Welcome to the Bay Area CREEC Network

Bay Area CREEC is here to connect Bay Area teachers with the highest quality Environmental Education Resources available. Check out our Calendar of Environmental Education events to link with professional development opportunities. To find specific programs and organizations that will help you, go to our Resource Directory with over 400 programs or resources for Bay Area educators. Information is updated regularly, so check it out! View our quarterly Newsletter for workshops, events, grants and contests, announcements, a providers information, and Bay Area CREEC news.

Discuss local environmental education topics, find out about EE resources, check out job postings and receive updates from your CREEC Coordinators by joining our Bay Area CREEC EE Discussion Group. Here you can view past discussion topics or post a question or comment of your own.

Providers visit our EE Evaluation Resources page developed by the Bay Area EE Evaluation Learning Community. Find resources for evaluating your EE program including evaluation professionals! Also, we now have a new General EE Research page funded by Stopwaste.Org highlighting resources that demonstrate the benefits to EE including improvements to academic achievement!

Professional Development Opportunities:

2010 Applications - Deadline for Fall Submission is September 20, 2010 - Online application $250,000 in $1,000, $2,500, $5,000 or $10,000 grants will be given
PG&E Expands the Solar Schools Bright Ideas Program to Bring More Environmental Resources and Programs to Public School.
PG&E recognizes that public schools are facing hard economic times. This is why the company has expanded its Bright Ideas Grant Program to include new categories that will provide additional learning opportunities for students and teachers while creating energy and money saving programs for school campuses throughout northern and central California.

Who Should Apply: Credentialed teachers, professors, instructors, principals, deans, department heads, district administrators and facilities managers may apply to receive a $1000, $2,500, $5000, or $10,000 grant to promote environmental stewardship in any of the five following categories:

Educational Solar Projects: Successful submissions will include innovative classroom and extracurricular programs/projects that explore the science of solar energy and the generation of electricity from solar
Youth Energy and Environmental Programs: Successful submissions will include energy efficiency, recycling, composting, water reclamation and/or gardening programs and clubs that serve as learning and leadership opportunities for students, the faculty, and the community at large.

Renewable Energy or Science Related Field Trips: Successful submissions will include transportation, admission, or expenses associated with field trips that excite students about science, energy, careers in energy and the environment
Green Your School Projects: Successful submissions will include energy efficiency upgrades, energy monitoring systems, and communication tools that will promote energy education and smart energy use at the school and in the community.

Professional Development/Service Learning Projects/ Workforce Development Programs: Successful submissions will include projects that expand the teacher’s knowledge about renewable energy, energy resources and/or the future of the energy industry. High Schools and Community colleges may consider using the funding to create programs and curriculum to address workforce development in the growing renewable and efficiency industry and service learning opportunities in the local community.

What’s available? Schools chosen to receive a "Bright Ideas Grant"are asked to designate attendees to attend the training programs provided by the PG&E Solar Schools Program.
How do we apply? The 2010 application is available in an Online format to submit directly to us. Spring 2010 Grants will be announced by June 1.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries: Ocean Guardian School Grants - Due Oct 1st, 2010

Promote ocean conservation at your school or in your local community by becoming an Ocean Guardian School!

WHAT: Ocean Guardian School Grants. Funds are now available for schools to create a project that focuses on current issues affecting local watersheds and the ocean, while promoting best environmental practices. Through a school- or community-based project, schools work to make a difference in the health and protection of their local watersheds and ocean. General project pathways include: Water quality monitoring, restoration, marine debris, schoolyard habitats/gardens, re-use/recycle/reduce.

Funding will range from $2,000 to $6,000 per project, depending on the scope of the conservation project proposed by the school. Schools will receive funds to implement their projects. If project goals are met, they will be officially recognized as an Ocean Guardian School and receive a colorful Ocean Guardian banner.

WHO: Public and private K-12 schools in the California counties of Contra Costa, Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
WHEN: Applications are due via mail or fax on Oct 1st, 2010. Schools may apply for funding for projects scheduled to begin Jan. 1st, 2011. Projects must run for a minimum of six months, preferably one year.
WHERE TO APPLY: On the Web athttp://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/ocean_guardian. Download the application off the website, complete and submit. Questions? Contact Naomi Pollack at naomi.pollack@noaa.gov , 831-236-7677