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Published: May 8, 2008

Mass Audubon and New England Farm and Garden Association Honor 2008 Conservation Teachers of the Year

(L-R) New England Farm and Garden Association's Ann Johnson Robin Organ, Sally Andreola, Thad Rice, and Mass Audubon Director of Education Gloria Villegas-Cardoza

For their outstanding contributions to conservation, science and environmental education, three K-12 Massachusetts educators have been chosen as the 2008 Conservation Teachers of the Year. The annual awards, given by Mass Audubon and the New England Farm and Garden Association, honors elementary-, middle-, or high-school educators who exemplify excellence in teaching and creativity in environmental education. Nominees must tie educational programs to the Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks and extend student learning beyond the classroom to the local community.

The 2008 Conservation Teachers of the Year were chosen from many excellent nominees throughout the Commonwealth. The educators were recently honored at a luncheon, where each received a monetary award.

Following are summaries of the award-winning projects developed by the educators:

Elementary School: Sally Andreola, Fifth-grade teacher, Harwich Elementary School, Harwich, Mass.

Ms. Andreola created an environmental education program that transforms fifth-grade students into field scientists and ignites a desire for preserving the world around them. She takes education beyond the classroom walls and immerses students in hands-on learning. For example, students visit a local shellfish hatchery and then a marsh habitat within their own community, enabling them to see natural habitat up-close in their own backyard and place it within the larger ecosystem. There is also a weeklong field trip where students become immersed in environmental studies. Ms. Andreola also integrates the use of local community resources through collaboration with the Cape Cod AmeriCorps volunteers on an invasive plant project at a local conservation area. Not only does this program teach students about invasive and endemic species, but it also gives information back to the community. For instance, Ms. Andreola has led her students to create a field guide for the area. Because of Ms. Andreola's dedication and enthusiasm and her ability to connect the classroom with the outside world, students continue on with a greater sense of respect and appreciation for the natural world.

High School: Robin Organ, greenSCHOOLS program conducted in schools throughout the state

Ms. Organ is the founder of the Massachusetts non-profit organization greenSCHOOLS, whose mission is to create healthier, greener learning environments through education and awareness. The organization provides programs in schools on indoor air quality, healthy food and habits, how to institute recyling programs, and how to reduce waste and reuse materials. Previously, Ms. Organ taught English, theater, and public speaking for nine years at the high school level. She now uses her captivating and dynamic teaching style to educate and advocate for healthier school environments. greenSCHOOLS teaches everyone involved in the school community how to make more environmentally respectful and responsible decisions. Through her dedication and commitment towards healthy surroundings, Ms. Organ is a leader in environmental responsibility and a valuable advocate for children's wellbeing. She raises important awareness for preserving not only the health of ecosystems both inside and outside the classroom.

High School: Thad Rice, history teacher, Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, South Yarmouth, Mass.

Mr. Rice works tirelessly to identify local and political environmental issues and brings that awareness into his history classroom, inspiring students to get involved in school and community service projects. Because of his leadership with the school's environmental organization, the D-Y Green Zone, his students have greatly increased the percentage of recycling paper and cardboard at the school and also hosted D-Y's first Environmental Awareness Day. The event consisted of ten workshops from professionals on environmental protection as well as a presentation involving over 200 students. The school has taken giant strides towards becoming "green" because of Mr. Rice's contributions, with students also implementing his environmental teachings outside of school. His unwavering dedication and positive impact on the community and school is evident in this comment by a student, who nominated him: "I do not believe I have ever met a teacher so devoted to their students at such a personal level, showing his sincere desire to understand them as individuals and apply that understanding with teaching/leading methods that will work best to inspire them to take action."