(Boston, Mass. October 5, 2011) A Litchfield,…
Education Connection was one of 74 organizations in New England to apply for funding and one of four to receive part of the $219,094 awarded.
The funding will be used to train 10 teachers from five middle schools in western Connecticut on ways to integrate the environment into their curricula. The teachers will each get 20 hours of training and informal instruction as needed through the project. The teachers, as well as 250 students, will receive a full day educational visit to nature centers as well as an outdoor experiential class for students on school grounds and a community education day at several partnering nature centers.
Teachers as well as students will learn about climate change and how air quality, water quality and chemical risk are integral to the effects of climate change.
EPA funds environmental education projects
that focus on educating teachers, students, parents or the general
public about human health problems. These issues range from
pollution; improving teaching tools and techniques for educators
through workshops; building state or local capability to develop
and deliver environmental education or public outreach programs; or
promoting environmental careers and stewardship among students
through hands-on activities.
The program also encourages projects that educate members of a
community through community-based organizations, or educates the
general public through print, film, broadcast, or other media to be
more environmentally aware and make environment friendly decisions
in their day-to-day lives. This year’s New England grant
winners are:
- The
Mount Desert Island Biological Lab in Salisbury
Cove, Maine ($83,628), a two-year
program to educate students and teachers in two inland Maine high
schools about marine vegetative environments.
- The
Coalition for Buzzards Bay of New Bedford, Mass. ($67,629), which is working to educate elementary
school children on water quality issues through a partnership
between Bay In My Backyard, the YMCA Southcoast and Wareham
Public Schools.
- The Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island ($38,860), whose ECO Youth Multimedia Community Educators offers afterschool programs to mostly underserved high school students on air quality, toxics and households chemicals to reduce the risks of VOCs, particular emissions and other asthma triggers.
- How to apply for EPA environmental education grants: ( www.epa.gov/enviroed)
- EPA New England contact: Kristen Conroy (conroy.kristen [at] epa.gov) (617-918-1069)
The 2012 Environmental Education Grant Solicitation Notice is expected to be released in this fall with an end of the calendar year deadline. Sign up for email notification of its release at www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants.html.
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