Awards

CPAWS Calgary/Banff Chapter’s Education Program – A 2008 Alberta Emerald Award Winner

Edmonton, June 3, 2008. The CPAWS Calgary/Banff Chapter’s Environmental and Action Education Program is extremely honoured to have won a 2008 Alberta Emerald Award. The Emerald Awards recognize environmental excellence, celebrating outstanding achievements by Albertans committed to protecting, preserving, enhancing and sustaining our environment.

Each year, the Alberta Emerald Foundation receives over 100 nominations in a number of categories. An independent panel of judges reviews these and selects finalists and award recipients. CPAWS Calgary/Banff was nominated by local teacher, Robert Pierce, in the Education: Other Organization category. The 2008 Emerald Awards took place at the Citadel’s Shoctor Theatre in Edmonton on Tuesday, June 3.

Kim Jaxa-Debicki, School Programs Coordinator and Anne-Marie Syslak, Director of Education

“Through the journey with CPAWS I saw growth in the awareness of issues and concerns dealing with species and the environment. This awareness then developed into action by some of our students,” says Pierce, who has brought CPAWS programs into his classroom for the past three years.

The CPAWS Education Team is proud to be the recipient of the award this year. “It’s a tribute to all the great environmental education and conservation work that we do and that is going on in Alberta. It is exciting to be considered part of such a talented community. We would like to extend our thanks to our executive director David Poulton, our board, our many funders over the years, our great staff and peers, but especially to the teachers and students who have made our programs such a success,” says Anne-Marie Syslak, Acting Director of Education for the Calgary/Banff chapter.

Since 1997, CPAWS Calgary/Banff Chapter has been meeting the demand for progressive environmental and science education programming throughout southern Alberta. It has developed and delivered approximately 2,500 programs to over 65,000 students. Current programs deliver the Alberta Learning Curriculum with a unique spin on conservation and stewardship. CPAWS offers in-school presentations, guided hikes and teacher training programs using engaging themes such as grizzly bear ecology (secondary) and endangered species (elementary). CPAWS is excited to be launching a new water conservation program to their educational repertoire in the fall of 2008.

CPAWS also encourages students to conserve the environment. Unique to CPAWS, the Community Environmental Action Challenge encourages students to undertake stewardship projects that build leadership and civic engagement skills among youth. Nearly 60 per cent of classes initiate action projects. The CPAWS Education Team is a leader locally and among the 13 CPAWS chapters across the country for providing environmental and action education programs.

For more information about the CPAWS Education Program or the chapter’s conservation work, visit www.cpaws-southernalberta.org. For information about the Alberta Emerald Foundation, visit www.emeraldfoundation.ca. Click here to see video clips from the awards ceremony.

CPAWS Calgary/Banff named Finalist at 2007 Alberta Emerald Awards

Calgary, June 14, 2007. The CPAWS Calgary/Banff Environmental and Action Education Program was named a finalist at last week’s 16th annual Alberta Emerald Awards. The Emerald Awards recognize environmental excellence, celebrating outstanding achievements by Albertans committed to protecting, preserving, enhancing and sustaining our environment.

Each year, the Alberta Emerald Foundation receives over 100 nominations in a number of categories. An independent panel of judges reviews these and selects finalists and award recipients. CPAWS Calgary/Banff was nominated by local teacher, Erin Couillard, in the Education: other organization category. The CPAWS submission was named one of three finalists in that category.

“Not only do CPAWS Educators teach classes about ecological and scientific principles, but they challenge students to take it a step further by engaging in stewardship projects in their local communities. Students learn that their small actions can make a huge difference,” says Couillard, who has brought CPAWS programs into her classroom for the past two years.

Though they didn’t leave with the top award, the CPAWS Education Team was honoured to be included on a roster of such talented and impressive nominations. “Participating in the Emerald Awards reminded us about all the great conservation work that is going on in Alberta. Our peers challenge and inspire us to improve our own programs. It is exciting to be considered part of such a talented community,” says Anne-Marie Syslak, School Programs Coordinator for the Calgary/Banff chapter. “Even more thrilling, is that this honour arrives as we mark the ten-year anniversary of the education program.”

Since 1997, CPAWS Calgary/Banff has met the demand for environmental education programming throughout southern Alberta. It has delivered over 2000 programs to 56000 students and their teachers. Current programs focus on two themes: grizzly bear ecology and conservation, and endangered species. In-school presentations, guided hikes and teacher training are attractive to teachers as they integrate Alberta Learning curriculum using interesting environmental themes.

CPAWS wins National PromoScience award for environmental education.

The Calgary/Banff Chapter of CPAWS is pleased to announce it has received a PromoScience award, a prestigious national science education prize awarded by NSERC (Science and Engineering Research Canada). As one of the 58 Canadian groups recognized for creating imaginative science programming for young people, CPAWS will offer and deliver high-quality, interactive and inspirational science education programs to schools throughout southern Alberta.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our contribution to science and environmental education in Alberta,” says Kim Kiel, School Programs Coordinator for CPAWS.

The NSERC Web site provides this enthusiastic description of the CPAWS Calgary/Banff Education offerings:

The Calgary/Banff chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society wants to bring high-energy, quality science and environmental education programs to the students who need it most: those in secondary school and those in rural areas. The programs inspire students to use science to understand and mitigate some of the environmental issues facing Canadians today and in the future. Teachers love the programs because they are in-school, organized, and curriculum-linked. Students love the programs because they are interactive, based on real science, and fun.

For more information about NSERC and the PromoScience award :
Visit the NSERC website

CPAWS Education wins Alberta award for environmental education

In April 2004, CPAWS received a prestigious Appreciation of Service award from the Global, Environmental, and Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) of the Alberta Teachers Association. This award is “in acknowledgement of leadership and service contributing to the professional development of educators in Alberta.”
Visit the GEOEC website

Questions about CPAWS Southern Alberta? E-mail info@cpawscalgary.org
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