About Our History

EEA HISTORY

Environmental Education Alliance Timeline

1990s

1990

1996

On May 4, the Georgia Environmental Education Council (the first incarnation of EEA) is created following the passage of Georgia House Bill 1412. Council members are appointed by Gov. Zell Miller.

1992

On November 19, the Georgia Environmental Education Council changes its name to the Environmental Education Alliance (EEA) of Georgia. EEA is founded as a self-governed, non-profit organization that promotes communication and education among professionals in the field of environmental education in Georgia.

1994

EEA of GA holds its first annual conference in September at the Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center in Tocca, GA.

1995

Several EEA board members participate in a workshop on strategic planning sponsored by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) at its annual conference in Portland, Maine. This was a crucial time in EEA's development and led to the establishment of a committee and committee structure for the board and general membership. The EEA board of directors decides that officers will serve two year terms to maintain continuity in leadership.

EEA creates the Outdoor Classroom Council (OCC) to assist organizations and individuals with an interest in the design, development, maintenance, and use of outdoor classrooms. (OCC is later renamed Council of Outdoor Learning or CoOL).

NAAEE chooses Atlanta as the site for its 1998 annual conference.

1997

OCC holds its first symposium at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

1998

EEA begins looking into establishing a state EE office and training certification program.
EEA partners with NAAEE on its 27th annual conference in Atlanta.
September 6 is designated by Gov. Zell Miller as Environmental Education Awareness Day in Georgia.

1999

EEA publishes the Georgia Environmental Education Teacher Resource Guide and distributes it to all public and private schools.
Elachee Nature Science Center becomes the first EE center in the southeast to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

2000s

2000

EEA forms the Monarchs Across Georgia committee, adapting Dr. Karen Oberhauser's Monarchs in the Classroom program to offer professional learning workshops for teachers.

2001

EEA’s annual conference is planned in conjunction with some of the state’s major EE-providers: the GA Environmental Protection Division's GA Project WET and GA Adopt-A-Stream; GA Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division's GA Project WILD and GA Project Learning Tree; the Georgia Conservancy; and the National Wildlife Federation.
The tradition of the “buzzard” conference scavenger hunt begins.
Georgia is selected as a SEER state (State Education and Environmental Roundtable) by noted researcher, Dr. Gerald Lieberman.

2002

EEA partners with GA EPD, Department of Community Affairs' Keep Georgia Beautiful program, and Department of Education's Georgia Learning Connections program to launch the online guide to Environmental Education in Georgia.
EEA partners with the GA Department of Education, GA EPD, and University of Georgia to establish "Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning," a K-12 school improvement program.
EEA partners with UGA's Environmental Health Science Department and others to launch the “Georgia Project for Excellence in Environmental Education,” a voluntary certification program for environmental educators based on NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence. To become certified, participants complete six core classes within three years and a 40-hour final project. To maintain certification, environmental educators complete 100 hours of continuing education every five years in approved courses, workshops, or conferences.

2003

NAAEE presents EEA with its Outstanding Affiliate Organization award.
EEA distributes the updated Directory of Georgia EE Providers to every K-12 school in the state.
EEA begins hosting silent auctions to raise money for conference scholarships.

2004

EEA is recognized on the floor of the Georgia House of Representatives. Gov. Sonny Perdue signs a proclamation declaring March 12, 2004 Environmental Education Day in Georgia.
The Garden Club of Georgia presents EEA its Award of Merit.

2005

The EEA board convenes a strategic planning meeting to look at what has been accomplished and provide direction for the future.

2006

EEA finalizes and adopts a new strategic plan.
EEA develops and adopts a policy concerning partnerships with outside organizations.
EEA investigates and acquires director’s and officer’s insurance for the board of directors.
EEA contracts with a conference registrar and hires a bookkeeper to assist with the duties of the treasurer.

2007

EEA redesigns its website.
EEA forms a steering committee to investigate the feasibility of and interest in a certification program for Georgia educators. Based on feedback, EEA creates the Advanced Training for Environmental Education (ATEEG) in Georgia project. The committee secures a grant from NAAEE to begin the process of developing a program for accreditation.

2008

The ATEEG committee secures a second grant from NAAEE to continue developing the certification program and hold pilot classes.

2009

The ATEEG committee holds certification pilot classes and works to finalize the certification program with NAAEE.
The board of directors drafts a job description for an executive director to handle EEA business and ATEEG. The position is advertised.

2010s

2010

EEA hires Paul McClendon as its first executive director.
NAAEE approves ATEEG and the first classes are announced and held.
EEA's member services committee begins holding regular events for members and to expand membership.
EEA establishes the Petey Giroux Dragonfly Grant for EE and the Arts and the first award is given. This award honors Petey's ability to bring the arts into the teaching of EE and her willingness to share with other educators. The winners receive a project grant up to $1,000.
EEA revisits its strategic plan and each committee completes its own strategic plan and presents it to the board.
EEA's Outdoor Classroom Council changes its name to the Council of Outdoor Learning and updates its logo.

