USEE Staff Update

As the year draws to a close, USEE thanks this year’s Utah Conservation Corp/AmeriCorps volunteers, Emory Dinner and Sommer Thorgusen for their service. Sommer will continue to work with USEE after her AmeriCorps term ends this November, but we must say good-bye to Emory as she moves on to pursue a graduate degree in elementary education.

We also bid our farewells to Program Director, Lindsey Wilson. We wish both Emory and Lindsey success in their future endeavors. Their hard work and dedication have been greatly appreciated and they will be missed!

2005 USEE Staff from left: Emory Dinner, Lindsey Wilson, Sommer Thorgusen, Jennifer Visitacion

Utah Environmental Education Certification Program- Accepting Applications

Deadline: December 15, 2005

The Utah Environmental Education Certification Program establishes high standards for the professional qualifications of environmental educators in Utah. A diverse team of experienced environmental educators from across the state worked with representatives from a variety of national organizations to set specific standards of knowledge, skills, and experience that highly qualified environmental educators in Utah should be able to demonstrate. These standards better define the environmental education (EE) profession within the state of Utah, and meeting these requirements helps foster the professional development of EE providers as individuals and as a professional community. For more information about the Certification Program or to obtain an application packet, please contact Jennifer Visitacion at jenv@usee.org or at 801.328.1549.

Utah 's Wonderful Wetlands Workshop

November 18-19, 2005 at Antelope Island State Park & the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve

The Utah’s Wonderful Wetlands activity guide was created by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Wetlands Education Program to train educators to teach their students about wetlands in our state. All activities are tied to the 4th grade core curriculum. One hour of USU credit will be available for an additional $15 paid at the workshop. For more info contact e-mail crystalcarpenter@utah.gov. To register, contact Diana Vos at dianavos@utah.gov or (801) 538-4719, or download a registration flyer at http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/wetlandsed.

The Art in Rock Exhibit at Ogden Nature Center

The Ogden Nature Center is hosting Art in Rock Art: Barrier Canyon Style, an exhibit displaying 24 photographs, which captures some of Utah’s best prehistoric rock art sites. The exhibit is free of charge and will be open through November 30th during regular hours. For more information visit www.ogdennaturecenter.org.

Utah Master Naturalist Program

The Utah Master Naturalist Program development committee is surveying the community of environmental and cultural education centers in Utah to establish the need for a Master Naturalist program in Utah. If you or your organization works with volunteers, please take 5 minutes to complete a survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=53457147086

What else is happening in Utah? Check out USEE’s On-Line Directory of environmental education programs and events at www.usee.org/database.html

New On-Line Courses from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

Applied Environmental Education Program Evaluation

This 10-week, on-line course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource professionals in evaluating their education programs. This course will be offered this spring (February 20 – May 5, 2006) through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Fundamentals of Environmental Education

A 10-week online course about the fundamentals of environmental education will be offered this spring (February 6 – April 21, 2006). The course is appropriate for both classroom teachers and for non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers. Participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

For more information on either course, please visit www.eetap.org or contact Angela Arkin at Angela.Arkin@uwsp.edu for a registration form. For scholarship information visit www.uwsp.edu/natres/rwilke/eetap.

10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds in K-12 Science and Mathematics Education

Several months ago, two U.S. Senators asked the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to convene a blue ribbon panel of business leaders, scientists, and educators and report back to Congress with a response to this question: What are the top ten actions that federal policy makers could take to enhance the science and technology enterprise so that the United States can successfully compete, prosper, and be secure in the global community of the 21st Century? Lawmakers also asked the panel to provide specific implementation strategies. In the NAS report released last week the number one action item on the panel’s list of recommendations was to improve K-12 science and mathematics education. Read the report online at http://www.nap.edu/books/0309100399/html.

Buy Local First Week

The “Buy Local First Utah" campaign presents Buy Local First Week, November 12 – 20. Celebrate and support your local economy by shopping at local businesses this week. Join Local First for “A Celebration of Local Ownership” film screening, educational event and prize giveaway at the Broadway Theater on November 17th and enjoy discounts at participating businesses all week.

For more information about Buy Local First Week or to see a directory of Local First businesses please visit http://www.localfirst.org. The “Buy Local First Utah" campaign seeks to increase public awareness of local businesses and to encourage people to shop at locally-owned businesses.

Did you know that the average American household spends approximately $1,300 per year on energy costs. If you live in an area with extreme temperatures or if your major appliances are old, chances are your annual bills are higher than average, but so are the potential savings. The average household can save about 30% on their energy bills by using energy efficient products.
Source: Annual Home Energy Cost from 1993 Residential Energy Consumption Survey; Savings Estimated by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Source: http://www.buyenergyefficient.org/know.html

Special thanks to everyone who attended this year’s annual USEE Benefit Bash! The event was a big success in support of environmental education efforts in Utah. In addition, we want to thank the numerous companies, individuals, and organizations who donated their time, energy, and auction items in support of USEE’s efforts statewide. Our “Bash” committee volunteers (Michael Heidinger, Andrea Heidinger, Emory Dinner, Sommer Thorgusen and Jennifer Wade) deserve our deepest gratitude for a job well done!

Utah ’s Wildlife Action Plan

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Division of Wildlife Resources have approved a plan to help at-risk wildlife and the places they live in Utah. Scientists, conservationists, farmers and other community members have worked for two years to develop the Utah Wildlife Action Plan (also known as the Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy). Utah is one of the first states in the nation to have its plan approved by the USFWS. For more information and to review the plan visit www.wildlife.utah.gov/cwcs.