public education excellence award

Transcription

PUBLIC EDUCATION EXCELLENCE AWARD 2011
1.) STATEMENT OF INTENT
In order to raise the community’s compliance with the environmental laws
and to develop changes in behavior towards solid waste management, in
2005, the Senate of Puerto Rico created an annual pro-active educational
activity known as “The Environmental Forum”.
The idea was to get the community deeply involved in this goal through an
active participation of younger generations. Participant students were to
become the pioneers of such entrepreneurship by creating and writing new
proposals for laws that would raise awareness among their peers and the
community as a whole. By encouraging the students’ participation in
creating environmental laws, the Senate would be able to extend to a
larger number of people, the government’s commitment for reduction and
effective management of natural resources.
In the Forum, students from both the private and public educational system
had the opportunity to present proposals that could be considered for the
enactment of new legislation and/or amendment of existing environmental
laws. The students would not only be exposed to governmental
proceedings of enacting laws but would also become the architects behind
future legislations aimed at managing landfills, reducing waste, recycling
programs, and other environmental affairs. Aside from all these purposes,
this Forum was an encouragement for emerging new leaders, improving
our environmental legislation, creating awareness related to environmental
issues, as well as current public policy challenges and its possible solutions.
The Senate was successful not only at this goal but, through the Forum,
others government offices were inspired to create similar events and
activities among private companies.
2|SENATE OF PUERTO RICO / ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM
2.) RESEARCH/PLANNING
Prior to 2005, the Senate conducted summer camps for the children of its
employees. The themes were focused on the environment with activities
that included beach cleaning, tree planting, visits to landfills and recycling
plants, cleaning illegal dumps in the city, ecotourism, composting plans,
sustainable agriculture, among others. Art events were planned around
raising awareness about the importance of preserving natural resources
and recycling. Walls around the Senate grounds were decorated with art
themes through which participants were encouraged to promote and
highlight recycling programs at the Senate building offices with brochures
and posters.
Throughout the duration of the camp and through the upcoming months,
there was an increase in the employees’ participation in the Senate
Recycling Program. For example, prior to 2003, about 450 telephone books
were recycled per year. However, after the camps were established,
phone book recycling was reduced to approximately 200 a year due to the
incorporation of a phone directory program in each of the Senate’s
computers. Not only was the volume reduced, but the operational costs
were brought down as there was no need to purchase new phone
directories.
In 2004, more than 68 pieces of electronic equipment (pcs, printers,
monitors, scanners, etc.) furniture, and automobiles were donated to
vocational schools. Paper consumption was significantly reduced and over
85 pounds of paper was recycled; 50% more than previous years. The
Senate’s executive restaurant-Senate members only- changed from
disposable dinnerware to reusable utensils. Overall attitude of Senate
employees was transformed as they became much more aware of the
environmental challenges that we face as densely populated country.
When the Senate’s staff saw the educational and motivational effects these
camps had in the first participants, whom, as stated earlier, were limited to
relatives of the Senate’s employees, an idea was hatched to organize and
establish an event to include other students so that they too could
contribute in improving the existing and future laws related to the
environment. It was understood that early involvement of future
generations in environmental policy, such commitment to the subject
matter would serve to involve their parents and their respective
communities. These adolescents would become activists and promoters for
future laws, aiding in changing their communities’ attitudes toward
managing and reducing solid waste, increasing recycling, and protecting
natural resources. At first, the activity was to be named “Senate
Environmental Forum”.
As part of the event’s organization, and in order to have all telephone
numbers and addresses of all of the schools in Puerto Rico, an effort was
made, with the assistance of the Department of Public Education, the
Association of Private Schools and Catholic Schools Diocese, to create a
master document including all contact information for the thousands of
public and private schools that operate on the island.
In order to promote the forum with a limited budget, the support of the
media was necessary. The major newspaper on the island, El Nuevo Día,
includes an educational section dealing with the island’s school system,
known as ENDE (“El Nuevo Día Educador”). As part of the forum planning
efforts, newspaper representatives were contacted and met with the
Senate Recycling Group to discuss the forum. After a series of meetings, “El
Nuevo Día” became one of the forum’s sponsors providing media coverage
to attract public participation.
The forum would establish three awards; first, second, and third place. The
3 finalists were to receive cash prizes of $500, $300, and $150, as well as
trophies. The winner group would work with staff of the Senate’s
Environment Committee chair person to submit legislation proposals to be
considered by the legislative body as a whole. This process would allow
students the opportunity to understand and directly participate in the lawmaking process in Puerto Rico. In order to subsidize the awards’ costs, a
private recycling company was contacted for support and assistance. The
company became the second promoter for the event, contributing with
cash prizes, costs and the purchase of the trophies. This company had the
opportunity to take part in the panel of judges that evaluated the proposals
and selected the winners.
3.) IMPLEMENTATION/EXECUTION
The rules for participation established that the forum would be open to
both public and private system students from seventh to twelfth grade and
between the ages of 12 to 19. These students were invited to submit
proposals to tackle problems related to: 1. management and reduction of
solid wastes, 2. recycling in all forms, 3. protection of the beaches, rivers
and lakes, 4. appropriate management of natural resources, 5. new
alternatives of recycling, 6. reuse of materials, 7. amendments to existing
laws, 8. new legislation regulating sanitary landfills, illegal dumps, among
others, 9. legislation aimed at solving contamination of water, air, land, 10.
Legislative proposals related to the construction of dwellings in ways to a
green Puerto Rico, 11. Methods and mechanisms for recycling of resources,
and/or resources use reduction, among others.
In order to give the participants enough time for research and preparation,
the forum was announced three (3) months in advance through “El Nuevo
