Highlands Action
Program - Environmental Leadership Program
As part of my new duties as Maryland Liaison for the Highlands Action
Program, I'm coordinating a program designed to develop future
environmental leaders
(
see flyer ).
The concept is to take
promising, environment-oriented high schoolers from our 4 western counties
and get them together for 3 weekends at some really cool places. During
this time, we will expose them to a set of dynamic speakers who have a
passion for the environment; these speakers will discuss some of our most
pressing enviromental issues and ways to solve problems. We even intend to
bring in the press, a lobbyist, and others who can talk about PR, the way
laws get made, and how they can effectively contribute to the process. We
will stress hands-on activities, leadership and team building, informally
present career information, and require a practicum (some sort of
restoration, conservation or stewardship project).
The rationale for the program is that we don't go out of our way to train
future environmental leaders, they just happen by accident. In addition,
few environmental leaders have a broad background- by providing them with
this type of information and inspiring them early in their careers they
may truly go far.
Please take a look at the
flyer
and pass it on to anyone who may work with
or know of high school aged youth in our 4 western counties who might be
interested in this opportunity. Also, if you have suggestions or would
consider helping in some way (or know of others who may be interested),
please contact me. I will be contacting many teachers directly as well as
4H and outdoor school contacts, but there are always individuals and
groups who don't end up getting the word so I need your help. NOTE: The
application deadline is Friday 10 March.
And finally, if you have any spectacular digital photos of highlands
scenes (critters, landscapes, folks enjoying outside activies, please
consider forwarding me the electronic file to use in a 15 minute "what
makes the Highlands special" presentation that we are putting together.
In the coming years, I hope that EPA's Highlands Action Program becomes a
household name because of its high level of success in
restoration/conservation/stewardship, and that many of you play key roles
in coming up with ideas and implementing them.
Thanks,
Paul Kazyak
410.260-8607