd-8th grade standards in social studies, science, reading, writing, and math.  These examples are illustrative of how teachers across the country use place-based education to meet and breathe life into state standards and benchmarks.

Gerald Lieberman, Director
State Education and Environment Roundtable
Jerry will discuss California's new EEI curriculum, a wide-ranging set of K-12 instructional materials that teach science and social studies standards in the context of California's adopted environmental principles and concepts, while strengthening students’ reading and writing skills.

Jennifer Seydel, School Designer
Expeditionary Learning
Jenny will share planning templates that teachers can utilize to design lessons and units using environmental and social justice topics to teach state science, social studies, reading, writing, and math standards.

Registration is free! Registered participants will receive webinar login information via email prior to the webinar. Registered participants who complete the webinar are eligible for a special discounted registration rate for the National Green Schools Conference on February 27-29, 2012 in Denver, CO (http://www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org<http://www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org/>).
The first 100 registered participants that log in and complete the webinar will be eligible for a webinar drawing to receive a complimentary registration to the Green Schools National Conference (www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org<http://www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org/>), February 27-29, 2012.

Cornell University Offers Spring 2012 Online Course - Measuring Environmental Education Outcomes

Hello MEEA members,

This interesting opportunity was brought to our attention and we thought some of you may be interested in participating in this course this fall...

 

Spring 2012 Online Course: Measuring Environmental Education Outcomes

Apply: Jan 2, 2012 – Feb 3, 2012
Course Dates: Feb 20, 2012 – May 13, 2012
Cornell University’s Civic Ecology Lab announces an online course offered through EECapacity, the EPA-funded national environmental education program. This 12-week, non-credit professional development course will focus on identifying individual, community, and ecosystem outcomes of environmental education and exploring quantitative measures of outcomes, such as environmental behaviors, sense of place, and connectedness to nature. Limited to 16 participants.
Course webpage http://civicecology.org/course-meeo.php
Questions? Please email Tania Schusler tms23@cornell.edu

Seasonal Job Opportunity for Environmental Educators at Baxter State Park

Hello MEEA members,
Baxter State Park has started their search for Seasonal EE professionals.  Here is the job description and information:

Wilderness Educator Internships

6 month - May 13, 2012 – October 27, 2012

3 month - May 20 – August 11, 2012

3 month - July 29 – October 20, 2012 (two positions)

Baxter State Park, Maine

The Information/Education Division of Baxter State Park is looking for mature, self-motivated, and creative individuals for Wilderness Educator Intern positions. These positions will undertake natural resource-based projects, and provide public environmental/conservation education via public contact on Katahdin, children’s programs, community environmental education, among other duties.

Baxter State Park has over 209,000 acres of mountainous wilderness and managed forest in northern Maine. It is home to Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine. The Park is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Eastern United States and has many rare plant and animal species.

The positions will assist the Park Naturalist and Interpretive Specialist in the following:

• Perform foot patrol/public contact on Katahdin and other designated high use areas in the Park.
• Create and facilitate children’s nature programs in the Park and in area schools/libraries.
• Participate in citizen science inventory/monitoring efforts, i.e. Mountain Plant Watch and Loon Count.
• Provide information/education to Park visitors at the Visitor Center.
• Update information/education handouts and signage.
• Oversee the coordination of and attend workshops, i.e., Project Wild, Project Learning Tree and Invasive Plants.

Training/education provided:

• Wilderness First Aid
• Leave No Trace 2-day Trainer Course
• Training on Park trails, including Katahdin and other mountains

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in natural sciences, education, or environmental education preferred

Desired abilities:

• Effectively communicate with strong oral/written communication skills.
• Demonstrate good people skills, including being outgoing and friendly.
• Hike extremely rugged terrain during Mountain Patrol.
• Work independently.
• Live in primitive shared housing or alone in remote situations without electricity.
• Work cooperatively with fellow employees, supervisors and management.

Requirements:

• Available to work the entire timeframe of the internship
• Current and valid driver’s license
• Work a 40-hour week, including every weekend with Monday/Tuesday off.

Stipend:

$300/week plus housing and a Park vehicle for work use only.

To apply: Either go to our website – www.baxterstateparkauthority.com and download an application or request an application by emailing: marcia.williamson@maine.gov.

Application deadline: Until filled.

Maine Environmental Education Association Board Meeting Announcement

Hello MEEA members,
Just a reminder that our monthly board meeting is slated to be held Wed, December 7th at 3:30 p.m. at the Viles Arboretum in Augusta.  Please feel free to join us, all members are welcome to attend.

MEEA and the New Science K-12 Framework

The DOE in Maine is working hard planning and preparing for the next generation of science standards.  This is a super exciting time to be part of envisioning the future of science education in Maine...one of the lead states in the country working with the framework.  The Maine Environmental Education Association will be involved in this process and will attempt to keep all our members appraised of the developments that arise.

Anita Bernhardt from the DOE has created a wonderful blog that keeps all educators up to date about the framework.  Please follow her blog at http://scitechframework.wordpress.com.  I will also be blogging about the framework this year as it relates to the EE work we are all dedicated to improving and keeping relevant to education in and out of the classroom.  As a classroom teacher myself, understanding new standards and the way they are developed is a continual challenge.  I hope to follow this effort closely as the work unfolds in the next couple of years.  Keep following this blog for more info as well!

MEEA Board Meeting November 2nd at Gilsland Farm, Falmouth

Hello Members,
Just a reminder that the MEEA board is meeting Nov 2nd from 3:30 to 5:30 at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth.  All members are welcome to attend!

Also, the website redevelopment subcommittee will meet prior to the meeting at 2:45.  MEEA is working hard to create a more useful website rich with information and resources for formal and non-formal educators.  Stay tuned to see the results of this work.

MEEA Organizational Members' ELLMS Project Raises $290,000 for EE in Maine!

Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) is proud to share a story from the Bangor Daily News about an exciting new environmental education (EE) initiative in the State of Maine.  Four of MEEA's organizational members -- Ferry Beach Ecology School, Chewonki, Bryant Pond and Tanglewood -- are collaborating to make funds available for Maine elementary and middle schools to participate in their EE programming.  The following story from the Bangor Daily News provides more information.  Congratulations to these programs for working hard to provide top quality EE to Maine school children!

ELLMS Project raises $290,000 for environmental education in Maine

Posted Oct. 14, 2011, at 12:01 p.m. Bangor Daily News

           

WISCASSET — Four well-respected Maine non-profits have combined forces to combat the economic challenges facing public schools in Maine and limited access public school students have to environmental education.
Chewonki Outdoor Classroom for Schools (Wiscasset), Ferry Beach Ecology School (Saco), UMaine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond, and UMaine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Tanglewood (Lincolnville) have formed a partnership to help provide residential environmental education to Maine public school students: Environmental Living and Learning for Maine Students: The ELLMS Project.

The project has caught the attention of leaders in the field of environmental education and major funders, receiving $290,000 in grants to date. The ELLMS Project will encourage students to develop a lifelong commitment to environmental sustainability and stewardship, outdoor exercise and recreation, good nutrition, community-building, and civic engagement through positive, nature-based activities, lessons, and challenges.

The project will also spur students’ understanding of the connections between natural resources and the economy so that they will be better prepared to participate in the “green economy.”
Ryder Scott, ELLMS Project spokesperson and program director at Bryant Pond, says he is thrilled to be a part of this collaborative effort. “Our four organizations are competitors, but we share the same mission of providing residential environmental education to Maine students, getting them outside and active. All four of our programs provide academic programs that complement schools’ science curricula, and offer students a chance for a ‘camp’ experience — eating with their classmates; sleeping in simple dorms, cabins or tents; being a part of a small community and engaging in outdoor activity and learning,” Scott said in a press release.

Recognizing that school budget cuts and increased transportation costs have prompted many schools to eliminate off-campus enrichment, the ELLMS partners have created a financial aid fund for public schools that need support to give their students residential environmental education. Through the ELLMS fund, public elementary and middle schools in Maine can apply for grants to help send their students to any of the four ELLMS organizations. Schools will apply to the fund online, selecting the program that best fits their curriculum and needs. The ELLMS Project Steering Committee is currently soliciting businesses and foundations for funding for this initiative and with great success.
Five foundations have already contributed for the 2011-2012 school year. The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation granted the ELLMS Project $125,000. Megan Shore of the Sewall Foundation says, “Providing opportunities for Maine’s school children to learn about and connect with the environment is an essential part of strengthening Maine’s communities, economy, and health. The collaborative nature and strong track record of the organizations involved in this program, as well as the potential to reach so many children throughout the state, were very compelling.”

The other foundations who are supporting the ELLMS Project to date are the Bangor Savings Bank Foundation ($5,000), the Sam L. Cohen Foundation ($20,000), the Quimby Family Foundation ($40,000), and Jane’s Trust ($100,000). Cohen Foundation Executive Director Nancy Brain says that her foundation was impressed with the collaborative spirit of the ELLMS Project. “It’s rare that we see competing organizations come together like this for a common goal. The combination of what these non-profits offer collectively is going to make a huge impact on Maine students. We’d love to see more Maine organizations follow this model.”

