Outstanding Educator
Joan Chadde
Joan Chadde is the Education Program Coordinator at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, where she also teaches a course called Communicating Science.
Nonformal
Outstanding Educator
Outstanding Educator
Diane St. Jean
Diane St. Jean teaches reading at Barrington Middle School in Barrington, New Hampshire, where she uses PLT to connect her students to their local forest.
Outstanding Educator
Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart is a naturalist with the Miami County Park District in Troy, Ohio, where he also serves as a PLT facilitator.
Outstanding Educator
Ginger Reasonover
Ginger Reasonover is a science lab coordinator who uses PLT with preK through fourth grade students at David Lipscomb Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Outstanding Educator
Barbara Dunbar
Barbara Dunbar is the 4-H Environmental Program Coordinator at Virginia Cooperative Extension in Yorktown, as well as a Virginina Master Naturalist.
Outstanding Educator
Jacelyn Downey
Jacelyn Downey is a senior community naturalist with Audubon Wyoming in Moorcroft who brings PLT to diverse audiences through environmental education across the state.
A Small Project Inspires Students to Tackle Bigger Challenges
After completing a self-guided Meditation Nature Trail, high school students took on a bigger project. They created a permanent, interactive station to teach visitors about interconnectedness in nature.
Why Teach Outside?
Nature helps children’s development–intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and physically. Studies show that teaching outdoors produces student gains in social studies, science, language arts and math.
Leadership, Teamwork, and Volunteerism Learned through PLT Activities
Project Learning Tree activities are excellent tools to teach life skills. At a summer leadership camp in Georgia, students learned about leadership, teamwork, and volunteerism.
Outstanding Educator
Reeda Hart
Reeda Hart, a science outreach specialist at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, helped develop PLT’s Early Childhood curriculum.