Earth Day Awards Ceremony
Teachers, students, and school clubs were honored with Explore Ecology Awards in a ceremony at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 28th. As community members cheered them on, the winners were thrilled to be recognized for their work on school campuses across Santa Barbara County. Each winner went onstage to talk about their impactful work in environmental stewardship.
Refugio High School teacher Jennifer Rasmussen said, “What began with just two boxes has blossomed into a thriving outdoor education program boasting ten planter boxes and four compost areas. Plans for a pumpkin patch and rows of corn within an old sand volleyball court are underway, alongside the implementation of a rainwater collection system. The impact of these hands-on projects extends beyond the classroom, evident in the joy reflected on students’ faces and the enthusiasm from faculty, staff, and visiting adults.”
Student Award winner Ethan Maday wowed the crowd with stories of his work developing curriculum on regenerative agriculture at Santa Barbara Middle School. Each winner inspired the crowd and many stressed that all of us, no matter our age, can do something to help the earth.
The complete list of winners include: Gio Alfaro, Ethan Maday, Margo Leven, Moxie McLeod, Jennifer Rasmussen, Lori Leach, Teri Briggs, the Kellogg Ocean Guardians, and the Clean and Green Club at Vieja Valley Elementary.
The Explore Ecology Awards, now in their fifth year, honor eco heroes in Santa Barbara County whose dedication to environmental stewardship and care for nature is creating a greener and more resilient Santa Barbara.
Lindsay Johnson, Explore Ecology Executive Director, says, “The awards ceremony was so inspiring and reminds us of the profound impact that we can all have on the health of our planet. From replacing single use plastic sporks in the Kellogg Elementary cafeteria to planting trees at La Colina Junior HIgh, everyone had a story to tell about why they took action and how they implemented change. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”
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