Ryder Scott says there is still a long way to go to make ELLMS financially sustainable. “We’re working on ways to assure that all Maine students, regardless of family income, have access to residential environmental education. ELLMS will allow us to share best practices and administrative resources; reach a much greater number of public school students, particularly underserved students; and work together to teach a rising generation how to be responsible stewards of their environment, their own health, their communities, and their state.”
For more information on the ELLMS Project or to apply for financial aid, visit www.ellms.org or contact Ryder Scott at 207-665-2935 or ryder.scott@maine.edu.
Anyone interested in financially supporting the ELLMS Project, is urged to contact Lucy Hull at 207-882-7323 ext. 127 or lhull@chewonki.org.

MEEA Members There is Still Time to Sign Up for the NEEEA Conference!

Dear MEEA Community, friends and colleagues, If there are still some of you considering attending the 45th annual New England Environmental Education Association Conference but haven't registered - Please do so now! We are a little over a week away from a wonderful time of networking together, sharing ideas and lesson plans, participating in workshops, stargazing with friends, being inspired by our colleagues, telling stories and singing around a campfire, wandering through the cool exhibit hall, bidding on excellent silent auction items, dancing to celebrational music, eating good food, and replenishing our wells.
So no more dilly-dallying. Register today at http://neeea.org/conference/index.html

Scholarships are also still available if that will help get you there. Don't decide not to come just cause of lack of funds - let's work out a way to get you to the conference. Contact Robin for more information regarding scholarships. rstuart@massaudubon.org

Alright, hope to see you there!
Cheers
The 2011 NEEEA Conference Committee
http://neeea.org/conference/index.html

Calling for Input From MEEA Membership Regarding our 2012 Conference

Hello MEEA Members...

The MEEA conference committee is already hard at work preparing our 2012 MEEA spring conference.  This year we would love to get your input about the conference.  Here are a few questions we would like you to consider and comment on.  Your participation is this discussion is highly appreciated!

1. Do you have any suggestions for themes or speakers for the 2012 MEEA Annual Conference?  (Any particular subjects, topics or issues related to environmental education you think should be addressed?)
2. How familiar are you with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)?  Is STEM something that formal and/or non-formal educators are talking about and referring to?
   

MEEA board meeting today at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth

The MEEA board will be meeting today at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth from 3:30 -5:30 pm.  The board is honored to welcome Sarah Kirn as a presenter today.  Sarah is Vital Signs Program Manager at Gulf of Maine Research Institute.  Our goal will be to hear about the work GMRI is doing and to find avenues for networking and collaboration with this highly succseful EE organization.  We will also be disscusing the Envrionmental Literacy Plan and MEEA's goals for implementing this plan.  Members are welcome to join us! 

Remember- if you are a member and are interseted in volunteering on a MEEA commitee please contact any board member or Olivia Griset at oliviagriset@yahoo.com.

Meet MEEA's Educator of the Year: Lewiston High Teacher Laurie Haines

Monika Thiele and Lauire Haines

"Q and A With

MEEA Educator of the Year- Laurie Haines" 

As a public school teacher who is passionate about environmental education, I find it is always inspiring to meet other teachers in Maine who share this common passion.  When you meet Laurie her passion for all things natural and teaching others about the natural world becomes quickly apparent.  Laurie practically bubbles over with excitement when asked to talk about her views on EE and the work she has been doing with her students at colleagues at Lewiston High School.  The following article is an interview I did with Laurie after she received MEEA's Eberhard Thiele Environmental Educator of the Year Award this April.  I hope you enjoy hearing about Laurie's work and that it inspires you to get your kids outside learning!...

~Olivia Griset

Q: "How long have you been teaching?"

A: "18 years... 11 at Lewiston High School"

Q: "What motivates you to be a public school teacher involved with Environmental Education in the State of Maine?"

A: "I think EE is the most important subject matter that we have to teach students. If we don't have any kind of stewardship what else is important? Any where you can put any bits and pieces of EE in your teaching you will be successful... kids spend so much time indoors and not exposed to nature; exposing kids to the environment is really cool and the most important thing you can do."

Q: "What is your favorite outdoor project you do with your students?"  

A: "We take our students on one field trip a year (all we can afford) to a forest away from campus and they explore and see some really big trees- some of which they have never seen before.  We do all sorts of fun things- measuring trees, finding fungus, writing poetry, opening their eyes to the beauty and complexity of nature.  Many of the inner city kids where I work have never been to a forest in their lives. Seeing kids for the first time realizing that a forest is a neat place to be and it is important to keep healthy and is a vibrant and useful part of city is an amazing experience."

