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November News

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Funding Sources and Upcoming Deadlines
In The News
Partner Updates and Resources
Assorted Items of Professional Interest

Funding sources and upcoming deadlines

Fundraising through Cell Phone recycling
 Cell phone recycling is another way that citizens and organizations can reduce waste.  Some companies operate take-back programs that pay citizens or organizations for each phone they collect and provide to them for recycling.  Links to companies that April 5, 2006d under the Cell Phone Recycling Programs section of DEQ’s eCycling links webpage at:  www.deq.virginia.gov/ecycling/links.html.  Check out these programs to see how you can get involved in recycling cell phones while raising funds for your organizations.   

SHELL Science Teaching Award Deadline: November 15, 2005
 For one outstanding K–12 classroom science teacher who has had a positive impact on his or her students, school, and community through exemplary science teaching. Award includes $10,000 and an all-expense paid trip to attend NSTA's National Convention. www.nsta.org/shell

Earthwatch Institute Student Challenge Awards Program Deadline: November 19, 2005
The Student Challenge Awards Program (SCAP) offers students aged 16-18 gifted in the arts and humanities an opportunity to spend two to three intensive weeks during the summer at a scientific research station. The aim is to excite the students' imagination, expand their potential, and stimulate their curiosity about science and technology. SCAP is a competitive fellowship program that rewards creative thinkers and risk takers. www.earthwatch.org/education/student/scap.html

EPA Environmental Education Grants Application Deadline: November 23, 2005
 For proposals to support projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop aware and responsible students, teachers, and citizens. This grant program provides financial support for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate environmental education practices, methods, or techniques. Most grants will be in the $10,000 to $15,000 range. For complete information, click here:www.epa.gov/enviroed/grants_sol2006.html

Environmental Excellence Awards Deadline: November 30, 2005
 Seaworld, Busch Gardens, Fujifilm www.seaworld.org/conservation-matters/eea/index.htmEnvironmental Excellence Awards for outstanding K-12 students and teachers nationwide who are working on projects that offer creative solutions to environmental problems. Each year eight awards of $10,000 are given and one $5,000 award for an environmental educator.

Learn and Serve America School-Based Grants
 The purpose of Learn and Serve America School-Based grants is to involve young people between the ages five and seventeen in service-learning projects that simultaneously support student development and meet community needs in areas such as the environment, education, public safety, and other human needs. Award Floor: $20,000—Small State Capacity Grants; $75,000 Indian Tribes and territories; $350,000 all others. Eligible are state governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education and Private institutions of higher education.

For more information contact Scott Richardson 202-606-7510; email LSAschool@cns.gov or visit the website: www.learnandserve.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa.asp

Grants and Awards
 Visit www.vanaturally.com/grants.html for grant information and writing tips. Information is updated on a regular basis.

In the news

Virginia Natural Resource Agency News
 For the latest information about VA’s seven natural resource agencies visit www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/Agencies/agency.cfm and click on the agency link you need. Starting in December and each month thereafter a different agency will be “spotlighted” in this newsletter and on the VaNaturally website.

VA Dept. of Environmental Quality’s Community Involvement Updates
 About two dozen people attended the Department of Environmental Quality’s community meeting for Virginia ’s Piedmont region on October 11, 2005 . Participants at the meeting included area residents and representatives of local and federal governments and environmental organizations. The theme of the meeting was “Get involved with your environment.” Urban development, water quality, waste management and recycling rates were discussed.

DEQ will hold one more community meeting on November 17 th in Harrisonburg . For more information, visit the website at:www.deq.virginia.gov/community/

Partner updates & resources

Welcome New Partners

Hampton Roads EE Alliance “ Fostering Partnerships” Workshop
November 29, 9 am to noon, Hampton Road Planning District Commission
 The Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network www.bay gateways.net/ connects you with the Chesapeake Bay 's parks, wildlife refuges, maritime museums, historic communities, and water trails. This group is the featured guest speaker. For more info on this workshop visit www.vanaturally.com/hraee/homepage.html Contact Aimee Hadfield at 757-420-8300 or AHADFIEL@hrpdc.org if you plan to attend.

Richmond EE Alliance Professional Development & Planning Workshop
November 30, 9 am to noon, Maymont Nature Center
 Maymont Nature Center is the location for the second Richmond EE Alliance gathering on November 30. A planning meeting and training component will be included. Contact Lisa Deaton at lisa.deaton@dof.virginia.gov, Nancy Drumheller at nwdrumheller@deq.virginia.gov or Lane Guilliams at lane.guilliams@dcr.virginia.gov if you plan to attend.  

