What do you get from being a part of the Alliance?

What was the last professional development session you attended?

Did you improve your programs?

Did you connect with colleagues, form a partnership?

Is it worth your investment?

Isn’t it true that what effort you put in, you get back much more?

Every few months, I would like to use this column to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re headed.  The Alliance has come a long way since the very first planning meetings.  You are now a part of a 700+ member group that has 15 major programs to support your work. 

The Alliance is strong, and we can all be proud of that – because the strength of the Alliance comes from each of you being a part the Alliance.  Think of the environmental educators you connect with at the conference – diverse perspectives coming together to share ideas, resources, techniques, and advance the field.  Think of the many ways certifying environmental educators would create credibility for our profession.  Think of the improvements and validation that can happen when environmental educators submit their resources for peer review.  Think of environmental educators being on the advisory council – guiding the next steps of the Alliance.  Think of the rich community of which you are an integral part – 700+ environmental educators from all areas of the state, serving diverse audiences through a wide array of programs.  To truly encourage more and more and more environmental education in our state, it takes us all, and yes… it takes time. 

To help these programs (conference, certification, resource review, directory, etc.) to reach their incredible potential, we want to give you the opportunity to be involved. 

Here’s just a sampling of where we want to go to help you and your organizations, and environmental education as a whole:

100 resources peer reviewed through the resource review system

1000 resources listed in the online EE Directory (with current information)

A viable, inclusive certification program for environmental educators

250 participants at the Teaching OUTSIDE the Box Conference

What can you be a part of this year?

Here are a few details to get you started:

Certification: The committee developing a certification program for environmental educators has been hard at work and is almost ready for your comments.  Watch in the next month as the comment period opens and the draft plan is presented.  Time Needed: 1 hour.

EE Directory:  This online directory is the place to find all kinds of environmental education – but people can’t find you if you aren’t in the directory!  Add your organization, programs, contacts.  Time Needed: 15 minutes.

Advisory Council: The next advisory council meeting will be April 17 at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster.  Certification will be the topic and we need to hear your voice.  Time Needed: 2.5 hours

Resource Review: Evaluate your resource against the Guidelines for Excellence, and we’ll have your resource reviewed by your peers.  You will gain serious insight and feedback for very little of your time.  Time Needed: Up to 2 hours, depending on your resource.

Professional Development: The Teaching OUTSIDE the Box conference is around the corner – register today.  Whether you are a veteran or a newbie – you need to be there.  Time Needed: Who cares, it is fun!

All of these programs are described on the CAEE website at http://www.caee.org or feel free to call (303-273-9527) or write (director@caee.org) me.  I’d love to help you be a part of the Alliance.

Master Plan Connection:

For more information on any of these events, visit http://www.caee.org, call 303-273-9527, or email info@caee.org.  Please RSVP in advance.

Wednesday, March 21, 4:00-6:00 pm.  Professional DEEvelopment Series: Understanding Global Warming.  Presenter: Julie Gustafson, NWF and the Climate Project.  Location: Red Fish Brewhouse, Boulder.

Wednesday, March 28, 8:30-4:30 pm. EE Resource Review. Topic: Proving and Improving the Quality of Colorado’s EE Resources. Location: Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education, Golden.

Wednesday, April 4, 2:00-4:00 pm. Diversity and Inclusiveness Panel Discussion. Topic: Cultural Diversity in Environmental Education. Location: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Denver.

Tuesday, April 17, 2:00-4:30 pm.  Semi-Annual Advisory Council Meeting.  Topic: EE Certification in Colorado.  Location: Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster.  (Watch your email for upcoming announcements)

Bulletin Board

Visit www.caee.org/calendar.html for an online listing of upcoming events!

Apr. 12-13   Colorado Global Climate Conference, Rocky Mountain High School

Conference is for high school (9-12) students and their teachers/sponsors across Colorado.