Dia”, and through letters sent to the different school administrations.
Municipalities Recycling Offices of each of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities
were also contacted. An application deadline was established for
submitting the projects and for the announcement of the five (5) selected
finalists. Applicants were to present a proposal for government legislation
related to the aforementioned themes. A limit of one proposal per school
was established. As part of the applicants’ school administration inner
process, the school would choose the most innovative, comprehensive and
thorough proposal. The project allowed for individual participation, that is,
presented by a single student, or by group. The latter was limited to six (6)
students. All participants whether single or in a group, had to have a
sponsor teacher. The chosen parties were to present their proposed piece
of legislation through different audiovisual resources before the Senate’s
Committee evaluating group. Participants had to present their research,
findings, data, and methods of investigation. Likewise, they had to present
the effect and costs that such proposal would have in its implementation,
and execution, the public agencies involved as part of the policy’s goals and
the impact on the community as a whole.
Out of all the submitted applications, the evaluating Committee was to
choose five finalists. These five finalists would have the opportunity to
present their proposals before the Committee. The participating schools
chosen as finalists had to notify its intention to participate at the forum and
of the media and audiovisuals resources needed to present their project.
Each presentation was allocated 30 minutes before the evaluating
committee.
The winners would be announced by the evaluating committee in the same
day that the activity was held. Group members of the selected projects,
along with their sponsor teacher(s), were to be invited as guests to a lunch
with different Senators on the day of the presentation.
4.) RESULTS / EVALUATION
In the first year, 98 applications were received before the deadline. In
future years, close to 300 participations were received per year.
In spite of the fact that some of the applications were not selected as
finalists, their suggestions and ideas helped shape the Senate’s notion for
the need of legislation related to our environment.
For the first year, the winning proposal suggested the establishment of an
environmental curriculum for all high schools as part of their graduation
requirements. At the experimental stage of the proposal, this course would
last one semester per year, beginning at the 7th grade. The goal was to
establish an environmental course, per semester, for grades K to 12. Said
curriculum was established by the Notre Dame Catholic School in 2006.
Likewise, the Public Education Department incorporated special
environmental education programs with educational manuals and
audiovisual tools for school use. The Solid Waste Authority of Puerto Rico
has also established an Environmental Education Programs for teachers to
incorporate environmental themes/discussions in the classrooms.
2006 Notre Dame Catholic School Representatives presenting proposal in front of the
Senate Committee
The second year winner presented an idea to enact a coastal environmental
law aimed at preventing the construction of any building or complex from a
certain distance from the coast line and to levy a tax for those buildings
invading the coastal line. This tax would be used to fund repairing and
maintenance for beaches and coral-eco systems.
Miguelina Pomales, first at right corner, member of the winner team died next year in a
drunk-driving accident
The third year winning project was from a seventh grader who proposed
the establishment of an Eco Educational Garden at every regionmunicipality of Puerto Rico with the assistance of the Department of
Agriculture and Natural Resources. The idea at the core of this project was
to create a place where visitors could experiment and learn about
composting, sustainable agriculture, proper way to plant trees, eco-friendly
fertilization, conditioning of soil, among others matters. This would serve
as the base to enact legislation mandating sustainable agriculture practices
at homes and communities.
The seventh grader winner impressed the Committee with her self-confidence
and knowledge of sustainable agriculture.
Other winning project promoted the idea of regulating and limiting the
period of time that vehicles are allowed to be parked while its engine is
running, therefore reducing gas emissions. One member of this group
noted as part of their introduction: “Members of the Senate: this is our first
experience visiting you, and we greatly appreciate the opportunity given to
us to voice what should be our community responsibility in aiding to find
reasonable measures to protect our natural resources and environment.”
Another of the winners highlighted the topic of gas emission control
through the regulation of vehicle traffic through a mechanism by which cars
ending with a specific license plate number can circulate only on certain
days, as it has been implemented in other countries, thus encouraging carpooling to work and school.
10 | S E N A T E O F P U E R T O R I C O / E N V I R O N M E N T A L F O R U M
Students from San German Catholic School presented the idea titled “Reducing Gas
Emissions” by turning off parked vehicles instead of leaving the engines running while
waiting.
At the first forum, only students and teachers attended. However, in the
following years, meetings and conferences were held at the Senate’s main
building conference room since members of the community, Senate
employees, as well as school faculty and students, and parents were in
attendance.
The experience for these students, many of whom visited the Senate for
the first time, allowed them to learn about the legislative procedures
behind the enactment of laws, while involving themselves directly in the
crafting of environmental public policy. The competitive nature of the
forum encouraged the participants to study and analyze existing laws,
conduct intensive research on environment related topics, among other
“green” worldwide trends.
Through each and every step of the project, from research to final
presentation, leadership was encouraged and community proactive
movement was created.
5.) NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS AND ARTICLES REGARDING THE SENATE
ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM
The newspaper El Nuevo Día advertises the Forum.
The newspaper El Nuevo Día announces the finalists and the winners.
The newspaper El Nuevo Día advertises the second Environmental Forum as
a total success.
The newspaper El Nuevo Día announces the finalists at the Second
Environmental Forum and the winners.
The newspaper El Nuevo Día announces the death of one of the
participants at the first Forum by a hit and run and at the same time
announces the Third Environmental Forum and publishes the participation
rules and deadlines.
Sample of logo that was placed at the trophies given to the winners.

public education excellence award

Transcription

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