The organization announces eleven Hallmark accolades for individuals and institutions in the field of environmental education.
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) celebrated its 44th annual conference in San Diego on October 18, 2015, recognising 11 outstanding individuals and organisations in the field of environmental education.
Judy Braus, the association's Executive Director, highlighted the award winners as representing progress in the field across multiple disciplines and approaches. Among the recipients were Rue Mapp of Outdoor Afro, who received the Rosa Parks and Grace Lee Boggs Award for her work in emphasising African American connections and leadership in nature.
Rue Mapp's organisation, Outdoor Afro, founded in 2009, is one of the nation's most prominent networks focusing on fostering African American connections and leadership in the outdoors.
Joshua York, a naturalist and education supervisor at Five Rivers MetroParks in Dayton, Ohio, received the Outstanding Service to EE by an Individual Award (Local Level). Alan Reid, an associate professor of education at Monash University, was honoured with the Outstanding Contributions to Research in EE Award for his work on teachers' thinking and practice in environmental education.
The Prairie Science Class (PSC), an education partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Prairie Wetlands Learning Center and the Fergus Falls Independent School District, received the Outstanding Service to EE by an Organization Award (Regional Level).
Lisa Bardwell, former president and CEO of Earth Force, received the Outstanding Service to EE by an Individual Award (Regional Level). Nancy Gillis, a teacher in the Toronto, Canada School District, was named K-12 Educator of the Year by the association.
The S.C.R.A.P. Gallery - The Art Museum for the Environment was awarded the Outstanding Service to EE by an Organization Award (Local Level). Agrium, a global producer and distributor of crop nutrients, crop protection, seed, and agronomic and application services based in Calgary, Canada, received the Outstanding Service to EE by an Organization Award (Global Level).
The Maine Environmental Education Association, founded in 1982, was awarded the Outstanding Association Affiliate Organization Award. Randi Fisher, co-founder and trustee of the Pisces Foundation, received the Distinguished Leadership in Environmental Education Award.
The Walter E. Jeske Award, the association's highest honour, was given to Kay Antunez, a long-time California educator in the field of environmental education. The association's website provides more information about the 2015 awards, including eligibility requirements and a full list of winners.
In addition to the NAAEE awards, Nancy Gillis was named one of Canada's three Energy Educators of the Year by the Classroom Energy Diet initiative, aimed toward enhancing energy awareness among Canadian students.
For those specifically looking for the 2015 NAAEE award recipients, the official NAAEE website or contacting the organisation directly is recommended, as search results do not include this information.
- The environmental-science award recipient Joshua York, a naturalist and education supervisor at Five Rivers MetroParks, showcases the intersection of science and environmental-education in his role.
- Education-and-self-development is exemplified through the efforts of Nancy Gillis, the K-12 Educator of the Year by NAAEE, who was also named one of Canada's Energy Educators of the Year by the Classroom Energy Diet initiative.
