Agency to honor top environmental educators
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s (WVDEP) Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan (REAP) is accepting applications for the 2024 Make It Shine Environmental Teacher of the Year awards. The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 14.
Winners will be chosen on the elementary, middle and high school levels, with each winner receiving a $500 personal award, plus a $1,000 award to be used in promoting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) programs at their school.
Educators eligible for nomination must teach either full-time or part-time, or volunteer in a classroom setting in a West Virginia public, private or charter school and have had their program established for at least one year. Teachers can be nominated by themselves, colleagues, principals, students, or anyone familiar with their environmental program.
Awards will be presented to educators who have demonstrated exemplary environmental leadership through the creation of lesson plans, implementation of school programs, or participation in activities that promote environmental stewardship.
The 2023 Environmental Teachers of the Year were: Tiffany Pace, Cross Lanes Elementary, Kanawha County; Amelia Mullens, Barrackville Middle School, Marion County; and Renee Haines, Martinsburg High School, Berkeley County.
To nominate yourself or a fellow educator for the 2024 awards, applications are available at: https://dep.wv.gov. Type in “Make It Shine” in the search bar. For more information, contact Annette Hoskins at: Annette.L.Hoskins@wv.gov or call 304-926-0499 ext. 49759.
REAP’s motto is “Keeping West Virginia Clean and Green.” It was created in 2005 and strives to clean up West Virginia and rid the state of litter. The program empowers citizens to take ownership of their communities by providing technical, financial and resource assistance in cleanup and recycling efforts. Make It Shine is a program under REAP that focuses on volunteer cleanup efforts and rewards towns and cities for proactive approaches to keeping their communities clean.