Congratulations Prince Edward 4-H
 Congratulations to the Prince Edward County 4-H Envirothon team who will be representing Virginia at the National 4-H Soils Judging competition in Oklahoma in May 2006. For more information about soils and land judging visit: www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/plantsoil.html

Events and Exhibits at Virginia Museums
Take advantage of all of the events and wonderful exhibits Virginia museums www.vamuseums.org/museums_dir.asp has to offer. To access their online calendar and publications click here: www.vamuseums.org/vampubs.asp

Bay Program Launches New Educational Resource
 The Chesapeake Bay Program launched Chesapeake Academic Resources for Teachers (ChART), a resource designed to help educators provide meaningful watershed educational experiences to their students. ChART provides educators with one place to find Bay-related lesson plans and activities, field studies and professional development opportunities. You can also submit your own Bay-related lessons that you would like to see linked to this website. Explore ChART at: www.chesapeakebay.net/chart/

Bioretension Workshop
November 18, 2005
8:00am-2:00pm
James City/Williamsburg Community Center
Who should attend? Engineering/development community, registered officials and any interested citizen or student. Pre-registration is required. View the flyer for more information.

Virginia Recycling Association (VRA) Announces Award Winners
 Each year the VRA recognizes the best waste reduction and recycling programs in the state at an annual awards ceremony. Award winners for 2005 can be found at www.vrarecycles.org/downloads/winners_2005.pdf

Assorted items of professional interest
 Looking for a FREE resource that can help you design and implement effective nonformal environmental education programs? The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (NPEEE), an initiative of NAAEE, has recently published Nonformal EnvironmentalEducation Programs: Guidelines for Excellence. The Nonformal Guidelines provide a tool that can be used to ensure a firm foundation for the development of new programs or to trigger improvements in existing ones. You can download these guidelines and other publications www.naaee.org/pages/npeee/index.html free of charge.

Johnson Controls Develops New Sustainability Education Program
 Johnson Controls developed a new Sustainability Energy Education & Communications (SEEC) program for business and government employees designed to help companies move toward sustainability practices and understand the environmental, social, and financial benefits. The SEEC 10-module series of lessons was developed in cooperation with the National Energy Foundation using the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)'s Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence. View full press release online: http://www.jci.com/CorpPR/Releases/cg/release929.asp for detailed information and guidelines.

In addition, program details to be explained at the 2005 Greenbuild Show, November 9-11, 2005 in Atlanta , GA.

Celebrate American Education Week 2005
November 13-18
 A toolkit to help educators plan community celebrations is available at www.nea.org/aew/index.html

November 15 th is America Recycles Day
 America Recycles Day (ARD) www.americarecyclesday.org encourages Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Last year, thousands of Virginia residents hosted and participated in ARD events. Recycle Maze www.groundwater.org/kc/recyclemaze.html is a free resource.

DEQ’s Recycling and Litter Prevention Program - Recycling and litter issues at: www.deq.virginia.gov/recycle/ElectronicNewsletters.html

Science Project Resources
 Here are a couple of websites that target water science in the classroom and community.

Virginia Coastal Management Magazine available on-line
The magazine features articles on the program’s efforts in growth management, land acquisition, hurricane preparedness, Virginia ’s maritime heritage and aquatic resource management under the multi-partner Seaside Heritage Program. www.deq.virginia.gov/coastal/magazine.html.

Hot Links to Cool Sites

  • Education World "Show Me the Money: Tips & Resources for Successful Grant Writing" helps educators to apply for classroom grants for class projects, field trips, special curriculum needs to enhance their students' educational experience. www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev039.shtml
  • The Recharge Report for Kids  is back for a fourth year. This is a good resource for basic ground water information. Its target audience is upper elementary/middle school students and educators. /www.groundwater.org/au/rechargereport/rr_kids_0704.pdf
  • The toolbox on Greenbiz.com has lots of great information for businesses and individuals interested in making environmentally responsible choices.  There are guides for reducing and managing wastes, making purchasing decisions, and green building construction, calculators for things like having a hybrid vehicle fleet, and suggestions for lots of specific sectors, including hospitals, hotels, metal finishing, dentistry, colleges, and restaurants. www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/.
  • If you work with older Americans on environmental issues you might find EPA's Power of Change kit useful.  It's a collection of brochures on reducing waste and protecting the environment around the house and yard, when traveling, and when moving.  www.epa.gov/epaoswer/aging/.
  • The Center for Watershed Protection offers a host of information and tools, including an expanding set of how-to manuals for watershed restoration. www.cwp.org/index.html

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