Welcome to the Utah Society for Environmental Education (USEE) E-Newsletter! This publication exists to connect educators and our community with valuable news, information, and opportunities!
Whether you are an educator, business owner, agency personnel, or a concerned citizen…we hope that you will find something useful and interesting in each month’s publication!
In This Issue:
USEE News
Community Corner
Environmental Education News
Educator’s Corner
EE Jobs, Internships and Volunteer Opportunities
USEE News
Upcoming Events
Now Accepting Applications for the Utah Environmental Education Certification Program
Deadline to apply: June 30, 2007
The Utah Environmental Education Certification Program establishes high standards for the professional qualifications of environmental educators in Utah. Certification has a variety of benefits for individuals, organizations, and the field of EE. Individual educators often find that the certification process serves as an important step in their professional development. In meeting high standards of the program, candidates more fully master both the theory and practice of EE, making them more effective as professionals.
For more information or for an application packet, contact Adrienne Cachelin at director@usee.org, (801) 328-1549, or visit http://www.usee.org/certification.html.
News
USEE’s Annual Conference ~ Call for Proposals!
Submission Deadline: August 3, 2007
Be a part of our 18th Annual Utah Environmental Education Conference, “Building Connections: People, Place, & Culture” at the Moab Arts & Recreation Center in Moab, Utah on October 26-27! If you are interested in presenting or exhibiting at this year's conference, please download a copy of the Call for Proposals Link to pdf document ?????? or contact Marie Kay at marie@usee.org or (801) 328-1549. Stay tuned for additional information and online registration details!
Community Corner
Upcoming Events
Totally Frogs! ~ Utah Museum of Natural History
June 9 – September 3, 2007 ~ Salt Lake City, UT
Things are hopping at UMNH as they welcome over 30 species of live frogs from around the world! From tiny Poison Dart Frogs to Giant Monkey Frogs, it's easy to be green...or orange or blue this summer! Visit http://www.centralpt.com/pageview.aspx?menu=4487&id=16326 for details!
Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) Workshops
June & July 2007
WCG has a number of community workshops happening in June and July. Get down and dirty composting and sheet mulching, conserve water through rain catchment, or learn how to raise chickens in your own backyard! For dates and details, visit www.wasatchgardens.org or call (801) 359-2658.
Jordanelle State Park Summer Programs
June & July 2007
Jordanelle State Park offers a variety of fun, educational programs such as their ‘Walk-About’ and ‘Junior Ranger’ Programs. Take advantage of these great opportunities to lean more about pesky campground critters, staying safe, Leave No Trace principles, native plants, wildflowers, fire, and more! For details, please call (435) 649-9540 or (435) 782-3030.
Expressions of Nature Exhibit
June 15 – August 8, 2007 ~ Ogden Nature Center, UT
The Ogden Nature Center will be displaying the works of two photographers this summer – John Blumenkamp and Cory Waite. Check out this exhibit and peruse photography in landscape, nature, and wildlife images, as well as black and white images of landscapes and buildings of the mountain west.
Eating Local Challenge!
Planning Party: July 8th Start Date: August 18th (Please RSVP!)
Challenge yourself this summer to eat locally by only consuming food produced no more than 250 miles from your home! Not only does sustainable eating support your local economy, but it also reduces your carbon footprint. Come to the planning party and help strategize how to make this challenge a success! Visit your local Farmer’s Market, sign up for a CSA, plant a garden, and enjoy the challenge! For more information or to RSVP, please email heidina@comcast.net.
Community News
SuperSherpas Expedition
On May 16, 2007, leaders, and Utah residents, Aka and Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa led their all-Sherpa team to the summit of Mt. Everest. Both Aka and Lhakpa have set world records: Aka holds the record for the most summits, having reached it his 17th, whereas Lhakpa has set the world record for the fastest summit of the mountain at just under 11 hours. This expedition was designed to illustrate the crucial role played by Sherpas and the Nepali people in summiting Mt. Everest; over 100 years of untold accomplishments. Often times, guides and porters are undervalued and rarely publicized for their amazing and unparalleled abilities in leading expeditions. Visit http://www.supersherpas.com/index.html to read more.
(Source: SuperSherpas http://www.supersherpas.com/index.html)
Did You Know..?
According to statistics in Brian Halweil’s Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket, on a national scale, fruits and vegetables now travel between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to market, and globally, 898 million more tons of food is shipped around the planet each year.
