Outstanding Educators

About the Awards Program

As the scholar William Arthur Ward put it, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” We couldn’t agree more.

Since 1994, national PLT has officially recognized the dedicated efforts of the hard-working and inspirational educators that bring PLT into the classroom, nature centers, universities, and youth groups.  Every year, these Outstanding Educators receive a trip to the PLT International Coordinators Conference where they are honored at an awards luncheon and have an opportunity to share their PLT experiences.

2012 Outstanding Educators

Lu Boren, Middle School Teacher, St. Columba School, Durango, CO

Lu Boren teaches earth science, chemistry, life science, and other subjects to students in grades 6, 7, and 8 at St. Columba School in Durango, CO. She uses environmental topics and PLT activities to wholly engage her students in their learning, for example through studies of forest management, fire ecology, and water quality, which has had a direct impact on students’ interest in science and environmental studies. Her enthusiasm and approach also inspires fellow educators to get students involved in environmental stewardship and service-learning projects.  Through her efforts, St. Columba became a PLT GreenSchool in 2011. She was honored as Outstanding PLT Educator in Colorado in 2009. 

“Lu understands that students learn best through field experiences and hands-on activities.  I am impressed with her students’ ability to think critically and discuss complex ecological issues.”

- Craig Goodell, fire ecologist at the San Juan Public Lands Center in Durango

Brooke Mohr, Elementary Teacher, Medart Elementary School, Crawfordville, FL

Brooke Mohr has taught for more than 25 years in almost every elementary grade, as well as gifted instruction and early intervention for at-risk students, and she now teaches at Medart Elementary School in Crawfordville, FL. Each year she involves local organizations and parents in a “PLT Week” during which each class participates in various activities surrounding a central theme to grow environmental awareness and stewardship in both her students and the entire school community. She has taken a leading role to promote environmental education throughout Wakulla County, the first in the state to have all its elementary schools designated as Florida PLT Schools. Her teaching philosophy is based on her belief that teaching students to care about the environment creates positive change in schools, at home, and in the community. She became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2006 and was named Florida PLT Educator of the Year in 2011.

 “Mrs. Mohr exemplifies an outstanding educator with her dedication, creativity, student and partner engagement plans, and commitment to caring for the environment.”

- Robin Will, ranger at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Usha Rajdev, Associate Professor, Marymount University, Arlington, VA

As the faculty leader for science education in Marymount University’s Teacher Education Program in Arlington, VA, Dr. Usha Rajdev works with future teachers to prepare them to teach science and math to K-12 students. PLT training is part of her syllabus requirement and she encourages her students to use PLT when they become teachers by preparing “ready-to-go activities” that the students share with each other.  She also finds innovative ways to adapt PLT to different teaching environments and cultures. In addition to preparing her students to teach in U.S. schools, she has led two groups to Porbandar, India, where they modeled the hands-on activities of PLT for their Indian counterparts, as well as children in India. She ensures that future teachers have tools, critical thinking skills, and experiences so they, in turn, can improve the learning and instill a sense of stewardship in the students they teach.

“We talk about the flexibility of the PLT curriculum. Usha has given us additional proof of its adaptability to different teaching environments and cultures.”

- Elizabeth Burke, Mud Pie Planet

Kathy Rusert, Science and Reading Teacher, Acorn Schools, Mena, AR

Kathy Rusert teaches science in grades 7 and 8, science labs in grades 5 and 6, and remedial reading in the Acorn School District in Mena, AR. On any given day, students may be dissecting rats, testing ph levels, or working in the outdoor classroom that she was instrumental in creating. She believes in hands-on, interdisciplinary education, and uses PLT to make the learning fun and meaningful.  She regularly partners with area businesses and nonprofits to further her students’ learning through field trips, research, and community service. She also teaches a Methods of Teaching Science for Southern Arkansas University that introduces future teachers to PLT. She has been a freelance writer for PBS Teaching Source, and her classes have been recognized in many magazines. Her awards include Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year in 2005 and Outstanding Arkansas PLT Teacher of the Year in 2011.

“Kathy has succeeded in making science fun for students, and by making science fun, they inevitably score better on standardized exams.”

- Daniel Caron, a teacher at Acorn High School

Cindi Smith-Walters, Professor, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

Dr. Cindi Smith-Walters is professor of biology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and is co-director of the MTSU Center for Environmental Education in Murfreesboro, TN. She has been a dedicated leader in environmental education in the state for several decades, personally training thousands of educators to use PLT to improve student learning and promote stewardship. She helped make PLT and environmental education an important component of Tennessee’s overall education curriculum while working at the Tennessee Department of Education. Over the years she has been selected to serve on multiple state and national committees, and helps school principals, superintendents, curriculum supervisors, and teachers throughout the state implement PLT and other environmental education curricula. Since coming to MTSU in 1993, she has won numerous university faculty awards. 

“In our state, when the subject of environmental education comes up, the first name mentioned is Cindi Smith-Walters….She has influenced so many youth but also so many adults in Tennessee through her passion and her dedication to PLT and environmental education.”

- Candace Dinwiddie, Executive Director, Tennessee Forestry Association

Check out this year's Honorees.

Donate to support outstanding educators

Gifts to the Barbara Pitman Fund support Project Learning Tree’s Outstanding Educator Awards Program. If you would like to support our nation’s outstanding educators, please consider making a donation. Your gift may be made through an online donation or by mail using our donation form.