Chesapeake Conservation Corps

March 4th, 2013 by Tara Baker

Chesapeake Conservation Corps volunteers

In 2010, the Maryland Legislature established the Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program to promote and sustain the environment by providing young adults with opportunities to gain career skills and become more engaged through meaningful community service in the fields of environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture, energy conservation, forestry and environmental education.  This leadership program, supported by the Trust, Constellation Energy, and the state of Maryland, matches young adults with organizations throughout the state for paid, fulltime, one-year term of service.  Individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 25 years at the time of enrollment. Corps Volunteers will receive an annual stipend of $15,500 plus health insurance, administered by the Trust. The purpose of the Corps Program is two-fold:  the first is for stipend Volunteers to work with Host Organizations and communities throughout Maryland to implement on-the-ground restoration and energy conservation projects. The second is to provide leadership and training opportunities for young adults pursuing environmental and conservation careers.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to announce the fourth year of solicitations for Volunteer Applications for the 2013-14 Chesapeake Conservation Corps. The Corps Program has grown from 16 Volunteers in its inaugural year to 21 in its second year to now 26 exceptional young people in year three who will gain valuable work experience and partner with local communities to advance conservation initiatives in Maryland by working on energy efficiency programs, restoration activities and neighborhood clean-ups, water quality monitoring programs, reforestation projects, job training programs for youth and so on. Even more, almost 30% of all program participants have been hired by their host organizations, which illustrates that the program not only creates employment opportunities but also increases the capacity of participating organizations to further their environmental missions.  Additionally, the program has a 100% retention rate – not a single volunteer has ever left the program early with the exception of those hired on mid-service term by their host organizations.

The Corps Program provides service-learning opportunities and green job preparation for young adults through multiple trainings, a capstone project, grant writing, site visits at other Host sites and attending the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forum. Corps volunteers are also involved in a variety of activities and projects, including promoting, preserving, and protecting local streams, rivers, the Bay, and Maryland’s other natural resources; working with communities to promote energy conservation and mitigate threats to the environment; pursuing leadership opportunities that will advance environmental and conservation careers; obtaining training for careers that will be part of the emerging green economy; and educating and training communities about the long-term actions needed to promote, preserve, protect, and sustain the environment. One of the beauties of this Program is that each position at each Host each year is different. As a result, you can have one Volunteer out on a kayak performing water quality monitoring, another leading an energy conservation campaign or another working on a sustainable farm. Still the entire group is intertwined and visiting each other’s sites, attending each other’s events and always networking.

The Host Application Deadline has just passed and as a result any interested potential Volunteer Applicant can review the submitted Host applications to learn more about the organization and the position they are offering. After the April 19th deadline Volunteer and Host Applicants will begin to contact and connect with each other to determine their top picks. In June both Volunteer and Host Applicants will submit a ranking sheet of their top 5 which will be an important factor in determining who his matched and with whom. One can view all of the submitted Host Applications on our website.

Please click here to download the application. All applications must be RECEIVED by 5pm on April 19, 2013.

For any questions about becoming a Host Organization or about the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, contact Tara Baker, 410-974-2941, ext. 102.

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Tara Baker is a Program Coordinator at the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Seeking Host Organizations for Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteers

February 11th, 2013 by Tara Baker

Corps Volunteers staying clean at the Karen Noonan Center

In 2010, the Maryland Legislature established the Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program to promote and sustain the environment by providing young adults with opportunities to gain career skills and become more engaged through meaningful community service.  This leadership program, supported by the Trust, Constellation Energy, and the state of Maryland, matches young adults with organizations throughout the state for paid, fulltime, one-year term of service.  Individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 25 years at the time of enrollment. Corps Volunteers will receive stipends of $15,500 per year plus health insurance, administered by the Trust. The purpose of the Corps Program is two-fold:  the first is for stipend Volunteers to work with Host Organizations and communities throughout Maryland to implement on-the-ground restoration and energy conservation projects. The second is to provide leadership and training opportunities for young adults pursuing environmental and conservation careers.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is proud to announce the fourth year of solicitations for Host Organizations for the 2013-14 Chesapeake Conservation Corps with a February 22nd deadline. The Volunteer Application will be launched on February 25th. In its inaugural year, 16 Corps volunteers worked on a variety of environmental initiatives including energy efficiency programs, restoration activities and neighborhood clean-ups, water quality monitoring programs, reforestation projects and job training programs for youth. The program expanded to 21 participants its second year, and now includes 26 exceptional young people in year three who will gain valuable work experience and partner with local communities to advance conservation initiatives in Maryland. For the fourth year, the Trust anticipates placing 20-25 Corps Volunteers in Host Organizations throughout Maryland with service to begin August 27, 2013. Almost 30 percent of all program participants have been hired by their host organizations, which illustrates that the program not only creates employment opportunities but also increases the capacity of participating organizations to further their environmental missions.  Additionally, the program has a 100% retention rate – not a single volunteer has ever left the program early with the exception of those hired on mid-service term by their host organizations.

