Washington, D.C. – Project Learning Tree® (PLT), the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, named Mary Cutler, of West Lafayette, Ind.; Linda Desai, of Auburn, Calif.; Peggy Herbert, of Hopkinton, N.H.; Dr. Larry Kowalski, of Anderson, S.C.; and Leon Mays, of Panama City, Fla.; the 2005 National Outstanding Educators of the Year.  The honorees will receive their awards at the 19th Annual International PLT Conference, June 8 - 12, in Welches, Ore., where Susan Castillo, Superintendent, Oregon Department of Education will speak.  

These five outstanding educators exemplify the criteria of the award: exceptional teaching skills, commitment to the PLT curriculum, exemplary use of environmental education (EE) in the classroom, and sustained use of PLT.  They represent the diversity that is one of the strengths of PLT: they work in different parts of the country, in rural and urban communities, and with all ages of learners.

Mary Cutler is the naturalist at Tippecanoe County Parks and Recreation in West Lafayette, Ind.  Not far into her career Mary, and other staff members, worked toward the eventual opening of the community’s nature center.  Today, Mary oversees the county’s two nature centers, supervises a volunteer staff of 75 docents, and designs the centers’ exhibits.  Mary also works one-on-one with teachers in Indiana to develop well-balanced and appropriate supplemental EE programs on an individual basis.  She also works with superintendents, principals, and curriculum coordinators to help them understand the benefits of environmental education and its place within the curriculum. 

Linda Desai is the education director and co-founder of the Place Nature Center (PNC) in Auburn, Calif.  In this capacity, she develops all types of environmental education programs for preschool through high school students.  While working at the nature center, conducting PLT workshops, and raising her family, Linda has not stopped finding new ways to share her love of the environment.  Over the years she has developed California PLT’s first six-hour energy education workshop, taken the lead in the PNC’s involvement with an interactive environmental awareness activity, the Nature Bowl, and developed the Watershed Learning Center. 

Peggy Herbert is a fourth grade teacher at Henniker Community School in Henniker, N.H.  She has been involved in environmental education throughout her teaching career.  Environmental activities and concepts are woven throughout all topics in Peggy’s curriculum.  She also finds ways to incorporate her commitment to studying the local environment.  In fact, she incorporates a yearlong unit on New Hampshire history and a study of forestry in the state, using PLT each year.

Larry Kowalski is a science specialist teaching third, fourth, and fifth grade students at Midway Elementary School in Anderson, S.C.  He retired from teaching in 2000 but was asked to stay as a science specialist when his old school closed and the new school, Midway Elementary, was just opening its doors.  When asked, he accepted.  In his current position he has the opportunity to teach many PLT activities through both classroom activities and extracurricular events.  He takes students on field studies, created an environmental club and a Saturday science club, and in the classroom he leads students on school improvement projects, planting activities, and recycling programs to name just a few. 

Leon Mays is a classroom educator at A.D. Harris High School, a dropout prevention school in Panama City, Florida.  Having his students take an active role in beautifying their school grounds turned into an award-winning project.  They reseeded the grass and planted native plants donated by a local nursery.  He then worked to earn a grant for the materials to put together a “meditation” garden.  The students completed this garden with a fish pond and three pagodas.  After receiving the school district award for ground beautification, Leon and his students were asked to meet with a local company to look into developing an outdoor classroom.  The outdoor classroom is now used by local schools around the community.

"While our award winners are quick to thank others for supporting them in their endeavors, they are the ones who have rolled up their sleeves and dedicated themselves to providing quality environmental education for their students," Kathy McGlauflin, Senior Vice President of Education at the American Forest Foundation said.  "They truly deserve this recognition."

Project Learning Tree is successful because of its network of dedicated educators and volunteers such as the five 2005 Outstanding Educators of the year, that actively implement the program. Since 1994, national PLT has officially recognized the dedicated efforts of the people that bring PLT into the classroom, nature centers, universities, and youth groups.

For more information please contact Amanda Rudy, Manager, Communications, 202.463.2442, Email arudy@forestfoundation.org or visit PLT at www.plt.org.

Project Learning Tree® (PLT) is the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation. PLT uses the forest as a “window on the world” to increase student’s understanding of our complex environment and to help students learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment.  Developed in 1976, PLT has an international network of more than 300,000 trained educators using six curricula covering the total environment.  The American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit organization, works for healthy forests, quality environmental education, and informed decision-making about our communities and our world.

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