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PWC Education Director Receives National Recognition
.jpg) If you had asked Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy's Environmental Education Director, Trudy Phillips, she would have told you that the programs she crafts are carefully designed to both meet a child's developmental needs and to guide them in making joyful connections with the natural world. She would have also told you how she thrives on her everyday interactions with students. In 2003 someone recognized just how valuable her programs and her talents had become. In 2003 Trudy was presented with an "Early Childhood Professional Award" from Scholastic Books, Inc. along with Stand for Children.
Scholastic's Early Childhood Professional Awards Program was created in 1998 in recognition of the significant contributions that early childhood professionals make to the lives of young children. In association with Stand for Children, Scholastic celebrated and recognized 10 early childhood professionals at the conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Chicago, Ill. After receiving over 350 nominations from parents, colleagues, mentors, administrators, and community leaders from all over the country, a panel of nationally recognized early childhood experts, advisors, and representatives from Stand for Children and Scholastic reviewed these letters of support. Award winners were selected based on their overall commitment to advocacy, developmentally appropriate curriculum, cultural sensitivity, leadership, mentoring contributions, parent relations, community outreach, professionalism, and their ability to mobilize resources.
Trudy's award was significant in many ways. Not only was she the sole recipient from the mid-Atlantic region of the country, she was the only educator who was affiliated with an environmental organization. The other nine recipients were either classroom teachers or associated with childcare facilities. "Scholastic recognized that our programs were on par with the best schools and centers in the country," Trudy said. "Receiving this award made it very clear to me that a huge group of people believe, as I do, that every child is unique and priceless. That bringing together young children and the world outside their doors is an important beginning of a life sustaining relationship."
This is not the only recognition Trudy's programs have received. The F.A.W.N. (Friendly Activities With Nature) Program was honored in 2001 with an "Environmental Excellence Award". This year-long program, developed for the Conservancy by Trudy, exposes kindergartners to a variety of lessons, activities, and materials. It provides students with two outdoor seasonal visits with Conservancy staff and an additional two visits by staff in their classrooms. Six curriculum packets called "Nature Nuggets" are supplied to the teacher who conducts environmentally-based lessons between Conservancy visits.
Trudy has spent eighteen years building the educational programming from 16 Crayola crayons in 1990 to a host of educational opportunities complete with a team of trained, professional educators. She remains as enthusiastic as ever stating, "My favorite part of this job is working with kids! Exploring the fields, forests, and streams together fuels our spirits and builds our kinship with life outside our doors. What could be more important?"
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