Past EE Awards
Past Excellence in Conservation and Environmental Education Awards Recipients:
1999
John K. Strickler
Former Acting Secretary of the Kansas Wildlife & Parks Department, retired Kansas State Forester, co-founder of KACEE, and KACEE's first executive director.
2000
Strickler Award:
Mary Clark, Dillon Nature Center
KACEE Award:
Kansas Forest Service
The Kansas Forest Service was responsible for helping to bring Project Learning Tree to Kansas and has supported environmental education for over 15 years. They continue to be a strong partner with KACEE.
2001
Strickler Award:
Connie Elpers Leger, Great Plains Nature Center
Connie is a naturalist at GPNC, and was instrumental in bringing Project Learning Tree to Kansas. She has served as co-state coordinator for PLT, and has served on KACEE's Education Committee and Conference Committee. She is also a facilitator for PLT, Project WET, and Project WILD.
KACEE Award:
Lee Richardson Zoo, Education Division
This zoo is under the auspices of the City of Garden City, and provides innovative environmental education programs in conjunction with other zoos in Kansas. The zoo's director serves on KACEE's board and the conference selection committee.
2002
Strickler Award:
Clark Duffy
Clark is currently the bureau director for the Bureau of Air and Radiation with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. He has also served as director of the Kansas Water Office, and has been a board member of KACEE.
KACEE Award:
Butler County Community College and Butler County Conservation District
These entities continue to co-sponsor one of the longest-running water festivals in Kansas.
2003
Strickler Award:
Gary Keehn
Until recently, Gary taught at Jackson Heights High School in Holton. He and his students have attended the Kansas Environmental Education Conference for several years, making presentations, showing exhibits, and assisting with the pre-conference workshop. Gary currently manages Banner Creek Wildlife Area and serves as the Archery in the Schools director for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Gary also serves on KACEE's board.
KACEE Award:
Westar Energy Green Team
The Green Team consists of the employees of Westar Energy. It assists schools, nature centers, and wildlife areas in building outdoor habitat and trails. Westar has also been a longtime sponsor of the annual conference and other KACEE programs. The Green Team's leader, Brad Loveless, has been a KACEE board member for several years.
2004
Strickler Award:
Dr. Cindy Ford, Pittsburg State University
Cindy is a biology professor at PSU, and leads a field studies program outside the state each summer. She is also active with the Kansas Wildflower Society. Cindy is currently the president of KACEE's board of directors, and has served as program chair for at least five years. She is also a workshop facilitator for KACEE.
KACEE Award:
Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks
KDWP was the recipient of this award for its longtime support of KACEE and environmental and conservation education in Kansas. KDWP has supported KACEE financially as a conference sponsor since the beginning, and has been a partner in delivering Project WILD and WILD Aquatic. At least one KDWP staff person has served on KACEE's board for several years.
2005
Strickler Award:
Dr. Tom Eddy, Emporia State University
Tom is a founder of KACEE and served as KACEE's board president. He is a beloved instructor at ESU who brings the prairie to life in his classes. He now serves on the Awards Committee and is always in attendance at the annual conference, often as a presenter.
KACEE Award:
Hillsdale Water Quality Project, Inc.
HWQP is a non-profit organization working to improve water quality in the Hillsdale Lake area. Its volunteer-based programs provide information and have engaged landowners and stakeholders in activities to protect the watershed.
Rising Star Award:
Carly Adams
Carly is an environmental program coordinator with the City of Olathe. As an up-and-coming employee of the city, she has implemented several innovative programs to educate the public about water quality and provide teacher workshops.
2006-07
Strickler Award:
Roland Stein
Roland recently retired after many years with KDWP. In his position as education coordinator, he oversaw Project WILD and Project WILD Aquatic, as well as the Wildlife Education Service. Roland was a workshop facilitator, served on KACEE's board, and chaired KACEE's Education Committee.
KACEE Award:
Dr. Valerie Wright (PreK-16 Educator)
Valerie teaches at Kansas State University and runs the Konza Prairie Biological Station near Manhattan. A naturalist, she created the docent program at Konza and directs the Konza Environmental Education Program.
Kansas Accredited Zoo Educators (Community/Non-Profit Organization)
KZE is an informal organization consisting of seven Kansas zoos working to promote a unified voice in conservation. The group develops resources other organizations can utilize, and participates in one statewide event each year focusing on animals, nature, and culture.
Linda Phipps (Community/Non-Profit Individual)
Linda led the efforts to restore a WPA-era Boy Scout building at Schermerhorn Park in southeast Kansas and develop it into a stunning nature center. It is now a premiere destination for residents of four states. Linda is also a kindergarten teacher in the Galena School District, and is a longtime member of KACEE's conference committee.
Wichita Area Treatment, Education, and Remediation Center (The WATER Center) (Government)
The WATER Center was founded to remediate groundwater pollution in downtown Wichita and to educate the public about water issues. Education programs are offered, such as kits on topics including wetlands, geology, and rivers; and Family Adventure Packs that visitors may use as they explore the center.
