No Child Left Inside Act Update
On September 18, 2008, the U.S. House passed the No Child Left Inside Act. This bill passed with bipartisan support, by a vote of 293 to 109. (To see how your representative voted, go to the No Child Left Inside Coaltion Web site.) The North Carolina environmental education community can take pride in the fact that many North Carolina agencies and organizations, such as the N.C. Office of Environmental Education and the Environmental Educators of North Carolina, as well as individual North Carolinians, worked hard to get the word out to the public and members of Congress about this important legislation.
Passage by the House was a positive step; however, since the bill passed at the close of the 110th Congress, no action was taken on H.R. 3036 or its Senate companion bill, S. 1981. Now that the 111th Congress has convened, both bills must be reintroduced in the House and Senate, go through their respective committee hearings and then (if they pass in committee) to a floor vote.
The fact that H.R. 3036 passed with a sound majority and had bi-partisan support will definitely increase the chances of passage for NCLI in the 111th Congress, but the No Child Left Inside Coaltion is urging supporters to contact their representatives and senators and ask for their continued support of the bills. More information is available at the No Child Left Inside Coalition Web site.
What would this bill do for North Carolina?
The NCLI Act has two main provisions. One is to fund the development of State Environmental Literacy Plans. According to the bill, a state's Department of Public Instruction must have this in place before funds for environmental education can be given to the state. However, NCLI funding could be used to develop the plan. The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction have already formed a partnership to develop an environmental literacy plan which will involve key stakeholders, including the Environmental Educators of North Carolina.
The plan would also have provisions to measure the environmental literacy of students. In addition, NCLI would set up two competitive grant funds--one to support professional development of teachers and educators, and one to build "national capacity" for environmental education. The capacity building grant would directly address programs "that strengthen environmental education as an integral part of the elementary school and secondary school curriculum." As currently written, a wide variety of government agencies, institutes of higher learning, and non-profit and for-profit entities could be eligible for the grants.
For more about No Child Left Inside and its relationship to the National Environmental Education Act, read this piece from the North American Association for Environmental Education: Why We Need Both
Environmental Education Quotable...
We often forget that all education is environmental education -- by what we include or exclude, we teach the young that they are part of or apart from the natural world. An economist, for example, who fails to connect our economic life with that of ecosystems and the biosphere has taught an environmental lesson all right, but one that is dead wrong. Our goal as educators ought to be to help students understand their implicatedness in the world
and to honor mystery.
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Dr. David Orr, noted author and Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College.
N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program Featured
on Aqua Kids Show
N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program's Tracy Morris films a segment with
Aqua Kids hosts Molly McKinney and James Dorman
North Carolina’s innovative initiative to restore streams and wetlands across the state was recently showcased on an episode of Aqua Kids, a nationally syndicated television show that promotes taking an active role in preserving aquatic environments and wildlife. The show, titled “EcoFarming,” aired in December.
The N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program, housed in the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, hosted the Aqua Kids crew in June to demonstrate how livestock that access rural streams on North Carolina farms affect water quality, and steps that can be taken to restore the degraded waterways. Visits to EEP project sites in Franklin, Person and Cumberland counties featured a degraded stream system, an active stream-restoration construction project and a restored stream system. “We’ve been all over the East Coast and beyond to bring our message of how kids can help to contribute to a better environment,” said George Stover, producer of the Baltimore, Md.-based series targeted at 13- to 15-year-old viewers. “But this is the first time that Aqua Kids traveled to a farm. Our cast found that a farm is an ideal place to learn about the importance of correcting environmental problems to benefit water quality.”
EEP was created in 2003 through an agreement among NCDENR, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District. The initiative improves the state’s environment while facilitating responsible economic development, working in partnership with local communities and willing landowners to site its restoration and enhancement projects where the need is greatest. NCDOT and other developers voluntarily employ EEP to move their projects over clean-water permitting hurdles in a timely and affordable manner. “We had a great time with the talented crew and cast members of Aqua Kids, and hope we will have the opportunity to collaborate with them in the future on some of the other great things that EEP is doing across North Carolina,” said EEP Director Bill Gilmore. EEP has nearly 700 stream- and wetland-restoration and enhancement projects in some stage of development. EEP staff members Kristie Corson, Tracy Morris, Robin Dolin and Tim Baumgartner participated in the episode.
The episode can be viewed on the EEP Web site.
This is not the first time Aqua Kids has traveled to North Carolina. They have also visited the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, Cape Lookout National Park, the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and the North Carolina Estuarine Research Reserve. As a matter of fact, the "Estuary Life" episode filmed at the NCERR won a 2007 Bronze Annual Telly Award.
Clemmons ESF Offers Unique Water Education Experience
Clemmon's ESF Forest Supervisor Micheal Huffman shows ribbon cutting attendees the educational potential of the new river basin deck. Go to page 2 for more photos of the deck and classroom.
Clemmons Educational State Forest in Clayton has completed a unique outdoor classroom that will help students and visitors learn about North Carolina's River Basins and their personal connections to water quality.
Clemmon's Water Quality Classroom and River Basin Deck are the anchors of a larger water quality education project which includes a river basin activity book for students, a brochure for forest visitors and more than two dozen trailside interpretive signs designed to educate the public about non-point source pollution prevention. The River Basin Deck features a 40-foot map of North Carolina with it’s major rivers and river basins painted on it’s surface. The Water Quality Classroom, located on the hill overlooking the pond, is an open air facility that is used for the ‘Water Investigation’ classes offered at the forest. These structures and the trail that connects them are outfitted with interpretive non-point source pollution
education signs. These exhibits and teaching aids are targeted at the 6,000 students who visit Clemmons Educational State Forest each year for natural resource programs and the 45,000 visitors who frequent the forest for learning, hiking, picnicking and other recreational opportunities.
