HCPSS Environmental Educator Wins Presidential Innovation Award

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A Howard County Public School System environmental educator with the Howard County Conservancy recently earned the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators for Region 3. Ann Strozyk is one of seven winners of this national award presented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators recognizes, supports and brings public attention to the outstanding environmental projects performed by innovative primary and secondary teachers who go beyond textbook instruction to incorporate methods and materials that utilize creative experiences and enrich student learning.

Strozyk was selected in part for her creation of the Watershed Report Card Program, which is now incorporated into every Howard County high school ninth grade earth science and biology class. The program provides students with field experiences and advocacy opportunities to collect data on water quality and present environmental recommendations to elected officials at the annual Howard County Watershed Summit. Through the program, native plant gardens and trees have been planted at all county high schools, 85 storm drains have been stenciled and more than 118 student stream studies have taken place.

In addition to the Watershed Report Card Program, Strozyk also supports middle schools with the Bioblitz biodiversity program, a seventh grade Chesapeake Bay focused field experience and an annual Weather to the Extreme conference for sixth grade students. She is also piloting the region’s first climate change focused field experience for high school juniors.

Strozyk’s previous awards include the 2013 STEM Educator of the Year (Maryland Tech Council), 2015 HCPSS Crystal Flame Award and 2016 Above and Beyond Award (Maryland Water Monitoring Council).