Pictured Rocks Educator Promotes Environmental Education Statewide

Date: December 4, 2007
Contact: David Kronk, 906-387-2607, ext. 206

Dave Kronk with school children on winter snowshoe hike

NPS photo

(Munising, MI) National Park Service Park Ranger David Kronk, who manages the Education Outreach Program for schools and youth groups at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, was selected by two organizations to help them promote environmental education.

The Michigan Alliance for Outdoor and Environmental Education (MAOEE) named Ranger Kronk to their advisory board during their October meeting. MAOEE is Michigan’s premiere environmental education organization composed of several hundred educators both in the classroom and in non-formal settings like nature centers who advocate the teaching of environmental education throughout the state. A few years ago, MAOEE published guidelines for incorporating environmental education into the state K-12 curriculum content standards. A copy of their CD entitled “Caring About the Future” is available by contacting Kronk.

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), through a grant from the USDA Forest Service, selected Ranger Kronk to become one of their education trainers to help other non-classroom environmental educators in the state improve and evaluate their environmental education programs. NAAEE has several thousand members throughout North America and is considered the leader in developing and promoting quality environmental education.

This coming May 2, 2008, Ranger Kronk will be presenting a four-hour workshop for non-formal educators (non-classroom teachers) at the USDA Forest Service’s Clear Lake Education Center near Shingleton, Michigan. The workshop will focus on the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence in producing environmental education curricula. These guidelines cover 1) conducting a needs assessment, 2) organizational needs and capacities, 3) program scope and structure, 4) program delivery resources, 5) program quality and appropriateness, and 6) evaluation methods.

For more information please contact Ranger Kronk at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, P.O. Box 40, Munising, MI 49862; 906-387-2607, extension 206, or by email