MAEOE Seeks Volunteer Coordinator

MAEOE launched the Maryland Green School Leader program last year to connect community volunteers to schools, bringing expertise in environmental areas to help mentor and support schools. A series of workshops brought out interested volunteers, and we are seeking to manage and grow this network. MAEOE is seeking a Volunteer Maryland Coordinator for Sept 26, 2012-to August 13,2013. The Volunteer Maryland Coordinator (VMC) will recruit and manage volunteers in the Green School Leaders program, growing awareness of environmental needs in the school community and supporting schools that are interested in becoming certified Maryland Green Schools. Recruitment will be focused on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, and Prince George’s County. In all, VMC will recruit 60 new volunteers and manage an existing 40. This is an 11 month, full-time (40 hours/week) position as a member of the Volunteer Maryland (VM) AmeriCorps program serving at MAEOE. Volunteer Maryland Coordinators (VMCs) are responsible for developing and implementing a volunteer program as agreed to in the VM site partnership negotiations that occurred in spring, 2012. Full-time VMCs receive a living stipend of $13,000, an education award of $5,550, and health insurance if they are not already covered. They may also qualify for a child care allowance. Other benefits include mileage reimbursement for site-related travel, student loan deferment, professional training, valuable networking opportunities, working with a dedicated team of AmeriCorps members and staff, and making a real difference in a local community. The detailed job posting is here: http://www.maeoe.org/about/staff/VMC25%20Position%20Description%20FINAL_MAEOE.pdf Applicants for MAEOE must have a Bachelor’s degree. The position is Mon - Fri 9am to 5pm, in MAEOE's office at 7761 Waterloo Road – Jessup, MD 20794. VM training locations will be held at locations throughout Maryland. Please note: locations may not be accessible by public transportation.

2012 Maryland Green Schools - Impressive Environmental Action

This was an great year for Maryland Green Schools with more than 4,600 teachers and 63,000 students participating in the Green Schools program. 101 schools were either certified or recertified bringing the Green School total to 454, or 20% of Maryland’s schools. This year’s schools planted 3,467 trees,over 7,900 shrubs; and planted nearly 55,000 square feet of gardens – installing 21 rain and 57 pollinator gardens. On average, schools saved 24% on energy costs with conservation measures. Examples of actions in water conservation and pollution prevention included water quality testing, establishing “No Mow Zones,” installing rain gardens, stenciling storm drains, maintaining school wetlands and ponds and performing stream cleans. For energy conservation, schools conducted energy audits, used student patrols, had “lights out lunches,” influenced ac/heat policy changes, planted trees for shade, made public service announcements and held energy fairs. For Habitat Restoration, schools did many things: installing bluebird boxes and trails, making bat, butterfly and wood duck boxes and osprey nest platforms, participating in oyster shell recovery projects, building and installing oyster reef balls and road cleanups through Adopt a Road. Schools also raised shad, sturgeon, bay grasses, rockfish, eels, trout, horseshoe crabs and terrapins. Students designed and installed butterfly gardens, vernal pools, riparian buffers, planted grasses, raised bed gardens and removed invasive plants. These collective efforts have a true environmental impact for Maryland. Mapping and study of the environmental impact is underway with building school's data into National Geographic's FieldScope - a GIS Mapping tool. Visit the FieldScope site at: http://www.fieldscope.org/map/19 Congratulations to all, and keep up the great work.

2012 Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit - June 1st Sandy Point State Park

The 2012 Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit featured over 50 environmental learning stations, youth leadership development workshops, awards ceremonies, hikes, games, and dancing. Here are photos from one of the many wonderful volunteers who helped make the event a success: Wesley Tse, a 2011-2012 Chesapeake Conservation Corp Volunteer working for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. Thank you Wesley! Click Here

Join Journey's Crossing and Living Water International this Saturday for the first annual Reel Water Film Festival. This festival will be presenting critically acclaimed films with a focus on the clean water crisis across the world. Keynote speakers include "Watershed" Executive Producer Robert Redford and Rock Creek Conservancy's Beth Mullin. All proceeds will go to help villages in the Philippines and the Dominican Republic have access to clean water through the installation of wells and water filters. With 20 films from 8 countries (selected from almost 60 submissions), great food, live music, and participation from many local partners, this festival will be a great opportunity to learn more about one of our critical resources and see some of the worlds' leading documentaries. Check out this link to learn more and buy your tickets in advance http://reelwaterfilmfest.org/home Doors open at 1:30 PM at the beautiful Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD located at 12901 Town Commons Dr.

Learning to Use the Sun to Reduce CO2 and for Emergency Preparedness! Solar Gadgets Meet Up Saturday June 16: 12 to 2PM (Preceded by Garden Work Session 10:30-11:30 am) Three Sisters Garden Outdoor Classroom Springhill Lake Recreation Center 6101 Cherrywood Lane in Greenbelt, Maryland (near Franklin Park Apts.) We’re practicing with solar ovens, garden lamps, and solar cell phone, laptop and notebook chargers. Bring your gadgets and brown bag lunch to share and sample solar cooked cake for dessert! Come out and watch, teach, learn, practice and play! FOR MORE INFO: Contact Terry Goolsby at Clozynergy, Inc. clozynergy@verizon.net or 301.952.6823 and leave a message Co-Sponsored By The Greenbelt Common Security Club, the Greenbelt Climate Action Network, Three Sisters Gardens projects of CHEARS, and Clozynergy, Inc. (The Maryland Public Charity Preparing Prince Georgians for Energy Jobs By Teaching the Energy Life Cycle and Leading Citizens to Action)