Welcome To ANJEE The Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education

The purpose of ANJEE is to provide a structure for its members which facilitates the improvement of environmental education (EE) efforts.

ANJEE BASICS  Professional membership organization for environmental education professionals, practitioners and supporters  Private, not-for-profit  Volunteer-led  Statewide  Affiliate member of North American Association for Environmental Education  ANJEE central office hosted by New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) at their Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville (Somerset County); duties performed by NJAS staff Mike Anderson and volunteers  Founded in 1985 by Patricia Kane, Education Director for NJAS (retired) and ANJEE’s one-and-only (volunteer) Executive Director

ANJEE PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION “The purpose of environmental education is to create awareness, understanding and concern for the quality of the environment and the conviction that human well-being is dependent upon a healthy environment.” - ANJEE Statement of Purpose, 1984

ANJEE GOALS  Promote environmental education in all formal and informal educational endeavors within the state;  Encourage both pre-service and in-service training of teachers and educational administrators in environmental concepts, teaching methods and techniques;  Provide a network service for the sharing of environmental education resources, experiences and expertise; and  Provide leadership in the formation and implementation of environmental education efforts…

ANJEE FACES …  Membership ranges from 225 – 375 members  Formal education representatives – public and private schools, home school groups, daycare, after-school programs, colleges and universities  Non-formal education representatives – nature and EE centers, museums, parks, zoos, aquariums, government, consultants, corporations and businesses  Supporters – scientists, conservationists, environmentalists, volunteers, environmental commission members, community leaders, parents, media representatives, artists, writers, students and concerned citizens

… AND LOCATIONS 30% Northern Region 40% Central Region 24% Southern Region 6% out-of-state (PA & NY)

ANJEE AFFILIATIONS  New Jersey Coalition for Schoolyard Habitats  Watershed Partnership of New Jersey  New Jersey Natural Resource Education Cooperative  New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education  New Jersey Science Education Leadership Association  New Jersey Science Teachers Association  North American Association for Environmental Education

ANJEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS  Received Environmental Quality award from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region II) in category of “Environmental Education” (2005)  Received Outstanding Affiliate award from North American Association for Environmental Education (2003)  Received three grants for EE projects: NJ EE directory – Office of the Governor; watershed outreach – DEP; and web site development – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region II, Environmental Education Office  Provided support for inclusion of environmental content in New Jersey’s classroom standards (science and social studies,1996) and monitors standards revision processes

ANJEE ACCOMPLISHMENTS (continued)  Championed passage of New Jersey’s environmental education law, which statutorily established commission and interagency work group (1995)  Assisted with development of New Jersey’s master plan for environmental education, Environmental Education in New Jersey: A Plan of Action (1988 – 1993), & is engaged with current development of state’s revised plan (Spring, 2008)  Established New Jersey Commission on Environmental Education as cooperative effort between State Departments of Environmental Protection and Education (1988)

ANJEE SERVICES FOR MEMBERS  Annual statewide environmental education conference  ANJEE ONLINE and ANJEE ALERT announcements that promote timely announcements about environmental education resources  Annual environmental education leadership retreat  Annual statewide awards and recognition program  Regional programs, events, meetings and other networking and enrichment opportunities  Access to specialized environmental education expertise  Access to national data, trends, reports and newsworthy information about the field of environmental education  Opportunity to attend national environmental education conference as an ANJEE leader and representative

ANJEE AND EE FUTURE  Potential inclusion of EE in federal No Child Left Behind reauthorization  Emphasis on “No Child Left Indoors” public campaigns that resulted from Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods  Increased relationships between youth obesity, hours spent indoors w/technology, and certain health concerns and how nature/creative outdoor play can be part of solutions  Emphasis on green building with new school construction  Healthy schools emphasis and links between environmental problems and human health impacts

ANJEE AND EE FUTURE (continued)  Increased emphasis regarding public involvement with solutions to environmental problems (i.e., global warming)  NAAEE guidelines for learner outcomes, EE training courses and EE materials  Development of NCATE standards for EE certification  New Jersey’s High School Redesign Committee recommendations and third revision of classroom standards  Revision of the state’s master plan for EE delivery

ANJEE STRUCTURE AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - Join ANJEE and benefit from its services - Become an informed and engaged member - Attend regional and statewide functions - Join a committee/assume a responsibility - Become a chair or officer - Represent ANJEE at NAAEE functions EXECUTIVE BOARD - elected officers - chairs of standing committees ADVISORY COUNCIL Standing CommitteesSpecial Committees - Finance- Awards - Conference- Nominations - Newsletter/publications- Affiliate groups - Program – North, Central, South- Curriculum/training - Membership- NJ EE directory - Planning - Public Relations - Web Site

Through your ANJEE involvement... We are supporting each other.