Earth Day Awards Ceremony
Teachers, students, and school clubs were honored with Explore Ecology Awards in a ceremony at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on Sunday, April 28th. As community members cheered them on, the winners were thrilled to be recognized for their work on school campuses across Santa Barbara County. Each winner went onstage to talk about their impactful work in environmental stewardship.
Refugio High School teacher Jennifer Rasmussen said, “What began with just two boxes has blossomed into a thriving outdoor education program boasting ten planter boxes and four compost areas. Plans for a pumpkin patch and rows of corn within an old sand volleyball court are underway, alongside the implementation of a rainwater collection system. The impact of these hands-on projects extends beyond the classroom, evident in the joy reflected on students’ faces and the enthusiasm from faculty, staff, and visiting adults.”
Student Award winner Ethan Maday wowed the crowd with stories of his work developing curriculum on regenerative agriculture at Santa Barbara Middle School. Each winner inspired the crowd and many stressed that all of us, no matter our age, can do something to help the earth.
The complete list of winners include: Gio Alfaro, Ethan Maday, Margo Leven, Moxie McLeod, Jennifer Rasmussen, Lori Leach, Teri Briggs, the Kellogg Ocean Guardians, and the Clean and Green Club at Vieja Valley Elementary.
The Explore Ecology Awards, now in their fifth year, honor eco heroes in Santa Barbara County whose dedication to environmental stewardship and care for nature is creating a greener and more resilient Santa Barbara.
Lindsay Johnson, Explore Ecology Executive Director, says, “The awards ceremony was so inspiring and reminds us of the profound impact that we can all have on the health of our planet. From replacing single use plastic sporks in the Kellogg Elementary cafeteria to planting trees at La Colina Junior HIgh, everyone had a story to tell about why they took action and how they implemented change. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”
Sarah was born and raised in Goleta and attended Cal Poly SLO to study education. She has been an elementary school teacher in the Santa Barbara area since 2016. As a teacher, Sarah taught science and art and later Kindergarten and 6th grade. She loves to teach arts and crafts to students and adults alike.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Eva grew up in Berkeley, CA and is a recent graduate of UCSB, where she studied Aquatic Biology and German Language. During her undergrad, Eva worked as an aquarist at UCSB’s Research Experience and Education Facility (the REEF), where she managed the aquarium facility and found a love for science communication and conservation.
Nicole is a mixed media artist and vintage goods specialist who has been managing Art from Scrap since 2020.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Lydia
Lindsay Johnson
Jenny joined Explore Ecology first as an Environmental Educator, then as a Program Coordinator, and most recently moved into the newly created Programs, People & Culture position. Prior to Explore Ecology Jenny worked in science research and consulting, however her passion has always been science education and outreach. Jenny loves all things related to the ocean, especially free diving, and enjoying the beauty and wonder that is the underwater world. Her greatest life passion is traveling, which she hopes to do more of again soon.
Lu’s love of all things Earth began at James Madison University in Virginia, where they got their Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Lu has a Master’s degree in Spatial Ecology- the study of how creatures interact across landscapes- from East Carolina University, where they studied rock pools along a river and the critters that dwell in them.