The journey undertaken by the food we eat not only takes a huge toll on our environment, but also provokes an inherent danger for disease and contamination as it sits in storage. It also “distances consumers from a connection with the things that feed them. They forget that certain plants flower and ripen in specific months, that certain vegetables and fruits proliferate in the places where they live, and they forget what fresh-picked produce tastes like (Halweil, Eat Here: Reclaiming…).”
Think twice about what you choose to eat, stay connected with the culinary traditions of the place in which you live, and support your community. Don’t forget to get down to your local Farmer’s Market this summer! Visit the Slow Food Utah website - http://www.slowfoodutah.org/main_markets.html -for a detailed list of various upcoming Farmer’s Markets throughout the state!
(Source: Belli, B. E Magazine. “Local is the New Organic: The Growing Movement to know your Farmer and your Food.” March 2007)
Environmental Education News & Events
Local
Grow Lab Program ~ Red Butte Garden
The Grow Lab Program serves Utah’s 2nd grade teachers and students. The FREE program is designed around Brassica rapa that go from seed to seed in only 40 days! It includes a teacher workshop, a grow lab light frame kit, planting materials and Brassica rapa seeds, seven lesson plans and materials for hands-on activities, classroom germination poster, classroom visit, and ongoing support. To get this program started in your classroom, call (801) 597-7511 or e-mail outreach@redbutte.utah.edu.
REI Kids Passport to Adventure Program
May through August
This program, for youth ages 5-12 and their parents, gets families out on three kid-size, family-friendly hikes and bike rides. Children are provided with a passport-style Adventure Journal to take field notes, attach photos, create drawings, and play games. Details describing each of the hikes along with driving directions and helpful tips are available at REI. Upon completion, participants can get their passport stamped and receive a free water bottle and certificate, as well as be entered in a drawing. For details, visit www.rei.com.
Regional
Project Sampler – Teacher Workshop
June 18, 2007 ~ Denver, CO (Bluff Lake Nature Center)
Take advantage of this valuable training opportunity! This summer let your project be the projects! Sign-up for a 4-day introduction to Project WILD, Project Learning Tree, Project WET, and Project Food, Land & People. For more information, please contact Kristin Libberton at (303) 468-3243.
NATIONAL
2007 NAAEE Annual Conference and Research Symposium
November 14-17, 2007 ~ Virginia Beach, VA
The North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE) will be holding its annual conference “Explore New Horizons for Environmental Education,” November 14-17, 2007 in Virginia Beach, VA. For further conference details, visit www.naaee.org.
Educator’s Corner
Professional Development/ Training Opportunities
FireWorks Educator Workshop
June 26-28, 2007 ~ Missoula, MT
FireWorks master classes offer in-depth study of fire behavior and ecology, cover most of the 36 activities in the curriculum, and prepare you to teach FireWorks in the classroom and in teacher workshops. Montana O.P.I. credit and University credit are also offered. To sign up or for more information, contact Autumn at (406) 829-6894 or ayanzick@fs.fed.us.
Northwest Environmental Training Center ~ Environmental Training Catalog
Spring & Summer 2007
The Northwest Environmental Training Center has a number of valuable training opportunities and programs for youth, teachers, and environmental professionals. To take a look at a course list calendar, visit http://www.nwetc.org/training.htm.
Seminars on Science ~ American Museum of Natural History
July 2-August 12, 2007
Space is still available in both online summer sessions of Seminars on Science. Now join teachers from International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) schools around the world in exploring their rich, diverse courses. Sign up now for Summer Session Two and receive a $50 early registration discount. Register online http://learn.amnh.org/, or call 1-800-649-6715 for details.
Teacher Resources
Where the Buffalo Roam ~ Podcast from Teton Science School
Students of the Teton Science Schools’ (TTS) Graduate Program have produced the podcast “Where the Buffalo Roam.” These audio shows explore the nature and culture of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, as well as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The shows are intended for educators, visitors, or anyone interested in learning more about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Visit http://www.tetonscience.org/blogs/GS/ to check out these free shows today!
PLT and Earth & Sky
Combine the power of radio, the Internet, and Project Learning Tree activities to enhance learning in the classroom! Earth & Sky produces short daily radio shows on a range of environmental topics. These 90-second shows can also be downloaded for free from the Internet and many are correlated to Project Learning Tree (PLT) activities. Visit http://www.earthsky.org/ for details.