The Corps Program provides service-learning opportunities and green job training for young people through environmental and energy conservation projects including their mandatory capstone project. Corps volunteers have been involved in a variety of types of activities, including promoting, preserving, and protecting local streams, rivers, the Bay, and Maryland’s other natural resources; working with communities to promote energy conservation and mitigate threats to the environment; pursuing leadership opportunities that will advance environmental and conservation careers; obtaining training for careers that will be part of the emerging green economy; and educating and training communities about the long-term actions needed to promote, preserve, protect, and sustain the environment. One of the beauties of this Program is that each position at each Host each year is different. As a result, you can have one Volunteer out on a kayak doing water quality monitoring and then another working on reforestation at a number of sites and another leading field experiences with kids. Still the entire group is intertwined and visiting each other’s sites, attending each other’s events and always networking.

Applications to serve as Host Organizations will include proposed scopes of work, and potential Host Organizations may suggest a wide range of activities to be undertaken by the Corps Volunteer in the fields of environmental restoration, energy conservation, sustainable agriculture and forestry, and/or K-12 environmental education.

Please click here to download the application. All applications must be RECEIVED by 5pm on February 22, 2013.

For any questions about becoming a Host Organization or about the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, contact Tara Baker, 410-974-2941, ext. 102.

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Tara Baker is a Program Coordinator at the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards Program is now OPEN

November 5th, 2012 by Kristin

Celebrate environmental education and stewardship in the Chesapeake Bay region by nominating a teacher and student for these Chesapeake Bay Trust awards and scholarships!

The leaves are beginning to change and school is back in session, which means it is time for the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s annual awards program! The Trust’s Student of the Year Scholarship, Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship,  and Teacher of the Year award, celebrate Maryland students and teachers who have shown a strong commitment to their local environment and the Chesapeake Bay. The students are honored with a $5,000 college scholarship and the winning teacher will be given a $2,500 grant award through the Trust. Applicants can be self-nominated or nominated by individuals who are not family members. The deadline to apply is December 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

Read a full description of the awards below and to nominate, visit the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s webpage.

2013 Teacher of the Year Award:

This award is given to a Maryland educator who has shown outstanding commitment to environmental education. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by individuals who are not family members. The winner will receive a $2,500 mini grant for environmental education and restoration from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. (Please note that the $2,500 grant award can only be applied to one application and not spread throughout the year.) To nominate a teacher in Maryland for this award, click here.

2013 Student of the Year Scholarship:

The Student of the Year award is given to a Maryland high school or college student who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Chesapeake Bay restoration and community involvement. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by anyone except family members. The winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. To nominate a student in Maryland for this award, click here.

2013 Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship:

This award recognizes a Maryland high school or college student who demonstrates a commitment to improving the health of the environment and the Chesapeake Bay and who, as a student of color, exhibits exemplary leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion in his/her school and broader community. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by anyone except family members. The winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. To nominate a student in Maryland for this award, click here.

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Kristin Foringer is the Communications and Development Associate at the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 113 or at kforinger@cbtrust.org. Kristin is also a former Environmental Management Staffer at the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Chesapeake Bay Trust and EPA Announce New Environmental Education Capacity Building Grant Program

July 30th, 2012 by Molly

EPA Region 3 Administrator Shawn Garvin.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust will boost its efforts to advance environmental literacy for students throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Under the new Environmental Education Capacity Building Grant Program, the Trust will award sub-grants up to $5,000 to increase the capacity of the environmental education community in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC and West Virginia.

