Penn Staters honored for partnerships in K-12 watershed education

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The collaborative work of Penn State Outreach and Penn State Sustainability to build partnerships with K-12 educators that enhance sustainability education efforts in school districts across the state has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators (PAEE).

Amanda Smith, director of K-12 engagement for Penn State Outreach, Peter Boger, director of engagement for Sustain Penn State, and Aikumis Serikbayeva, a graduate assistant and doctoral student in workforce education and development, have been honored by PAEE as Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Partners of Excellence.

MWEEs are learner-centered experiences that focus on student investigations into local environmental issues that lead to informed action and civic engagement. All states that are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, including Pennsylvania, have agreed to a goal of offering MWEEs to all students in their state to advance watershed-based understanding.

The MWEE Partner of Excellence Award recognizes non-formal education partners who have previously demonstrated or are actively demonstrating exceptional partnership with preK-12 formal educational institutions to implement one or more elements of the MWEE.

"It's an honor to receive this award from PAEE, but it's even more of a privilege just to be able to do this work," Boger said.

That work has included establishing the K-12 Sustainability Summit, which has connected 32 school districts and several education agencies and organizations that support environmental education work to Penn State tools and resources to help advance sustainability efforts in the K-12 space.

As part of summit, they have offered teachers a “crash-course” in what a MWEE looks like, led by Michelle Niedermeier, education lead of Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the co-chair of the PA Environmental Literacy Network, and Tamara Peffer, environmental and ecology content advisor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

"Over the past two years, we have met so many innovative educators from across Pennsylvania, eager to transform their schools and classrooms with applied learning in sustainability, and it's been an honor curating Penn State's many resources to serve them in their mission,” Boger said.

Financial and other support for the K-12 Sustainability Summit has been provided by the Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Education Grants Program.

The work continues to expand with the newly launched K-12 Impact Fellows in Sustainability program that is empowering four Pennsylvania teachers to design locally focused climate education, modeled after Penn State's Local Climate Action Program (LCAP).

The team also has been working closely with the PA Environmental Literacy Network to see how they can support their six regional hubs and training teachers in MWEEs and other forms of sustainability education across the state.

Smith said these projects showcase how Penn State programs, such as Penn State Outreach K-12 Engagement, can positively impact every corner of the commonwealth.

“The whole purpose of Penn State’s land-grant mission is looking at how can we work with communities and support their needs. K-12 education is at the heart of many communities, and it has been amazing to work closely with so many districts across the state to see how we can truly make an impact,” Smith said. “We are so grateful that this work has been recognized by PAEE as we continue to partner with K-12 educators across the state to help them continue the impactful work they are doing.”

Penn State Outreach K-12 Engagement connects educators, students, and school communities with the University’s expertise and resources to strengthen learning pathways from kindergarten through high school. Learn more on the Outreach website.