The workshops accommodate 120 educators, who in turn will reach 3,000 students each year. Under this project, staff of the State of Vermont Department of Health train a representative teaching professional from the pilot supervisory union in basic issues related to indoor air quality and ventilation. After the training, initial concerns are addressed by the school at the local level, and an indoor air quality management plan is developed. The indoor air quality coordinator also is responsible for incorporating the new knowledge into the supervisory union s health education curriculum. Drawing upon and further developing a rich array of existing informal initiatives, the project uses the entire state as a classroom and laboratory.
Students learn how natural systems function and how human activities affect ecosystems.
They develop the powers of observation and analysis required of responsible citizens in a global environment. Environmental educators work with teachers to create a core ecological curriculum that embraces basic concepts in mathematics, science, technology, and sustainability. During the next two years, only a small portion of the 6,200 teachers and 105,000 students in Vermont can be reached, but the grant can become a catalyst for broader systemic innovation in succeeding years. The program could become a model for other states. This project elevates students awareness of the many values of wetlands, including their role in trapping phosphorus.