“Advancing environmental education is a crucial step to restoring the Chesapeake Bay,” said Shawn M. Garvin, EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator.  “By providing funding for local efforts to increase the capacity of organizations to educate the public about the environment, we increase our chances that residents will make smart, educated decisions that help our waterways and advance our restoration goals.”

Applications for this program will be accepted through August 31, 2012 and must address both educational and environmental priorities as identified in the request for proposals.  Eligible applicants* include local education agencies, colleges and universities, state education and environmental agencies, as well as non-profit organizations to fund environmental education trainings, workshops, and educational outreach.

Specifically, applications should: 1) create and support high quality programs and educational methods that advance regional environmental education goals; 2) support state frameworks that enable students to graduate with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed environmental decisions; 3) provide professional development opportunities for teachers and other educators; and 4) provide access for schools to maintain buildings, grounds, and operations that support positive environmental and human health outcomes.

“Every year the Chesapeake Bay Trust devotes significant resources to advance environmental education efforts throughout the Bay watershed,” said Trust Executive Director Jana Davis. “Our goal is to teach individuals, both children and adults, why they should care about the Bay so that they will be empowered to take action and improve it.  Education is the first step in a long series of efforts that is necessary to truly make a difference for our waterways.”

“Recent studies have shown that providing students with environmental education opportunities not only increases their capacity and interest in learning, but also contributes to science, math, reading, and social studies aptitude,” continued Davis.  “Partnerships like this one with the EPA on environmental education will serve as a much-needed resource to continue to advance educational efforts throughout our region.”

For more information and to apply for the Environmental Education Capacity Grant Program, visit www.cbtrust.org.

*Individual primary and secondary schools are not eligible to apply for Environmental Education Capacity Building Grants.  Applicants from Maryland or Washington, D.C. interested in Environmental Education projects targeting K-12 students to provide resources for Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences should refer to the Mini Grant Application Package for K-12 Environmental Education.  The Mini Grant program is currently open, and will accept applications for awards of up to $5,000 until August 10th.
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Molly Alton Mullins is the director of communications and development for the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 107 or at mmullins@cbtrust.org.

‘Tis the Season… to Celebrate Environmental Excellence

November 28th, 2011 by Sarah

Celebrate environmental excellence this December by submitting your nominations for the 2011-2012 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators and/or for the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Award program!

‘Tis the season… to celebrate exemplary environmental educators and student advocates around the Chesapeake Bay Watershed! Here are some great award programs with upcoming application deadlines that seek to recognize those hardworking, passionate individuals we all know and love:

2011-2012 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators

As discussed in the “America’s Great Outdoors: A Promise to Future Generations” report, in order to make environmental stewardship and conservation relevant to young Americans, environmental and place-based, experiential learning must be integrated into school curricula and school facility management across the country. This program, administered by White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recognizes outstanding K-12 teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. Two teachers from each EPA Region will be selected to receive this award.  The awardee teacher will receive an award of $2,000, to be used to further the awardee’s professional development in environmental education, as well as a commemorative plaque.  An award of $2,000 will also be given to the awardee’s local education agency to fund environmental educational activities and programs which support the awardee teacher.  Applications must be submitted by December 30, 2011, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time. Learn more HERE.

Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards

The Chesapeake Bay Trust is currently soliciting applications for its 2012 Awards Program. All applications must be received by 5:00 pm on Friday, December 16, 2011 to be considered and must be completed online.  These awards will only be given to Maryland residents and for projects that occurred in Maryland.  The following Awards are being offered:

  • Teacher of the Year Award: A $2,500 award will be given to the winner’s school to fund Trust approved environmental field trips and/or outdoor education work.
  • Student of the Year Scholarship: A $5,000 scholarship will be given to a Maryland high school or college student who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Chesapeake Bay restoration and community involvement.
  • Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship: A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Maryland high school or college student who demonstrates a commitment to improving the health of the environment and the Chesapeake Bay and who, as a student of color, exhibits exemplary leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion in his/her school and broader community.
  • Ellen Fraites Wagner Award: This Steward of the Year award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional commitment to the Chesapeake Bay and leadership in the Bay community.
  • Melanie Teems Award: This Grant of the Year award recognizes an exemplary project funded by the Chesapeake Bay Trust that engages Maryland students or citizens in Bay education or restoration work.
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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Environmental Education Grants for August and September

July 25th, 2011 by Sarah

Students sow seedlings in their classroom. What projects are you hoping grant money can help support in your classroom?

