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Toyota grant will provide scholarships for educators

Will be used for Professional Environmental Educator Certification course

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2014) — Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky has awarded a grant of nearly $10,000 to the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC) for the 2014-15 Professional Environmental Educator Certification course. The Toyota grant will provide scholarships to educators who will reach a diverse group of Kentuckians underserved by current environmental education efforts.

Interstate_ToyotaLogoThe course will take place over four workshops at Kentucky state parks and the Louisville Zoo from November 2014 through March 2015. Applications for course admission and scholarships are due by Oct. 1.

KEEC has offered the Professional Environmental Educator Certification course since 2004, with more than 160 people completing it. Graduates receive the designation of Certified Professional Environmental Educator.

The course is based on guidelines from the North American Association for Environmental Education, which are designed to professionalize the field of environmental education (EE), by standardizing best practices. Course graduates sign a Code of Ethics requiring them to “clearly differentiate between education and advocacy when conducting EE programs, allowing students to decide for themselves where they stand on environmental issues.”

“We’re very pleased with Toyota’s generosity. We’re especially pleased that an environmental leader like Toyota would validate our initiative through their funding,” said Thomas O. Zawacki, secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.

The course will take place over four workshops at Kentucky state parks and the Louisville Zoo from November 2014 – March 2015. Applications for course admission and scholarships are due by Oct. 1, 2014.

For more information contact Wesley Bullock at 502-564-5937 or [email protected].