Q: "What keeps you motivated to do the all the extra work to help other teachers learn how to get their kids learning outside?   

A: "I think if teachers don't go outside they don't have the experiences to take their students outdoors for learning.  Until you take your kids out you haven't experienced fully what you can in education seeing the joy and wonderment on their faces.... this is such an important facet of education.  When working with other teachers I have seen their fear about teaching outside.  I realize I need to help other teachers get comfortable working in the outdoors with their students... I think it is really important to get other teachers to understand what they need to do to be successful getting their students outdoors."

Q: "How have you seen teaching and learning outside impact your students?"

 A: "There are so many stories of this... I will just share one.  I have kids do poetry and haiku outside... having students doing the haiku and reading them and finding how much beauty the kids see in the forest to me is the most special experience.  They write a haiku for what season we are in and it is descriptive of what they see and how they feel and that is very unique. If I have time we do it right when we are in the woods.  They sit down anyplace in the forest and write; it is important that they are out in nature seeing it as they write about it.  The poems reflect how experiencing nature has impacted my students."

Q: "What advice would you give to a teacher just starting out with environmental education?"

 A: "Don't' be afraid to try new things-more than anything- there is so much out there- so many resources! Always be looking for something new to add and see what works. If you try something and it fails then tweak it and try it again. Make environmental stewardship key to some portion of what you teach and try to have the kids become stewards of something...

Start small, then keep adding and changing and be versatile, don't be afraid to change course- go with your strengths and branch out from there."

Q: "When not teaching, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?"

 A: "I love the outside- gardening, kayaking, hiking in the forest and photography... I have a photography website that I have created called mainenaturediary.com- check it out!"

Q: "Any final thoughts for our readers?"

A: "You don't have to teach an environmental science course to do environmental education and outdoor work in school... it applies in any course and to any grade level! Nature and stewardship can apply and augment any topic of study- so take a risk and try something new with your students- you won't regret it!"

MEEA Members Announcement About the Upcoming NEEEA Conference

Dear Friends and Colleagues, Attend the 2011 New England Environmental Education Alliance Conference! This year the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES) within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hosting. The conference will be at the Prindle Pond Conference Center in Charlton, MA from Friday October 21 through Sunday October 23, 2011. Join in the stimulating workshops, be roused by the high energy World Music ensemble Gaia Roots, and be inspired by the Keynotes speakers and closing ceremony!

To register follow this link. http://www.neeea.org/conference.html

On behalf of the NEEEA Conference Committee, we look forward to seeing you in attendance!

Attention Parents and Teachers: EE Event Upcoming at the Botanical Garden

YOU ARE INVITED to great summer event....a documentary film screening of Mother Nature's Child (www.mothernaturesmovie.com) on Sunday, August 21st, 3:00-5:00pm at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay (www.mainegardens.org).  Admission to the gardens is free to event attendees and childcare is available as well during the movie and post-film talk.There will be:

~an introduction to the film and to Juniper Hill School by Anne Stires

~a showing of the hour-long documentary, Mother Nature's Child: A film that explores the deep connection children innately have to the natural world, the media age influence on that connection, and, as family members and teachers, our ability to support their vital connection.

~a post film discussion by David Sobel, professor of Education at Antioch University and author of many books including, "Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators," and "Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Community," and "Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors."

Please bring friends and family to the Bosarge Family Education Center at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens on Sunday August 21st for this exciting event.

MEEA's New Blog

I am very excited to introduce the Maine Environmental Education Association's new blog.  Visit this blog for updated information about exciting new EE initiatives in the state of Maine.  Also in upcoming posts read about educators in Maine who are doing innovative EE work.  If you have information about upcoming EE programs in Maine please contact the moderator or post on this blog.

More about MEEA:
Created in 1982, MEEA helps organizations, schools, groups, educational programs, and individuals promote and expand environmental education in Maine. In addition, MEEA acts as a clearing house, keeping groups and individuals informed of issues and events in the field of environmental education. We believe conserving Maine's rich cultural and natural heritage requires an environmentally aware citizenship.

MEEA's Mission:
The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) facilitates and promotes environmental education in Maine through the sharing of ideas, resources, information, and cooperative programs among educators, organizations, and concerned individuals. MEEA is built on the strengths and contributions of our members.

Joining MEEA:
Join as an individual or an organization and enjoy discounts at the annual conference, a listing in the MEEG, and MEEA web site and other benefits of membership while supporting our cause.  To join please visit our website at http://www.meeassociation.org.