Finding funding to support environmental education can be a real challenge, and identifying applicable grants can be a hassle.  To help you kick-start the process of getting your classroom project off the ground, we here at Bay Backpack have identified some great grant opportunities that are about to fly by. Be sure to note the submission deadline or cycle opening dates, and good luck with your applications!

Toshiba Grants for Grades 6-12

Do you teach 6-12 science or math? Do you have a wish list of instructional equipment that will make learning more exciting for your students? If the answer is yes to these questions, Toshiba America Foundation would like to hear from you. Grade 6-12 grant applications for $5,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the calendar year. Grants requests of more than $5,000 are reviewed twice a year. Applications for grants of more than $5,000 are due August 1st and February 1st each year.

STEMester of Service Grant from YSA

Youth Service America and Learn and Serve America are looking to support middle school middle school educators in STEM subject areas in engaging their students in a Semester of Service. The $5,000 grant (that includes travel and training at YSA’s Youth Service Institute in Philadelphia in October) supports teachers and afterschool program facilitators as they engage local partners and guide students in addressing local needs through planning and implementing sustainable service projects that launch on Martin Luther King, Jr Day of Service (January 16, 2012) and culminate on Global Youth Service Day (April 20-22, 2012). YSA is seeking middle schools with large populations of disadvantaged youth, so to apply your schools must be located in one of the 19 states with highest dropout rates.  In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, these include Delaware, District of Columbia, and New York. Application Deadline: August 8, 2011

Maryland – Chesapeake Bay Trust Mini Grants for K-12 Environmental Education

Through the Mini Grant Environmental Education Program, the Trust seeks to increase student awareness and student involvement in the restoration and protection of the Bay and its local streams and rivers. Grant requests can be made for up to $5,000 for funding Watershed Education Experiences and Program, Service Learning and Action Projects, or Professional Development Workshops and Curriculum.  The Mini Grant Environmental Education proposal decisions will no longer be made on a rolling basis. Application Deadlines: August 12, 2011, and January 13, 2012 (5 p.m. on all deadline dates)

Target Field Trip Grants

Learning opportunities extend far beyond the classroom. But schools are finding it more and more difficult to bring students to museums, historical sites and cultural organizations. Field Trip Grants help give children these unique, firsthand learning experiences. As part of the program, each Target store will award three Target Field Trip Grants to K—12 schools nationwide—enabling one in 25 schools throughout the U.S. to send a classroom on a field trip. Each grant is valued up to $700. The Application Cycle opens on August 1, 2011.

Captain Planet Foundation Grants

These grants are intended to serve as a catalyst to getting environment-based education in schools, and inspire youth and communities to participate in community service through environmental stewardship activities. Grants are limited to $2,500 and preferential consideration is given to applicants who have secured at least 50% matching or in-kind funding for their program. Application Deadlines: September 31, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

Do you know about an upcoming grant that could support environmental education that is not included on this list? Feel free to share relevant funding information by commenting on our blog!

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

“You are the Chesapeake Bay what???”

July 11th, 2011 by Kristin

The Chesapeake Bay Trust supports environmental education and field trips for Maryland students and teachers. Image courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Yea, I get that a lot. With so many organizations in the watershed created to help restore the Chesapeake Bay, I am not surprised when I meet people who have no idea what the Trust is. The funny thing is, they probably have heard of us and just don’t know it exactly what we do.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust was created in 1985, and is the only non-profit grantmaking organization in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. What does that mean? Basically we take the donations we receive and put them toward funding for projects related to restoration, community engagement, urban greening and environmental education. In 2010 alone, we funded grants that engaged 97,803 students and 5,098 teachers through our programs and granted $380,000 for environmental field trips.

