The Environmental Education Association of Illinois'
awards program exists to recognize and encourage excellence
in the field of environmental education. Please take a moment
to nominate a deserving fellow environmental educator for
next year's awards (see bottom of page). Nomination
forms are always available on this website and are due
each year in November.
EEAI
Award Recipients
Malcolm D. Swan Award for Outstanding Service
Presented for long-term, outstanding service and contribution
to the field of environmental education in Illinois. The Malcolm
D. Swan Award is the Association’s most prestigious
honor. It is intended to recognize the efforts of those people
who have had a large-scale impact in the field.
2010 Recipient: Steve Kolsto, Coordinator
of Education, Surface Water Section, Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency.
In his long tenure at the Illinois EPA, Steve Kolsto
has been key in driving and expanding environmental education
throughout the state. One of the many legacies that Steve
will always be known for is his creation and implementation
of a very popular grant program; the Lake Education Assistance
Program (LEAP). The program provides funding up to $500 for
school and other not-for-profit organizations’ participation
in lake/pond watershed-related educational field trips, equipment,
and activities. These critical funds have assisted thousands
of students in receiving hands-on environmental education
training that would have otherwise not occurred due to funding
restraints. Steve was instrumental in creating the water program
Dive In!, a hands-on, educational resource day that introduces
hundreds of students to an up-close water field experience
and the importance of protecting and conserving Illinois’
water. Steve represents the Illinois EPA on various education
related committees, including the Conservation Education Advisory
Board, Environmental Education Association of Illinois, and
IEPA Education. Steve also is on the update committee for
the Environmental Literacy Plan for Illinois. Each year, Steve
presents teacher workshops which include ENTICE, Living Lands
and Water, and Project WET. EEAI expresses gratitude and appreciation
to Steve Kolsto for his outstanding service to environmental
education.
2009 Recipient: Judy Miller, Environmental Programs
Manager, Anita Purves Nature Center
2008 Recipient: Robert L. Carter, Instructor-Department
of Teaching and Learning-Northern Illinois University
2006 Recipient: Nan Buckardt - Environmental Education
Manager, Lake County Forest Preserve District - Deerfield,
IL
2005 Recipient: Angela Smith- Director & Naturalist Sugar
Grove Nature Center - McLean, IL
2004 Recipient: Mary Rice, Environmental Education
Coordinator and Naturalist Schaumburg Park District's Spring
Valley Nature Sanctuary.
2003 Recipient: Kathy Andrews, Illinois Department
of Natural Resources, Springfield, IL.
2001 Recipient: Suzanne Saric, US EPA Region
5 Environmental Education Program Manager, Chicago. IL
Environmental Educator of the Year (Two Categories)
This award is intended to give recognition
to the efforts of those delivering the environmental education
message to the public. This person or group may be “just
doing their job” but are doing it so well as to deserve
recognition from EEAI. There are two categories for this award,
formal and non-formal educator.
Formal Educator
(PreK-College): Presented for outstanding,
ongoing effort in infusing environmental education into teaching.
2010 Recipient: Dr. Jeffrey T. Hoyer, Deerfield High School
EEAI is proud to announce Dr. Jeffrey T. Hoyer as
the 2010 Formal Environmental Educator of the Year. Dr. Jeff
Hoyer has been teaching high school biology and environmental
science for sixteen years at Deerfield High School. He designs
lesson plans that make learning a hands-on personal experience
for his students. Dr. Hoyer and his students created an outdoor
classroom in a prairie garden at their school. The outdoor
classroom is equipped with large group stadium style seating
for thirty, small group tables and chairs for thirty-two people
and a large outdoor chalkboard. Dr. Hoyer and his students
also created a 3-D mural of a river ecosystem on the wall
of their school’s hallway. The mural paints the big
picture of how matter and energy move through a river ecosystem
and how living organisms are webbed together to make this
happen. Students research and paint individual macroinvertebrates
to add to the web of life in the mural each year. Dr. Hoyer
not only focuses his attention on his students at Deerfield
High School but he also shares his enthusiasm and commitment
to the environment with the state of Illinois and beyond.
He is involved with many organizations including, the Environmental
Education Association of Illinois, National Science Teachers
Association, Friends of the Chicago River and the Network
of Environmental Science Teachers.
2008 Recipient: David E. Brown,
5th Grade Teacher, Baldwin Intermediate School-West
2006 Recipient: Dr. Marylin Lisowski - Professor,
Eastern Illinois University, College of Education - Charleston,
IL
2005 Recipient: Renae Frigo - Naturalist Supervisor/Interpreter
St. Charles Park District
2004 Recipient: Jill Carter, Instructor and Science
Department Chair Pekin Community High School.
2002 Recipient: Anita Scott, Teacher/Director Friendship
Corner School- Schaumburg, IL
2001 Recipient: Rick Livesey, Herscher High
School, Herscher, IL
Non-Formal Educator
(Staff/volunteers working at nature centers, conservation/agriculture
agencies, parks, zoos, museums, etc.): Presented for exhibiting
innovative and exemplary effort in providing environmental
education opportunities for general audiences.
2009 Recipient: Pat Sullivan, Owner of the
Peace of Earth Environmental Learning Center.
2008 Recipient: Lara Darling, Environmental
Educator and Volunteer Coordinator,Vermilion County Conservation
District
2006 Recipient: Tara Wisnewski - Environmental Education
Specialist, Forest Preserve District of Will County - Mokena,
IL
2005 Recipient: Sally Patterson- Education Coordinator
& Naturalist Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden - Springfield,
IL
2004 Recipient: Janet Hawes-Davis, Environmental Education
Coordinator Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
2002 Recipient: Sarah Livesay, Champaign County Forest
Preserve District (CCFPD)-Champaign, IL.
2001 Recipients: Jill Stites and Char Heckel
of the Crane Chronicle Development Team, Lake County Forest
Preserve District, Deerfield , IL
2001
EEAI Outstanding Service Award:
Cathy Cunningham,
Champaign, IL