2011

EEA changes its logo and launches a new website.
EAA updates board reporting and its financial code system to better track how EEA spends its money.
ATEEG graduates four certified environmental educators.
The first Georgia Naturalist Rally is organized.
EEA returns to an all-volunteer organization with no staff

2012

ATEEG receives final accreditation by NAAEE (the first in the country) and graduates one certified environmental educator.
In conjunction with the Southeast Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA), EEA receives an EPA grant to implement a small competitive grants program.

2013

ATEEG graduates six certified environmental educators and receives grants from the GA DNR Foundation and TERN.
MAG receives money to establish a grant program for pollinator gardens.
COOL awards two grants for school outdoor learning center projects.

2014

EEA creates regional director positions on its board.
EPA funds additional small grants to SEEA to support more projects in Georgia and the southeast.

2015

EEA establishes its Memorial Forest.
SEEA hosts a leadership summit in North Carolina. Grant funds allow two Georgia leaders to attend.

2016

SEEA hires Ashley Hoffman as executive director. Along with the other seven states, Georgia agrees to pay a cost share of $1,000 each for her time working on behalf of the region.

2017

EEA hosts the SEEA Conference & Research Symposium.
SEEA provides grant funding to support strategic planning in Georgia and EEA hires a consultant to revisit its strategic plan.

2018

When Journey North loses funding, EEA's MAG takes ownership of the Symbolic Migration Program, an international education program that reaches over 1,200 classrooms in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico each year.
EEA board members train in NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence in EE at the regional SEEA conference.

2019

Five EEA board members use grant funding to attend a SEEA leadership clinic in North Carolina. This team later develops an action plan to improve EEA operations. Project funding of $2,000 is also used to draft an operations manual.
EEA hosts first NAAEE community engagement workshop at the EEA annual conference.
EEA receives a NAAEE ee360 grant to send five leaders to California for training, and scholarships to attend NAAEE's annual conference in Kemtucky.
SEEA receives a regional grant to provide support for a website overhaul and executive director recruitment and hiring.

2020s

2020

EEA hires Karan Wood as part-time Executive Director.
EEA launches a new website.
EEA reconnects with Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta for legal assistance, including revision of its bylaws and articles of incorporation.
The EEA board begins the process of envisioning the future and creating a strategic plan.

EEA Conference Locations

EEA Past Presidents

1994 - Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center, Toccoa
1995 - Outdoor Activity Center, Atlanta
1996 - Oatland Island Education Center, Savannah
1997 - Wahsega 4-H Center, Dahlonega
1998 - Oatland Island Education Center, Savannah
1999 - UGA Center for Continuing Education, Athens
2000 - Gainesville College, Oakwood
2001 - Rivertown Inn, Columbus
2002 - Unicoi State Park, Helen
2003 - Coastal Georgia Center, Savannah
2004 - GA Veterans Memorial St Pk, Lake Blackshear,
2005 - Unicoi State Park, Helen
2006 - Simpsonwood Conference Center, Norcross
2007 - Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island
2008 - Unicoi State Park, Helen
2009 - UGA Conference Center, Tifton
2010 - Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw
2011 - Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw
2012 - Southwest Fulton Arts Center, Atlanta
2013 - The Classic Center, Athens
2014 - Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Eatonton
2015 - Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Eatonton
2016 - Environmental & Heritage Center, Buford
2017 - Environmental & Heritage Center, Buford (Southeast Environmental Ed Alliance Conference)
2018 - Unicoi State Park, Helen
2019 - Merry Acres Center & Flint RiverQuarium, Albany
2020 - The Villas Conference Center, Jekyll Island

1994-1995 - Buddy Spencer, Fulton County Parks
1995-1996 - Jerry Hightower, National Park Service
1997-1998 - Marcia Daniels, Reynolds Nature Preserve
1998-2000 - Deron Davis, Dunwoody Nature Center
2000-2003 - Peter Gordon, Elachee Nature Center
2003-2004 - Petey Giroux, Project WET, GA DNR
2004-2005 - Richard Osorio, University of Georgia
2005-2006 - Anne Shenk, State Botanical Garden
2006-2007 - Kim Morris-Zarneke, Georgia Aquarium
2007-2008 - Walter Lane, GA DNR Charlie Elliott Center
2008-2009 - Donna Stewart, Jekyll Island 4-H Center
2009-2010 - Lisa Weinstein, GA DNR Nongame Conserv
2010-2011 - David Hedgepeth, Valdosta State University
2011-2012 - Jennifer McCoy, Cobb County Water Dept
2012-2013 - Laura Aikens, Ecological Solutions
2013-2014 - Kris Irwin, UGA Warnell School of Forestry
2014-2016 - Robby Astrove, Davidson-Arabia Mountain
2016-2017 - Cora Keber, State Botanical Garden of GA
2017-2018 - Michael O'Shield, DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
2018-2019 - Lauren Johnson, Oxbow Meadows
2019-2020 - Franke Smith, Hickory Hill & Tom Watson Birthplace