We have two grant programs that are designed specifically to help teachers find the funding they need to allow their students to have meaningful watershed experiences in the Chesapeake Bay, and now to help fulfill the new Environmental Literacy requirement.

Our Mini grants are the most popular for teachers to apply for, and grants have ranged from $25 to $5,000. Most of this funding is applied to individual class field trips or schoolyard habitat installations, and have ranged from activities like native plantings to stormwater stenciling. We also have an Environmental Education grant which has three areas of focus. Environmental literacy, meaningful watershed experiences, and green schools are all funded by our education grants, and tend to be larger and are applied to whole schools or counties.

How are we able to do all of this? With help from people like you. How many people know what a Bay Plate is? You know those attractive looking license plates with the blue heron? Well when you purchase a Bay Plate for your car, you are donating directly to the Chesapeake Bay Trust and our grant programs. We also receive donations from the Chesapeake Bay and Endangered Species tax form check off, partnerships with businesses and corporations, and from individual donors like you. W are proud to say that 90% of all donations we receive go directly back into restoration and education for the Chesapeake Bay.

So yes, you probably have heard of us if you have purchased a Bay Plate or your child has gone on an environmental field trip in Maryland.  We just work behind-the-scenes to ensure the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort continues and that the Bay is around for people to enjoy for years to come.

If you would like to help support environmental education in the Chesapeake Bay, please visit our Causes page.

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Kristin Foringer is the Communications and Development Associate at the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 113 or at kforinger@cbtrust.org. Kristin is also a former Environmental Management Staffer at the Chesapeake Bay Program.

The Chesapeake Conservation Corps

May 9th, 2011 by Colleen

Members of the first class of the Chesapeake Conservation Corps took a break from planting trees to pose for a photo with Congressman Sarbanes. Photo courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

This past November, sixteen bright young adults were inducted into the inaugural Chesapeake Conservation Corps class. They were placed with environmental and conservation/community based host organizations throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from the DC Metro area out to the Eastern Shore. It has been six months, and the halfway point of the yearlong term of service. I am one of those sixteen corps members, here to give you just a small taste of what I have been working on and working towards with my host organization.

I was placed with the Alice Ferguson Foundation (AFF), a leading environmental education nonprofit within the Potomac River Watershed, located on a beautiful farm in the D.C. Metro area. I could go on and on about the great things AFF is doing (including litter cleanups, field science trips, and farm field trips) but you can check out their website, fergusonfoundation.org for more information. Through my position as the Trash Free Schools Intern, I was assigned the task of creating a project based on waste reduction and education, and had to create a pilot to implement in local schools. Currently I am working with four Prince George’s County pilot schools by facilitating waste assessments, formulating goals, and developing action plans to help reduce, reuse, and recycle within their schools. This is the first specific program designed to address the issue of trash for schools located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  I hope my project will empower students to create visible changes within their own lives, and raise awareness for the need for improved waste management and education within schools.

This is the first project that I have ever created in a professional sense; and I feel a great sense of ownership and pride in the steps I have made in the short six months I have been here. I am quickly learning the ways of the public school system, as well as education in general; my background lies mainly in science and field-based conservation work, and I jumped at the opportunity to be able to gain experience in the environmental education field. In addition to my Trash Free Schools project, I also aid with Bridging the Watershed, our high school field science program; as well as Hard Bargain Farm, our elementary/middle school program, not to mention many other side projects.

I am lucky to be a part of the Chesapeake Conservation Corps; it has provided me with valuable lessons and experiences that are making a difference not only for my future, but for the future of the Chesapeake Bay community as well.

In May, Chesapeake Conservation Corps members worked with the Chesapeake Bay Trust to organize a tree planting event in the Heritage Harbor community. Photo courtesy of the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust, in partnership with the State of Maryland and Constellation Energy, established the Chesapeake Conservation Corps in 2010 to provide service-learning opportunities and green job training for young people through environmental and energy conservation projects.

If you know any up and coming recent high school or college graduates that would like to participate in hands-on environmental, leadership and technical training opportunities, the Trust is soliciting applications for Corps Volunteers for 2011. All applications are due by 5 p.m. May 20, 2011, and with questions, contact Dr. Jana Davis at 410-974-2941, ext 101.

