Autumn Equinox Newsletter |
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Ecology in Classrooms and Outdoors inspires students to care for nature and their communities with hands-on science
education and climate action.
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Dear ECO supporters & friends,
During my 17-years as co-founder, program director, chief operating officer and most recently, acting executive director, I’m pleased to announce that our board of directors and staff are laying the groundwork to hire our next ECOsystem leader in 2023. Until that time arrives, I’m passing the executive reins to our new Interim Executive Director, Lara Jones. My role will focus on ECO’s programs and our work to inspire students to care for nature and their local communities through hands-on science education and climate action. Because I live and breathe ECO every day, I’m happy to have Lara on board who brings a depth of knowledge and experience in the non-profit environmental sector. And, as you’ll read below, funding to support ECO will ensure that our mission continues to engage youth and grow our impact!
Gratefully,
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Sarah Woods
Co-founder and Executive Program Director
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Welcome our new Interim Executive Director, Lara Jones! |
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Lara (she/her) will support our ECOsystem through Spring 2023, and brings with her a rich experience of leadership in the environmental nonprofit community in Portland. She co-founded and served as Program Director of Confluence Environmental Center, as well as Interim Executive Director of the Oregon Sierra Club. Lara will spearhead the development of a new ECOsystem Strategic Plan, as well as ensure the day-to-day operations remain strong so that our new permanent hire next year is well-prepared to lead. We're thrilled to be working with Lara, and look forward to the growth we foresee in the organization during her time with us. |
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Welcome our New Grants Manager, Andy McGee! |
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We are pleased to welcome Andy McGee (she/they) to the ECO team as our new Grants and Contracts Manager! Andy is responsible for all ECO grant research, proposal writing, and reporting for foundations and local, state and federal funding opportunities.
Andy comes to us with 15+ years of experience in outdoor education including teaching, program management and grant writing. They hold a Bachelor's degree from Evergreen State College, focused on education and food ecology. They are passionate about justice work and believe strongly that every child deserves the time and space to connect with and learn about the natural world. Andy is a community activist and avid home gardener, living on a communal queer homestead in SW Washington.
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ECO is grateful to have resumed in-person programming in elementary and secondary schools this past year! We were able to get into classrooms and back out in the field with students and renew their passions for ecology and earth stewardship! We look forward to another great school year with our in-person school partnerships, with the support of our community partners including the private foundations, community groups, and local government agencies who fund ECO’s work. ECO staff will be leading students in land restoration and planting as well as hands-on lessons in water conservation, watershed health, animal habitats and so much more.
In addition to our field work and restoration projects with students, we are continuing to develop our Elementary Place-based Units and Climate Action Education Program, with the continued goal to distribute curriculum kits to teachers at Title I schools across the Portland Metro Area and beyond. Look to see digital versions on our website coming later this year!
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Learning from the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla |
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We had the opportunity to travel to Pendleton to attend a workshop and training led by members of the Confederated tribes of the Umatilla. This training was focused on how to use the Tribal History/Shared History curriculum that stemmed out of Senate Bill 13. For us at ECO the training was especially important as we continue writing and piloting our climate action curriculum. As this training reminded us, no conversation about our climate future is complete without the inclusion of Indigenous voices and Indigenous science. Incorporating and building off of the curriculum provided by the nine federally recognized tribes is a crucial way to help broaden and deepen our students' knowledge base and their ability to face climate change as we move into our future.
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In August, ECO was awarded our second National Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant! Following the success of our Walking to Wetlands grant program in 2019-21, NFWF awarded ECO $75,000 for our upcoming Metro Middle School Watershed Restoration grant program to support on-the-ground habitat enhancement efforts. Students at Rachel Carson School of Environmental Science and Robert Gray Middle School will work on invasive plant removal, native plantings, and biomonitoring at Johnson Creek and Trillium Creek, respectively, and in turn become our next generation of climate scientists and advocates.
Your partnership with ECO is what makes our work possible. Today’s children and youth are depending on us all to make the world a better place, and with your contribution, we know we can do it. Thank you for making a donation today, each and every dollar makes a big impact!
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Great Nonprofits have Great Supporters!
If you love our work then tell the world! Stories about us from people like you will help us make an even bigger impact in our community. GreatNonprofits – the #1 source of nonprofit stories and feedback – is honoring highly regarded nonprofits with their 2022 Top-Rated List. Won’t you help us raise visibility for our work by posting a brief story of your experience with us? All content will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes! Go here to get started!
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New Seasons - Bag it Forward
ECO was selected as the Neighborhood Education Programs partner for their Bag It Forward program!
Shop at Seven Corners and Hawthorne New Seasons between 10/1/2022 and 3/31/2023 to support ECO!
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