Learn about the current scientific research focused on world-wide climate issues from the experts. 1300 W. Swallow Rd., Ft. Collins, CO. Registration Deadline: March 23, 2007. Please go to http://kiwi.atmos.colostate.edu/cmmap  for more information, or contact Chistine Aguilar 970-491-8361,

christine@atmos.colostate.edu

April 14, 1:00 p.m. Curatorial Tour of Colorado Rockhounding Exhibit at the Western Museum of Mining and Indusrty, Colorado Springs: It’s your last chance to see and hear about the Western Museum of Mining & Industry’s Colorado Rockhounding Exhibit. Get a chance to see mineral specimens, including agates, epidote, amazonite, and a smoky quartz crystal weighing over 100 pounds! Examine lapidary equipment, and see how this artistry has changed over time. This will be the last tour of the exhibit, which ends April 30, 2007. Please RSVP at 719-488-0880. Customary Admission: $8 adults; $7 Military/AAA; $6 Seniors/Students; $4 Children 12 & under; Free to children under 3 and Museum Members. Location: WMMI is just off I-25 at the Gleneagle exit, #156A- just across from the north entrance to the United States Air Force Academy.

April 21, 8:30-5:30 p.m.  Mining History & Geology Seminar at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, Colorado Springs

(Accredited through the Colorado School of Mines) Teachers and other interested adults can join the Western Museum of Mining & Industry for a fascinating day exploring Colorado’s mining heritage! Participants will learn about historic mining and milling (including a one of a kind virtual tour of the Ghost Town of Gillman, and the associated Eagle Mine!), explore modern mining methods, environmental considerations, and become familiar with available mining educational resources. The course teacher is Geologist, Steven Veatch. The course fee of $50 includes all materials and a box lunch ($40 for WMMI Members). For an additional fee of $30, participants may earn 0.5 graduate-level semester credit from the Colorado School of Mines. Please contact the Museum for additional information and reservation procedures at 719-488-0880. Customary Admission: $8 adults; $7 Military/AAA; $6 Seniors/Students; $4 Children 12 & under; Free to children under 3 and Museum Members. Location: WMMI is just off I-25 at the Gleneagle exit, #156A- just across from the north entrance to the United States Air Force Academy.

Note: these announcements are only position highlights and are not intended to be all-inclusive.

NAAEE/EE-Link offers a jobs database service for EE job seekers or employers seeking EE staff.

To view job postings, visit: eelink.net/eejobsdatabase.html

To submit a job to the database: eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/add_job.cgi

Executive Director Position at cityWild: cityWILD seeks a dynamic leader that can guide the organization from a growth stage to organizational maturity. There are imminent opportunities for the organization to lead the industry towards inclusive community ownership that require a breadth of skills and depth of experience from the Executive Director.  cityWILD has solid programs, infrastructure, human resources, financial management, fundraising mechanisms, and board of directors in place and functioning at a high level. Candidates with pertinent experience, from all sectors, are encouraged to apply. $48,000-$58,000 based on experience, annual performance-based bonus, full health insurance, optical and dental, 3 weeks paid time off, and a flexible work schedule. For more information about cityWILD, go to www.citywild.org, or call Read McCulloch at 303-227-6862. Send resumes to PO Box 883, Denver, CO 80201-0883, or electronically to read@citywild.org. Please include cover letter, resume, and writing sample, as well as any relevant personal history (incl. salary history)

Water Quality Program Coordinator Position at the Department of Natural Resources-Division of Wildlife: Full-time position. $6070 - $8711 per month. To apply for this position, applicants must submit a State of Colorado Application for Announced Vacancy and the State Demographic Information Form by April 2, 2007.  Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted. These forms may be obtained electronically from the State of Colorado Job Announcement Site:  http://www.gssa.state.co.us/announce/Job+Announcements.nsf/Web+Pages/WelcomeAppl?OpenDocument. Please submit the Official State of Colorado Application for Announced Vacancy and State of Colorado Demographic Information Form to: Colorado Division of Wildlife, Attention: Ron Nielsen/Human Resources Office, 6060 Broadway Denver, CO 80216, or, FAX to (303) 291-7210

Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory Lead Educator Opening at the Education and Bird Banding Station in Lamar, CO: Educator will teach K-12 grade students (and possibly a few adult groups) at RMBO’s Education and Bird Banding Station on the campus of Lamar Community College. The Lead Educator will work with a permitted bander at a bird banding station, established as both an educational and biological data gathering field site.  Applicants should be enthusiastic and flexible, enjoy working with children in the out-of-doors and have a knowledge of basic ecological principles.  Training (handling birds, specific program content pertaining to birds, bird identification) and resource materials will be provided. This position is approximately 3 hours per day, Monday-Friday (possibly an occasional Saturday), beginning around 8 am and ending around 11 am.  The times will vary depending on the school’s/group’s needs. This is a 5-week position starting on or around April 23 and ending no later than May 25th.  The salary is $13/hr and housing in Lamar will be provided.  To apply, send cover letter and resume to Shelly Morrell, RMBO, 230 Cherry Street, Fort Collins, CO  80521, or email to shelly.morrell@rmbo.org.