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Colleen Higgins is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Trust's Chesapeake Conservation Corps program. After graduating from the Corps program, Colleen plans to pursue masters degrees focused on both Natural Resources and Urban and Regional Planning.

Teacher and Student of the Year Awards: Apply NOW – Deadline is Jan. 3!

December 21st, 2010 by Molly

There are exceptional people making strides to help the environment every day. They are teachers, working to educate our children about Chesapeake Bay history and ecology. Or they are students implementing school recycling programs and teaching their peers about the importance of rain gardens. The bottom line is that there are people all over the six-state Chesapeake Bay watershed working to restore the Chesapeake to what it once was. Before heading out for winter break later this week, be sure to get your applications in for the Jan. 3 deadline for the Teacher and Student of the Year Awards sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Trust!

To help honor those creative individuals in Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Trust created its annual awards program.

Each year, the Trust awards more than $20,000 in grants, scholarships and monetary gifts to educators, students, and individuals committed to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Through our awards program, we recognize individuals who stand out for their dedication to environmental education, community outreach, and on-the-ground restoration projects and programs.  Recipients are judged based on criteria specific to each award category.  Collectively, however, all recipients have one trait in common: a passion for the Chesapeake Bay and protecting its future.

The deadline is quickly approaching for two of the Trust’s award programs. A Jan. 3, 2011 deadline will be imposed on the Teacher of the Year Award and the brand new Student of the Year Award.  Recipients for each will be announced during the Trust’s Legislative Reception in January.

The Trust wants to celebrate the good work being done here in Maryland and hopes that you will help identify candidates who should be recognized for their contributions.

Do you know a student or teacher making a difference in their local communities and the environment? Then PLEASE encourage them to apply.

Student of the Year Award
$5,000 scholarship to an outstanding student in Maryland
The Trust’s Student of the Year Scholarship recognizes a Maryland high school or college student who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Chesapeake Bay restoration and community involvement. You can access the complete eligibility requirements and apply online here.

Teacher of the Year Award
$2,500 award to an outstanding educator in Maryland
The Chesapeake Bay Trust’s Teacher of the Year Award recognizes a Maryland educator who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental education. The winning applicant will receive a $2,500 cash prize as well as (up to) a $5,000 mini grant to the winner’s school. You can access the complete eligibility requirements and apply online here.

Help us showcase all the good work being done to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Additional Resources:
Funding opportunities – Bay Backpack

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Molly Alton Mullins is the director of communications and development for the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 107 or at mmullins@cbtrust.org.

Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards: Recognizing Outstanding Bay Stewards

November 1st, 2010 by Molly

Every day, each of us encounters exceptional people working to make their communities and the world a better place.  Sometimes the person is a friend running a 5K to raise money to fight cancer; other times she is a colleague volunteering at a local homeless shelter.

Here in the environmental community, there are dedicated people out there every day planting trees and bay grasses, teaching our children about the ecology and history of the Bay, educating citizens about the importance of rain gardens and recycling programs – all of them working to help restore the Chesapeake to its former glory.  To help honor these creative and exceptional individuals, the Chesapeake Bay Trust created its annual awards program.

Each year, the Chesapeake Bay Trust awards more than $20,000 in grants, scholarships and monetary gifts to educators, students, and individuals committed to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Through our awards program, we recognize individuals who stand out for their dedication to environmental education, community outreach, and on-the-ground restoration projects and programs.  Recipients are judged based on criteria specific to each award category.  Collectively, however, all recipients have one trait in common: a passion for the Chesapeake Bay and protecting its future.

Last week, the Trust began accepting applications for three of its award programs: the Honorable Arthur Dorman scholarship, the Teacher of the Year Award and our brand new Student of the Year Award.  Recipients for each will be announced during the Trust’s Legislative Reception in January.

We want to celebrate the good work being done here in Maryland and hope that you will help identify candidates who should be recognized for their contributions.

Do you know a student or teacher making a difference in their local communities and the environment? Then PLEASE encourage them to apply.

More details can be found at www.cbtrust.org.

Help us showcase all the good work being done to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Additional Resources:
Funding opportunities – Bay Backpack

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Molly Alton Mullins is the director of communications and development for the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 107 or at mmullins@cbtrust.org.