Weber named PCSWCD Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year
DOVER-FOXCROFT — When passion of a livelihood is merged with classroom curriculum and shared with students through life experiences, you have an amazing educator on your hands. The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) is pleased to announce the 2019 Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year, Rob Weber of Foxcroft Academy.
Each year PCSWCD honors an educator working in our county with the Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year award. The selection is made by awarding an educator’s dedication to fostering students’ learning and understanding of natural resource ecology and implementation of related curriculum in Piscataquis County. This year, the PCSWCD staff and board of supervisors will honor Rob Weber, physics and chemistry teacher from Foxcroft Academy.
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OUTSTANDING CONSERVATION EDUCATOR — Rob Weber of Foxcroft Academy has been selected as the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year. Weber teaches physics and chemistry and he has been active in teaching high school students best practices on how to be stewards of the land and sharing an appreciation of what Piscataquis County has to offer.
Rob started his teaching career at FA 13 years ago with a focus on biology and chemistry. Since then, Rob has been active in teaching high school students best practices on how to be stewards of the land and sharing an appreciation of what Piscataquis County has to offer. Rob has a love of fishing, exploring the outdoors and cross country skiing and has successfully been able to incorporate these passions into his science classes with applicable hands-on experiences. Studying the differences between native and stocked trout with anatomy and physiology students, field trips to the Common Ground Fair, skiing trips to AMC’s Little Lyford and mapping climate change on campus are just a few ways Rob has incorporated conservation into his science classes.
Rob has actively been involved with PCSWCD by volunteering as a chaperone and fishing guide for the Teen Wilderness Expedition, a program where we partner with Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). In 2017 Rob had graduating seniors visit the Law Farm, PCSWCD’s public land, assisting UMaine and The American Chestnut Foundation with the most northern germplasm trial of American Chestnut trees in the United States. He has continued to have science classes monitor and report tree growth from this trial. Rob has also supported AMC in development of a new climate change curriculum last fall with coursework ranging from forest ecology, leadership development and weather. It is clear that Rob finds teachable moments within the natural environment and the importance for children to be exposed to the outdoors all while learning and experiencing science.
“When the scenery changes, you’re doing your kids a favor,” Weber says.
The award ceremony will be on Wednesday May 15 at 10:45 a.m. at Foxcroft Academy to celebrate the 2019 Outstanding Conservation Educator of the Year. For more information on this award or other PCSWCD events, please call 564-2321 ext. 3, visit www.piscataquisswcd.org or on Facebook or contact info@piscataquisswcd.org.