Strickler Award:
Ron Klataske, Executive Director of Audubon of Kansas
A leader in Audubon’s efforts to educate citizens about the ecological value and cultural settings of Kansas birding and nature trails, and was instrumental in developing the proposal that led to the establishment of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County.
KACEE Award:
Dr. Larry Erickson, K-State Chemical Engineering Department (KACEE PreK-16 Educator)
Larry has maintained an exemplary career in environmental education and service. He has taught over 1,000 chemical engineering students and has served as director of the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center since 1985. In 2007, he established the Consortium for Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability at KSU.
Great Plains Nature Center (Community/Non-Profit Organization)
Committed to the idea that only through the appreciation of nature will people see the necessity to conserve our environment, Great Plains Nature Center has spent the past 11 years introducing students, families, and community members to the natural heritage of Kansas. Its unique cooperative partnership provides a model for other organizations sharing compatible goals to educate our citizens.
The Kansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy (Community/Non-Profit Organization)
Since 1989, the Kansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has been at the forefront of protecting the plants, animals, and natural communities of Kansas. By providing educational materials and programs and, in some locations, public access to natural areas, TNC plays a vital role in increasing the environmental literacy of Kansans.
Rising Star:
Andrea Johnson, Ernie Miller Nature Center
As a park naturalist and interpreter presenting 26 different programs at Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe, Andrea Johnson brings professionalism and dedication to every task. A certified challenge course facilitator, summer camp director, and president of the Kansas City Metro Interpretive Site Coalition, she shows her passion for environmental education every day.
2009
Strickler Award
Rex Buchanan
No one can describe the varied landscapes of Kansas with as much meaning as Rex Buchanan. A Kansan through and through, Rex grew up near Little River, in Rice County, on the edge of the Smoky Hills. Rex has devoted decades of exceptional service to environmental education in Kansas. He twice served as President of KACEE, and also served as Secretary and editor of the KACEE News. An accomplished editor and author of several books (including Kansas Geology and Roadside Kansas),
KACEE Award:
Tim Oberhelman (PreK-16 Education)
Passionate about ecology is one way to describe Tim Oberhelman, science and biology teacher at Olathe South High School. Thanks to a few good teachers in Gardner, he learned to apply what he was learning in science to real-world problems while in high school in the 1970s. Tim is dedicated to motivating his students to become active in solving challenges to our community and world. He has been instrumental in a successful school cell phone collection program, promoting conservation careers, and in all of Olathe South’s efforts to “think green.”
Denise Scribner and Marylee Ramsay (PreK-16 Education)
With a combined 40+ years of experience, Marylee Ramsay and Denise Scribner provide the leadership for Goddard High School’s ecology and environmental science classes.Ecology class students provide support for a district-wide recycling program,which collected 20 tons of paper, 28,000 plastic bottles, and nearly 10,000 aluminum cans last school year. The school’s ECO-Meet team, wins top honors in district, regional, and state competitions and students maintain the school’s Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site. Goddard High School was one of the first schools to join the Kansas Green Schools Program, and qualified for an air quality grant earlier this year to aerate a pond that receives runoff from a parking lot
Jim Mason (Community and Non-Profit)
Jim Mason is a staff naturalist at Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita. His work there combined with volunteer efforts for the website Natural Kansas and the Kansas Natural Resources Council make him a perfect fit for this award. Jim’s service includes serving as webmaster of the GPNC website, which received 2.1 million page reads last year. Jim has presented approximately 2,500 nature education programs since 1988, and is the co-author of The Pocket Guide to Kansas Fresh Water Mussels, published by the Friends of GPNC in 2008. As a member of the Kansas Nature-Based Tourism Alliance, Jim created and maintains the Natural Kansas website (www.naturalkansas.org). His combination of computer expertise, knowledge of the natural world, and motivation to communicate that information has resulted in a website that has an amazing amount of environmental content and receives an ever increasing number of hits.
Roberta Spencer (Agriculture)
Roberta Spencer is well-known among agricultural and livestock producers as well as students and teachers in Jackson County. She brings conservation and environmental education to them and searches for ways to utilize resources that will help producers understand the environment and protect water quality. Roberta is constantly searching for ways to utilize resources that will help producers in Jackson County understand the environment and improve water quality management in their farm and livestock operations. She has been active in conservation and environmental education efforts, by serving on the board of the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, supporting local teachers to attend KACEE workshops and conferences, and helping a local college student to organize the first “Ag/Water Day” in Jackson County last spring.
Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (Government)
From a pilot class in 1999, the Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (KELP) has developed into a 10-month-long program focused on enabling citizens to become better versed in environmental knowledge and increasing their leadership skills. KELP attracts participants from a variety of stakeholders in our state’s environment: agricultural producers, regulatory agency staff, educators, industry, environmental groups, and extension personnel. These diverse interests work together as a team to develop, design, and implement projects that have positive effects on communities. The greatest reward of the KELP program is the creation of an increasing cadre of informed and experienced people, who live, work, and lead their communities in cooperative environmental decision making. Including the pilot class, 239 citizens have thus far participated.
