Nominations Now Open!
Do you know someone who loves the environment, speaks for the plants and animals, and has made a difference in a school, a classroom, or in our community? Nominate them for the 3rd Annual Explore Ecology Environmental Stewardship Awards, which recognize local leaders who promote environmental stewardship through education and action. Nominations are being accepted for candidates in Santa Barbara County at ExploreEcology.org/Environmental-Stewardship-Awards.
We are looking for teachers, individual students, and classes or clubs who have spearheaded positive change, are committed to helping the environment, and are inspirations within our community.
Awards will be presented at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on April 27, 2019. Recipients will be honored and give acceptance speeches on the Kids Stage and afterward will join CEC’s Environmental Hero on the Main Stage for further recognition.
(2018 Winners)
Nominations are being accepted for the following awards:
Teacher Award: The Teacher Award honors the achievements of teachers who have made significant contributions to educating and impacting youth about the environment and who have inspired their class and school through teaching and action. There are two awards in this category for teachers in grades K to 6th and 7th to 12th.
Class or Club Award: This honors a class or school club that has raised awareness, protected the environment, and influenced their school community. There is one award in this category for grades K to 12th.
Student Award: This award goes to students who have committed their time to care for the environment in a significant way. There are two awards in this category for students in grades K to 6th and 7th to 12th.
Visit ExploreEcology.org to fill out the Nomination Form. Self-nominations are welcome.
A judging panel comprised of Explore Ecology staff will select the winners. All nominations must be received by March 10th, 2019.
Special Thanks to Edison International for helping to sponsor the Awards.
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson
