Maine Environmental Education Association
supporting Maine's environmental education professionals and organizations

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2013 Environmental Education Awards

MEEA presented awards for 2013's most outstanding environmental educator, school, business and environmental program in the state of Maine.

Jim Chandler, Director of the Auburn Land Lab, was honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Award.  

This year's award winners include:

• L.L. Bean:  The Maine Environmental Education Association Business of Year
  
  
• The Juniper Hill School for Place-based Education, Alna, ME: 
  The Maine Environmental Education Association School of the Year
  
  
• “Vital Signs” Gulf of Maine Research Institute: The Excellence in Environmental Education Program Award
  
  
• Coleen O'Connell: Eberhard Thiele Environmental Educator of the Year
  
  
• Jim Chandler: The Maine Environmental Education Association Lifetime Achievement Award

<read the whole story>

Pathways to Environmental Literacy:
Sharing Stories to Inspire Our Work

MEEA HOLDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE - MARCH 22, 2013

Over 150 teachers, environmental education providers, leaders and other professionals participated in MEEA's 2013 Annual Conference held at Chewonki Foundation in Wiscasett.

This year's theme focused on how our individual stories connect us and impact our collective work in promoting environmental literacy for the future. The conference featured not one, but seven keynote speakers -- a diverse group of environmental educators from around the state, offering vastly different perspectives on environmental education. Each spoke briefly and engagingly to the whole conference. Everyone then joined one of seven breakout groups to continue the dialogue with the keynoters as they responded to the question "How do you stay fresh and inspired in an ever-changing educational, cultural, political, and environmental climate?"

The seven conference keynoters were (clockwise from rear left) Barry Dana, Penobscot Indian and wilderness guide; Anne Stires, School Founder and Director, Juniper Hill School; Matt Polstein, CEO, New England Outdoor Center; Kara Woldrick, Executive Director, Portland Trails'; Carol Leone, Founder, Teens to Trails; Carey Kish, journalist; and Craig Lapine, Executive Director, Cultivating Community.

Conference participants took part in 27 different workshops. They discussed wide-ranging ideas and best-practices, from "How to Green Your School" to "Play-based Exploration" and "Effective Leaders in the Workplace." Participants also considered ways to expand environmental literacy in Maine, in many different workshops such as "Taking the Steps to Implementing the Maine Environmental Literacy Plan", "Doing Environmental Education Research in Public Schools" and "Family Nature Groups: Building Community and Fostering Connections to Nature."

Click here to view or download workshop materials.

The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) facilitates and promotes environmental education in Maine through the sharing of ideas, resources, information, and cooperative programs among educators, organizations, and concerned individuals. MEEA is built on the strengths and contributions of our members.

ABOUT MEEA
Created in 1982, MEEA helps organizations, schools, groups, educational programs, and individuals promote and expand environmental education in Maine. In addition, MEEA acts as a clearing house, keeping groups and individuals informed of issues and events in the field of environmental education. We believe conserving Maine's rich cultural and natural heritage requires an environmentally aware citizenship.

MEEA is an affiliate of the New England Environmental Education Alliance and the North American Association of Environmental Education.