The Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) supports National Environmental Education Week by announcing the availability of environmental education scholarships for college students who submit an application by June 1, to receive money for the 2009-2010 academic year.
The scholarship program is administered for Ohio EPA by the Ohio Academy of Science. It is designed to motivate students to enter environmental science and engineering professions, and to reward outstanding undergraduate students, enhancing their employability in environmental fields. Students at four-year institutions can receive a $2,500 scholarship while $1,250 is available for students attending two-year institutions. Additional information about the scholarship is available by calling the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education at (614) 644-2873 or visiting http://www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/. To learn more about the Ohio Academy of Science call (614) 488-2228 or visit www.OHIOSCI.org.
Since 2000, the OEEF has provided $419,100 in environmental, science and engineering scholarships to 175 students at 44 different Ohio colleges and universities.
In addition to scholarships, the OEEF also supports environmental education in Ohio by awarding nearly $1 million annually in grants to support education projects targeting pre-school to university students and teachers, the general public, and the regulated community. Mini grants of $500 to $5,000 are available, as well as general grants of up to $50,000. The next application deadline for these grants is July 15, with an electronic letter of intent to apply due no later than July 8. Additional information about these grants is available by visiting http://www.epa.state.oh.us/oeef/. Funding for the OEEF comes from civil penalties collected by Ohio EPA for violations of Ohio’s air and water pollution control laws.
National Environmental Education Week is the largest organized environmental education event in the United States. Because it is held the week before Earth Day, an increase in the learning impact of Earth Day has been realized due to a full week of educational preparation, learning and activities in K-12 classrooms, nature centers, zoos, museums and aquariums. This year's theme is "Be Water Wise." Teachers seeking more information about how to participate in National Environmental Education Week or Earth Day activities can visit http://www.eeweek.org/.