Composting in the Classroom: Scientific Inquiry for High School Students
Now you can download this comprehensive guide for teachers interested in guiding composting research projects by high school students. It was selected by the National Science Teachers Association to be included in NSTA Recommends, a collection of the best science education books. Download a copy at http://compost.css.cornell.edu/CIC.html.
Free for All from NSTA
In NSTA’s latest newsletter, a variety of free resources were revealed! Check out:
- Resources from NSTA: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2007-06/high.htm
- Resources from the U.S. Government: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2007-06/books_high.htm
- Resources for Science Teachers: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2007-06/news_stories_high.htm
Grants & Awards
New NEEF Environmental Education Award
Deadline: June 30, 2007
This award will be given to an outstanding, creative, passionate, and effective educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into his or her daily education programs and who also serves as an inspiration and model for other educators. A $5,000 cash award will be provided to this outstanding educator for his or her continued work in EE. For more information, visit http://www.neefusa.org/bartlett/index.htm.
NAAEE Photography Contest
Deadline: July 30, 2007
In partnership with the Albert I. Pierce Foundation, NAAEE seeks photos that will inspire people to achieve environmental excellence. The winning photos will show how the visual arts can create a kinesthetic and emotional connection to the Earth. The photography contest is one element of a larger effort by NAAEE to re-invigorate the use of arts and culture in the EE field. For more information, visit
http://www.naaee.org/conference/2007-our-world-photography-contest.
PLT GreenWorks! Grants
Deadline: October 31, 2007
Have an idea for an exciting service-learning or community action project for your students but don't have enough funds to implement it? Why not apply for one of PLT's GreenWorks! grants? GreenWorks! is the service-learning, community action program of PLT that partners PLT educators, students, and communities in environmental neighborhood improvement projects. To learn more, visit www.plt.org.
EE Jobs, Internships, & Volunteer Opportunities
Executive Director ~ HawkWatch International
Position open until filled
HawkWatch International (HWI) is seeking a dedicated and motivated Executive Director with demonstrated leadership, development, and financial skills. For further information see www.hawkwatch.org or call John Mull (801) 626-6173.
Environmental Professionals Needed ~ Northwest Environmental Training Center
NWETC is seeking experienced environmental professionals to help teach technical training programs. These are paid positions that involve teaching a one, two, or three-day workshop. The training programs include topics ranging from environmental remediation to habitat restoration and everything in between. Visit http://www.nwetc.org/opportunities.htm for a list of Instructor Opportunities.
Cottonwood Canyons Foundation (CCF) Summer Volunteer Opportunities
Wasatch Wildflower Festival ~ Volunteers Needed!
CCF is looking for enthusiastic, friendly volunteers for this year’s wildflower festival. Volunteers are needed to lead walks at the Festival. If you have no training, it will be provided-DON'T be intimidated! All details can be found at www.wasatchwildflowerfestival.org/volunteer.htm.
Silver Lake Field Trip Volunteers
CCF needs help with their summer fieldtrips at Silver Lake in July and August. These fieldtrips are really a great time and quite easy to learn. Training is provided. Typically, you would be working with youth groups. These also continue on in the fall in an expanded and more concentrated manner, so if you have time, CCF would love your help! Contact Patrick via email pn@cottonwoodcanyons.org or phone (801) 947-8263.
Trail Restoration & Weed Warrior Volunteer Opportunities
Round up your friends to help keep the canyons healthy. CCF is looking for groups and individuals to help restore trails and combat weeds! All events take place in Millcreek, Big, and Little Cottonwood Canyons. This is a great way to take some direct action in the stewardship of the mountains that we all love so much! To schedule an event, please call (801) 733-2667 or email volunteer@cottonwoodcanyons.org.
Volunteer Naturalist Program
Ongoing ~ The Great Salt Lake Nature Center at Farmington Bay
The Learning Center at Farmington Bay hosts a number of training sessions for elementary educators who want to teach wetlands education in their classrooms. This training helps educators play a more active role with their classes during visits to the Center. It also offers volunteers Naturalist training for those wildlife enthusiasts interested in participating in the Center’s educational programs and events. To learn more, please call (801) 476-2740.
For a list of additional environmental education job/internship opportunities visit USEE’s EE Jobs page: http://usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html.