The classroom, river basin deck and educational materials were a cooperative effort. Funding and support for the project was provided by a U.S. EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program Grant, Lowe's Home Improvement Stores, the N.C. Division of Water Quality Non-Point Source Program, the Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Program, the N.C. Divison of Forest Resources Non-Point Source Branch and the N.C. Office of Environmental Education.
More photos of the deck and classroom are available on Page 2 of News Tips.
The N.C. Division of Forest Resources operates a system of seven educational state forests designed to teach the public, especially school children, about the forest
environment. Each forest features self-guided trails that include exhibits, tree identification signs, a forest education center and a talking tree trail. Specially trained rangers are available to conduct classes for school and other groups. Teachers or group leaders choose from a selection of 30-minute programs that cover all aspects of the forest environment from soil, water and wildlife to timber and forest management.
EE Around the World
 Environmental Education isn't just a hot topic in North Carolina and the U.S. Many other countries and national and international organizations are recognizing the value of environmental literacy programs. Here is story about Republic Act 9512, which will require all schools in the Phillipines to integrate environmental education into their school curricula.
Law requires integration of environmental education
in public, private schools' curricula
Nineteen North Carolina schools each receive $1,000 to promote environmental stewardship in the classroom
NC Beautiful, a provider of environmental education and beautification opportunities that elevate the quality of life of North Carolinians, has announced this year’s recipients of the organization’s environmental education grants. The grants are available to certified, full-time K-12 teachers in the state of North Carolina.
Susan Parker's class at Buckland Elementary School in Ahoskie, a winner of one of the 2007 NC Beautiful Grants. Read more about how Buckland used their grant to improve their school grounds and enhance learning on page 2.
Windows of Opportunity provides $1,000 grants to NC teachers to reward their creativity fostering environmental stewardship, leadership, and awareness and initiating a sense of community service. Nineteen schools, representing a total of $19,000 in educational grants, were notified of their award this month, with schools to receive their grants in January. Each school must use its grant by June 2009.
Each grant applicant was required to complete a five-section online application that included a two-page project narrative, budget, and commitment letter, which commits the school to complete the projected work. NC Beautiful Executive Director, Steve Vacendak, says that the goal of the NC Beautiful is to annually offer a Windows of Opportunity grant in all 100 counties in North Carolina.
“Promoting and fostering environmental stewardship is a state-wide commitment,” says Vacendak. “NC Beautiful remains committed to expanding our communication efforts to ensure that every school in the state has the opportunity to take advantage of this valuable resource so that everyone can connect to make North Carolina beautiful.”
The Windows of Opportunity grants were created to cultivate an appreciation of natural environments by helping children get out of school and into natural settings. The grants also build leadership awareness, develop environmental educational mentors and ambassadors, create materials and resources that can be used by other K-12 students, and develop a sustainable, outdoor program, which will continue well after the grant period ends.
The following is a list of the 2008 Windows of Opportunity Grant recipients, including name of the teacher submitting the winning entry:
· Pat Elledge, Harris Elementary, Forest City, Rutherford County
· Michael Stovall, Albemarle Middle School, Albemarle, Stanly County
· Jenifer Lewis, Swift Creek Elementary, Whitakers, Nash County
· Jenny Johnson, Blue Creek Elementary, Jacksonville, Onslow County
· Richard Moore, Brooks Global, Greensboro, Guilford County
· Pam Mitchell, Jones Elementary, Mount Airy, Surry County
· George Riedesel, Balfour Education Center, Hendersonville, Buncombe County
· Donna Campbell, Marvin B. Smith Elementary, Burlington, Alamance County
· Tanya Ledford, Polk County High School, Columbus, Polk County
· Michelle McCartan, Weddington Hills Elementary, Concord, Cabarrus County
· Ann Atwood, Carver Elementary, Mount Olive, Wayne County
· Marcia Morrell, Hill Middle School, Winston-Salem, Forsyth County
· Ben Hall, North Stokes High School, Danbury, Stokes County
· Sibyl Paxson, Scotland High School, Laurinburg, Scotland County
· Elaine Dephouse, Carolina Day School, Asheville, Buncombe County
· Michael Hopkins, Penny Road Elementary School, Cary, Wake County
· Carol Patterson, Rocky River Elementary School, Monroe, Union County
· Amanda DeSua, East Yancey Middle School, Burnsville, Yancey County
· Donna Nichols, Dudley Shoals Elementary, Granite Falls, Caldwell County
About NC Beautiful
NC Beautiful has been part of the state’s environmental preservation community for 40 years, supporting awareness, education and beautification efforts that affect our quality of life. Today, we concentrate on hands-on and merit-based programs designed to empower our citizens to preserve the natural beauty of the state of North Carolina. Whether it’s school children building outdoor classrooms, graduate students developing cutting-edge research, or a Boy Scout troop planting azaleas at an elder care facility, we make it possible for North Carolinians to keep NC Beautiful. For more information, visit www.ncbeautiful.org.
EE News Clips!
An environmental education news round up from around the state.
 Environmental Education Center News
Stories about the EE Centers listed on www.eenorthcarolina.org!
Parent News
Updated list of articles related to children and caregivers.
EE School News
Stories about public and private elementary and secondary schools and education policy.
College News
Same as above, but from higher education.
Research and Resources on EE, Learning, and Behavior
Articles, reports and peer-reviewed literature on the benefits of environmental education
Informed Consumer News!
The Office of Environmental Education also maintains the "Eco-Smart Consumer" Blog and an Informed Consumer Section that has several lists of updated news articles that cover many topic areas, including farming, food, green building, rivers, outdoor recreation, energy, lawn and garden care and more. These article posts are part of our consumer education and healthy community intiatives. Check them out!
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