City of Wheat Ridge Open Space Section—Summer Seasonal Interpretive Position:

Will be accepting applications starting March 25^th.  Hours and schedule are flexible. Applications are available at www.ci.wheatridge.co.us. The right candidate should be able to present and create public programs, written materials and displays.  Please contact Margaret Paget with any questions regarding this position at 303-205-7554 or mpaget@ci.wheatridge.co.us.

Colorado Youth Program—Education/Conservation Camp Counselors Needed: Field Instructors / Camp Counselors needed for a unique residential tent camp near Indian Peaks Wilderness in Boulder County, Colorado.  Program emphasizes environmental education and conservation work with underprivileged children ages 11-17.  Camp Sessions are 10 days long with 4 days off between each session.  Highlights for each session include an Alpine Day spent above tree-line playing on snowfields, whitewater rafting on the Cache La Poudre River, banding birds and exploring nature, plus many fun games every day.  This is a high-quality, personalized program with just 8 staff and 24 campers per session. Applicants must have BA/BS, be experienced leading children outdoors, hold current First Aid and CPR certifications, have strong safety management skills and be able to lead hands-on, experiential education.  A WFR, lifeguard certification, and experience with environmental conservation work are a plus.  Pay is $725 per session, plus room & board for five sessions.  Training pay is $275.

Greenwood Village Rehabilitation Sanctuary—Education & Outreach Coordinator Position Opening Coordinator will be responsible for Outreach Program development, oversight and management for Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Sanctuary (GWRS).  Outreach includes youth programs, adult presentations, community events and professional development opportunities for animal-related agencies. Prepare and provide basic animal care classes to volunteers and seasonal staff under the direction of the animal care manager.  Responsible for GWRS publications and assistance with event planning. Submit cover letter, resume and salary requirements to greenwoodjobs@gmail.com.

Thacher Scholars Award

Deadline: April 2, 2007
This Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) national competition is for U.S. students in grades 9-12. IGES is seeking the best student projects utilizing satellite remote sensing of the Earth.  Cash awards will be given to winning entries. Prizes will also be given to teachers/coaches of winning students.
http://www.strategies.org/ThacherScholars

Earth Day 2007 "Climate Change Art Challenge"

Attention Educators and School Administrators! The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8 (R8), would like to invite you to participate in the 2007 Earth Day "Climate Change Art Challenge." The contest will ask students to draw "What is Climate Change?" with no teaching premise from adults or school staff. The purpose of the contest is to see what school children think Climate Change is, based on what they already know from school, media and parents. Follow these simple rules to participate in the challenge: (1) The challenge is for students in grades 6-12 (2) Entries must be no larger than 22 inches X 28 inches and (3) Fill out the entry form. Attach the form to your entry and mail to: Wendy Dew, R8 Environmental Education Coordinator, 1595 Wynkoop Street, 8OC, Denver, CO 80202-1129. For additional information please call 1-800-227-8917 or visit http://www.epa.gov/region8/ee/2007CCEntryForm.pdf. All entries must be received by EPA no later than Monday, April 2, 2007.

The Colorado Energy Science Center and the City of Aurora are partnering to educate homeowners about energy efficiency during a free workshop and home tour scheduled for Saturday, March 24th in Aurora. Registration is required. For more information, please visit www.smartenergyliving.org and click on workshops, or call 303-216-2026 ext 150.

Durango Nature Studies announces its 27th, FREE, 17 hour Volunteer Naturalist Training for our Children Discovering Nature Program! Training will be held: April 4th, 6-9 pm, April 6th, 9am-4 pm, and April 7th, 9am-4 pm, 2007. Join over 350 alumni as a fully qualified volunteer naturalist ready to lead science-based, nature walks with school children about topics like habitats, water, plants, insects, and natural history. Nature walks take place at the beautiful Durango Nature Center along the Florida River. Naturalists lead groups of 8-12 elementary school children on weekday mornings from April 9 through June 1. No prior experience is necessary, just a love of nature and kids! Please call 382-9244, ext 3. to register. Space is limited. For additional information, visit: http://www.durangonaturestudies.org/CDNvol.htm

