APEC Education Director Receives UN's Earth Day Award

’s education director received an award from the United Nations this week for her ability to expand the center’s programs during the past 30 years.

Aline Euler, who has been APEC’s education director since 1979, was given the Earth Day Award by the United Nations Association during a ceremony on Saturday at the Queens Museum of Art.

Euler was honored for expanding the environmental center’s programs exponentially during her tenure as well as helping provide local children with up-close experience with animals and plants.

“When I started, there were two classes per week,” she said. “Now, we have 10 classes per day. And we have a lot of special events, outreach and visits from groups.”

The association held its Earth Day program at the museum because it was the site of the group’s first meetings after it formed.

Each year in March since 1970, a Peace Bell ringing ceremony is held by the UN to welcome the arrival of the spring and commemorate the holiday.

“It was a nice event,” Euler said. “They called me up and told me they were going to give me a plaque. I was thrilled.”

Euler said she intends to continue to expand APEC’s programs and create new ones for adults.

“I’d like to be able to do more outreach and special events for adults,” she said. “There a lot of days in our calendar that are devoted to birds, the ocean and trails, but I’d like us to become involved in a lot more different things. I think the sky’s the limit if we have the space and the staff.”