Rising Star:
Katie S. Miller
Over and over, Katie Miller is described as a “go-getter.” As project coordinator of the Twin Lakes Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS), she works to inform, educate, and promote water quality in the Neosho watershed. Her job includes putting on the successful Twin Lakes Water Festival, which educates students to explore our natural resources through a multi-sensory, hands-on learning approach. The festival has educated approximately 2,700 students in the past 3 years. Katie also provides technical assistance to landowners and operators working to install best management practices in the watershed to protect or improve water quality, and establishes partnerships to achieve the goals of the Twin Lakes Water Quality Project.
2010
Strickler Award:
Brad Loveless, Westar Energy
As Manager of Westar Energy’s Biology and Conservation Programs, Brad Loveless has provided untold hours of service in support of environmental projects across the state. Through the work of the Westar Green Team, numerous schools and communities have experienced new outdoor classrooms, wildlife habitat areas, river access points, and wind turbine sites. Brad also serves on KACEE’s Board of Directors and has served as its President.
KACEE Award:
Matt Krehbiel, Junction City High School (PreK-16 Education)
At Junction City High School, science and biology teacher Matt Krehbiel has a philosophy of education rooted in teaching students how to think. He is dedicated to helping students establish a connection to the natural world through involving them in maintaining the high school prairie and native plant demonstration area. He has also compiled a textbook of local ecological content and field research protocols.
George Potts, Friends University and OWLS Coordinator (PreK-16 Education)
Since the 1970s, George Potts has been active in environmental education and KACEE, serving on its board and as President. From higher education at Friends University to K-12 science teaching in the Wichita School District, George has been an inspiration to many students who have gone on to natural resource careers. He has also served as OWLS Coordinator for Kansas Wildlife & Parks and helped develop more than 200 OWLS sites across Kansas.
E.A.R.T.H. (Earth Awareness Researchers for Tomorrow’s Habitat), Wichita, (Community/Non-Profit)
E.A.R.T.H. was formed in 1998 to work with middle school curriculum directors to provide these students with innovative, experiential learning opportunities that highlight natural resources and encourage them to become wise stewards of their environment. The program began in Wichita and now encompasses 19 counties in Kansas. Each year, the E.A.R.T.H. steering committee, workshop presenters, and volunteers allocate more than 10,700 hours to the program.
Friends of the Kaw, Inc., Lawrence, (Community/Non-Profit)
Friends of the Kaw is a grassroots organization whose mission is to protect and preserve the Kansas River. Its website hosts the Kansas River Atlas, a watershed-based, interactive tool that delivers information about the river. The website also provides information about cultural and historic sites along the river and lesson plans for teachers. The group hosts Sandbar Schools for 4th graders that emphasize river stewardship and water safety, as well as educational float trips for teachers.
Rising Star:
Delia Lister, Pittsburg State University
Delia Lister is well-known to schools in the Pittsburg area and four-state region as the director of Pittsburg State University’s Nature Reach Program. This outreach program teaches about the natural history of the area, as well as local and global environmental issues. She also cares for raptors at the PSU Natural History Reserve. Delia teaches biology at PSU and serves as President of the Sperry-Galligar Audubon Society, and has made numerous presentations at KACEE conferences and workshops.
Kansas Green School of the Year:
Centre Elementary School, Lost Springs USD 397
Students have led the charge toward going “green” at Centre Elementary. Four Green Teams collect the recyclables each week at the school. The Teams also present skits and assemblies to students about recycling. As a result of their efforts, more households are also recycling. The school has eliminated Styrofoam in the kitchens and planted a school garden. The produce is eaten in the lunchroom. Students tend a worm farm at the school, and have created a short video that was shared with another elementary school to help it begin worm farming.
Clifton-Clyde High School, USD 224
Environmental education efforts at Clifton-Clyde High School have taken multiple directions: classroom curriculum, environmental projects, and community involvement. The school has erected a wind turbine to power halogen lights for a hydroponic watering system. Solar panels power outdoor lights and a water pump for a native flower garden. Students held a “Wind Energy Day” to educate the community about their projects, and are in the process of constructing a greenhouse and planting a community garden. A composting program is also in the works.
Goddard High School, USD 265
Renewing students’ relationships with Kansas ecosystems and the landscape through restoration, reconnection, and reflection is the theme of Goddard High School’s “green” efforts. Students have developed a native prairie demonstration area in a renovated section of the school’s OWLS site near their pond. A wind turbine powers a pond aerator, helping to keep the water clean. Environmental education is cross-curricular at the school, with arts projects ongoing throughout the year. The OWLS site supports instructional objectives and is also used by the community.