Cal-Wood Education Center—Colorado Ecosystem Field Studies July 8-21, 2007. Investigate the fundamental components of Colorado’s diverse and dynamic ecosystem, including: Ecology and Geology, Geography and Climatology, environmental history and conservation methods. This exciting field class is highly experiential, involving considerable hiking in rugged terrain. Student’s base-camp in a secluded, mountain setting and share in camp responsibilities. Instruction is delivered through hands-on activities, guided exploration, direct lecture, and guest speakers. Class size is limited to 15 students so register early to reserve your space. Cost: $825, includes food, water, camping fees, group camp/field equipment & use of Cal-Wood Lodge for showers, computer, phone, library and emergency. Students provide own tent, and sleeping/outdoor gear.$150 additional to U. of Colorado for 3 undergraduate credits

or $260 to Colorado School of Mines for 6 teacher relicensure credits. For more information, please contact Steve Johnson, Course Director, at steve@calwood.org

or call at (303) 859-0173. www.calwood.org.

World Forestry Center 2007 International Educators Institute, July 22- 28, 2007 This unique week-long program is both a professional development program and a Pacific Northwest field study tour. Since 1996, IEI participants have traveled to Portland from 20 countries and 26 states. They bring together international forest researchers and the most active and successful master educators in the U.S. and abroad.  The deadline for IEI applications is February 28.  If you have any questions or wish to discuss the IEI program, please contact Rick Zenn (rzenn@worldforestry.org or 503-488-2103) or Angie DiSalvo (adisalvo@worldforestry.org or 503-488-2137) at the World Forestry Center.

EPA Earth Day E-Packet

Two weeks prior to Earth Day an e-packet e-mail will be sent to subscribing schools and teachers that will incorporate the best of EPA on-line student resources. The e-packet will contain environmental messaging, links and PDFs that teachers can easily download and use for Earth Day activities.  Just go to EPA’s EE Homepage and type in your e-mail address!

http://www.epa.gov/region8/ee

Environmental Justice Resource Center

The Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University offers books, curriculum guides, and reports on environmental and economic justice, urban land-use planning, transportation equity, suburban sprawl, smart growth, and community health.  Visit http://www.ejrc.cau.edu/ to find out more!  (Source:  YES! Magazine Enewsletter)

Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) Environmental Resource Center
Not only does ASBO provide programs and services to promote high educational standards, but it also provides information and resources concerning Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) programs, practitioners, materials, government and association links, and other facilities resources.  Visit their website at http://asbointl.org/Recognition/index.asp?bid=7987.

Greenbacks for Green Schools

This compilation by the Green Schools Initiative catalogues funding sources for eliminating toxins, using resources sustainably, creating green, healthy spaces, and teaching stewardship.
http://www.greenschools.net/news/index.html

National Wildlife Federation® Educator E-Newsletter

This monthly e-newsletter is designed to provide educators with hands-on activities, new ideas, resources, and strategies for getting kids outside to learn about the wonders of the natural world.  Each newsletter also includes a link to download the latest Ranger Rick® Educator Guide.
http://www.nwf.org/kidzone/

Grant Wrangler Funding Directory
Grant Wrangler is a free grants listing service that makes it easy for teachers to find funding. To see the full list of funding opportunities, and to subscribe to the monthly e-newsletter, visit http://www.grantwrangler.com/index.html.

Posting of resources or events does not constitute endorsement of those materials or activities by the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education or sponsors of CAEE.

This list will be used for the sole purpose of distributing the electronic version of CAEE's monthly newsletter EE InfoLink.

If you would like to subscribe under a different email address, please send an email to: ee-infolink-subscribe@caee.org
If you would prefer not to receive EE-InfoLink announcements please unsubscribe by sending a blank email to:

EE-InfoLink-unsubscribe@caee.org

If you have problems with the mailing list, please send them to: EE-InfoLink-owner@caee.org

Previous issues of EE-InfoLink can be accessed at: http://www.caee.org/info/additional-ee-resources/

This is an announcement-only email list.  If you would like to be included in an interactive listserv of environmental educators, send a blank email to: environmental-ed-subscribe@caee.org

If you have an announcement for EE InfoLink, please send it to info@caee.org by the 10th of each month.
EE InfoLink Editor: Saba Siddiki
Phone: 303-273-9527 Fax: 303-273-5780
E-mail: info@caee.org
http://www.caee.org

This list is hosted and maintained by EE-Link (http://eelink.net), The site for Environmental Education on the Internet.