Events & views - November 2008
In This Edition
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November 2008 Newsletter |
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A Few Words from the Executive Director and Board Chair
Exciting times and challenging times are upon us. There were days when the start of construction on the EcoCenter (the old Sea Scout building at the Palo Alto Baylands, which will be our new home) seemed so far off that it was almost unimaginable. However, after four years of study, discussions, negotiations, consultants, permits, and approvals, construction has finally begun! Brush has been cleared, exclusion fencing (to protect the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse) is up, and our long-awaited new home is on its way. There are so many people who have been instrumental in making this dream a reality that we hesitate to mention even one, so we will just say a huge THANK YOU! to funders, our project manager, our pro bono attorney, the Project Management Group, the EV staff, the EV board, and the EV community. Another exciting development at the EV is the resounding response from teachers to our Educate for Depth initiative. We are convinced that children need as many reinforcing education programs as possible to internalize the important science concepts we teach. This year, we launched our Educate for Depth initiative. Teachers were invited to register for multiple environmental education programs that would reach every student, in every class, in two consecutive grades over two consecutive years. Through this initiative, we guarantee that students receive reinforcing education programs for at least two years. We were not sure how this would play out, but we were elated that our idea received such a warm welcome. 18 schools embraced this initiative; 182 classrooms are participating; and 4,500 students will receive increased science education this year and next as a result. We look forward to sharing more details about this exciting program in a future newsletter. Finally, our country’s economic woes are on just about everyone’s mind and are inescapable. Uncertainty is the dominant mood, and people are hesitant to make financial commitments. One thing, though, is certain. Our Earth’s precious resources will continue to be in peril. Our best hope for a healthy Earth is educating children to understand, love, and respect our natural world. The work of the EV must continue, and to do so, we will need your continued financial support. We so appreciate the value you place in our role as educators. We welcome your continued support. Allan Berkowitz, Executive Director Joyce Friedrichs, Board Chair |
EcoCenter News
Construction Has Begun! At last! Construction has begun on the EcoCenter at the Palo Alto Baylands. For the first time in decades, there is an unobstructed view of the building. Perimeter fencing went up right away, however, to keep the salt marsh harvest mouse safely out of the construction site. We're on our way to repurposing this iconic local landmark to focus on science education for our kids! |
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Welcome to Our New Teaching Interns
by Brittany Sabol, Education & Training Director
This year, four Teaching Interns are joining the EVs to present our school services: Kelsey Bechelli; Caroline Chan; Esperanza Sanz Escudero; and a fourth intern yet to be hired. All of our interns are interested in the environment and teaching kids. They hope to pursue a career in one or both areas. The internship gives them the opportunity to learn from our veteran EVs as they prepare for future careers. The Teaching Interns also provide an added benefit to the EV. Every year, we have many teachers requesting programs who must be put on a long waitlist. The interns will be doing two to three services a week, so once they are fully trained, it will allow us to take some of our teachers off the waitlist. Consequently, we will be able to reach even more students to inspire them to be stewards of their environment. Join us in welcoming Kelsey, Caroline, and Espe to the EV! |
School Services Update
by Anita Rodriguez, Program Services Coordinator
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Who's News: Barbara Turner
Barbara has also been involved for a long time teaching ESL, both to children and adults. She teaches beginners but also works with several scholars, who are advanced speakers but need help with English for publishing. This work has kept her close to her daughter, Marcia, who is a school administrator, responsible for programs for English learners. She has also remained close to her son, Douglas, and his 2 sons, one of whom is “crazy about nature”! Barbara especially enjoys taking him on nature walks. Eighteen years ago, Barbara became very attached to the 11th child of a woman she was tutoring in English. Esmeralda and Barbara soon “adopted” each other, and Barbara and her husband Franklin became “foster grandparents”. They are still very close today, and Esmeralda is as much a member of the Turner family as anyone. In her spare time, Barbara loves to study—ancient history, literature, and, of course, science. She also tries to visit one foreign country a year. She has traveled to Spain, where she recently re-connected with members of her family who had been “lost” for 3 generations. Also, to fulfill a lifelong fascination with Japan, she visited that country last year. We are lucky to have Barbara sharing her skill and knowledge with the Environmental Volunteers! |
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The EV's Most Wanted List
That's right; it's the time of year again when we need your help to gather materials. ECI always needs more acorns to grind and more shells to drill. Please collect whatever you can and deliver to either EV office. We appreciate shells that are already cleaned and acorns that are already dried. If you want to speed dry your acorns, put them in a gently warm oven (150-200 degrees F) for several hours. Finally, we are still looking for artwork for the front cover of the Energy and Natural Resources subject guide. Please let Brittany know if you would like to help. |
EV Calendar
Here is a list of upcoming events. Please join us! For more information, contact Nicole.
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