Kathy Kinzig cared deeply about protecting the environment and she inspired others to do the same. For over twelve years, Kathy worked as the Executive Director of Eco Education, dedicating her career to supporting teachers in the classroom so that they can empower and educate students to take ownership of their communities.

Travel was one of Kathy’s greatest passions. Her first great adventure was a three-month trip to Nepal with her sister, Ann, in their early twenties. They ventured to the Terai, trekked in the Annapurnas, and rode their bikes through Kathmandu. Kathy was hooked. Thereafter she would travel the world both to see natural beauty and to learn something about the many people sharing her planet. She joined the Peace Corps and went to Paraguay, and travelled to Chile and Argentina and El Salvador and Brazil and Thailand and Italy and Botswana, and many places in between.

What she saw on those travels solidified her thinking about the environment—that nature was a marvelous creation in need of protection, but that we had an obligation to people, too—to ensure they had the resources and power to lead dignified, healthy, and environmentally sound lives. And that led to her decision to dedicate her life to this kind of environmentalism, helping both people and nature.

Kathy made a final generous gift to Eco Education in her will, and because of her belief that teachers’ experiences and knowledge are key to inspiring students to do great things, she requested that money be used to set up a special fund to support the personal and professional growth of teachers. The funds Kathy bequeathed to Eco Education were combined with the memorial donations given in her name to create the Kathy Kinzig Educator Grant Program.


ABOUT THE KATHY KINZIG GRANT PROGRAM
 

The grant program provides funding for self-designed experiences to teachers who recognize the value of inquiry, the power of knowledge, and their ability to make a difference. Kathy’s vision was for teachers to participate in activities that would allow them to have a “life altering experience,” such as starting a school, climbing mountains, attending creative seminars for the environment, or engaging in an environmental justice movement in the community.

• Grant applications are accepted on a rolling deadline and may be submitted at any time during the year.
• Experiences come in many forms but should share the purpose of personal enrichment and increasing environmental knowledge.
• Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support professional and personal learning in the field of environmental education.
• Open to all teachers in the Twin Cities metro area.
• Teams of teachers are encouraged to apply.

EXAMPLES OF EDUCATOR EXPERIENCES

Tami Limberg (2010 Kathy Kinzig Educator Grant Recipient), a middle school teacher at Great River school in St. Paul, attended Will Allen’s Growing Power seminar which offered intensive, hands-on trainings on how to plan, develop, operate, and sustain community food projects. Project participants leave the workshop with improved skills that they can take back into their communities and pass on to others. These workshops are for both rural and urban projects. Tami then used the experience as inspiration to design a Food Science course and install a school garden on Great River’s campus.

Tyronne Carter (2010 Kathy Kinzig Educator Grant Recipient), middle school teacher at Anwatin Middle School filmed and observed sea turtle nesting at U.S. Virgin Islands Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge in St. Croix. He filmed an encounter with a hawksbill sea turtle to promote awareness about leatherback and hawksbill sea turtle conservation among Minnesota school students.

Elise Griffin participated in a black bear field study course which emphasized daily close-up observation of wild bears to learn their vocalizations, body language, social organization, ecology, and how people can better coexist with bears. The small class size (8) maximizes individual opportunities to participate in close-up black bear research with Lynn Rogers, Ph.D., as seen on the Animal Planet documentary "The Man Who Walks With Bears" and the BBC documentary 'Bearwalker of the Northwoods.' Daily discussions and slide presentations amplify the information learned directly from the bears. Participants include anyone interested in bears. These workshops are life-changing for anyone who fears bears, unforgettable for people who appreciate bears, and essential for professionals who deal with bear issues. For more information, click here.

Other potential experiences could involve visiting environmental schools such as the The Green School in Indonesia or Earth University in Costa Rica to learn more about their curricula and programming. Additionally, Global Environmental Teachings offers programs for environmental educators including a Puerto Rico Program 2012 and South Africa Program 2012.

UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS

Please join us at these upcoming information sessions to learn more about the Kathy Kinzig Educator Grant Program! This will also be a chance to share and discuss possible educator experiences and ask questions about the application process.

Monday, February 6th, 4:30-6:00 PM — Black Bear Crossings (1360 Lexington Parkway North Saint Paul, MN 55103)

Wednesday, February 8th, 4:30-6:00 PM — Riverview Cafe (3753 42nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406)

APPLY

View application guidelines for more information and to apply.