The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has received the Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Sustainability. The competition is the joint project of the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Association of Museums, and recognizes museums whose impact on sustainability serves as models for the field and their communities.
The Museum was selected for its Earth Stewards Project, which aims to build the next generation of environmental stewards by providing STEM education to alternative education high school students through outdoor experiences.
The award aims to highlight outstanding achievements in sustainability for California museum projects in two areas: public education and internal operations. John Laird, Secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency, recognizes the importance of this award and the museum community.
“Museums help to shape community identity,” said Laird, “and can inspire and impact environmental sustainability and stewardship. These inaugural awards for excellence in sustainability underscore the important role California museums play in advancing the concepts of conservation, natural resource protection, and resiliency.”
Established in 2006, the California Association of Museums started the Green Museums Initiative to inspire California museums to develop green business practices, eco-friendly facility management, and sustainable programming.
“We’re delighted to receive this recognition,” said Heather Moffat McCoy, Executive Director at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, “and more eager than ever before to continue providing the education and opportunity for our next generation of stewards to flourish.”
One member of that next generation is Isaac, a high school student who was offered a paid position on the Santa Cruz City Parks and Recreation’s summer trail crew after demonstrating strong leadership in his internship with the Museum’s Earth Stewards Project.
“Earth Stewards helped me learn to be a part of a team,” said Isaac. “I learned how to manage and motivate people. Working together brought us closer. I felt pride in getting the job done.”
In addition to developing his leadership skills, Isaac also said he learned a great deal about the natural world he’s working to steward. “I never knew there were more than a thousand species of grass!”
The 2018 awardees of the inaugural Secretary’s Award are:
Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History — Earth Stewards Project
During Earth Stewards Project, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History engages alternative education high school students in immersive outdoor experiences that teach STEM subjects, nurture an appreciation for nature, leave a positive environmental impact, build vocational skills, and cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards.
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Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, 1305 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz, CA 95062, (831) 420-6115 [email protected]