Environmental Progress - Spring 1997

Illinois EPA Turning Attention To Environmental Education

Elementary students to senior citizens, there's something for everybody.

An informed public is more likely to become an involved public, so the Illinois EPA is expanding and improving its environmental education efforts to target age groups from elementary school students to senior citizen groups. The Agency's first Environmental Education Strategy was approved in November 1996.

Environmental Education Coordinator, 10 member committee named.

Key to implementing the strategy were the designation of Janet Hawes-Davis as environmental education coordinator, and the formation of a 10 member environmental education committee. The committee includes representatives from the Bureaus of Air, Land and Water, the Offices of Community Relations and Public Information, the Division of Legal Counsel, and Administration. They will meet monthly to address education issues, plan new activities, investigate outside funding sources, share resources, and coordinate existing activities.

Four initial environmental education projects have been identified. The projects represent a mix of improvements to existing programs and new initiatives. Current goals include:

Upgrading the fifth grade environmental curriculum packet

Each year approximately 1,000 Illinois fifth grade teachers receive educational packets focusing on air, water and land pollution issues, designed to complement ongoing curriculum goals. A poster, poetry and prose contest is a design element in the packet. Winners are publicly recognized, earn awards for themselves and their schools, and have their entries put on display both in the Agency's headquarters and at public locations in Springfield.

"Welcome to the Illinois EPA" Video is being readied.

A "Welcome to the Illinois EPA" video is being produced for use in schools, at conference exhibits, and meetings, to clarify the Agency's many complex programs by providing an overview of Agency programs and initiatives.

Another opening, another show....

A Traveling Environmental Education (EE ) Show is under development, to will be composed of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities addressing current environmental topics. It will be available to schools for sponsored fairs and assemblies, with a target audience of youth in fourth through eighth grades.

Copies of the Strategy can be obtained from Janet Hawes-Davis at (217) 524-8358.