Morehead State University’s Environmental Education Center has been named a City Partner for Flying WILD, a national bird education program.

Flying WILD is a new program of the Council for Environmental Education (CEE). The CEE provides programs and services across the country that promote responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Flying WILD introduces middle school students to bird conservation through standards-based classroom activities and environmental stewardship projects. Flying WILD encourages schools to work closely with conservation organizations, community groups and businesses involved with birds to implement school bird festivals and bird conservation projects. These festivals are events in which students take a leading role in teaching their classmates and community about migratory birds. "Flying WILD is truly a unique environmental education program in that it not only teaches you great hands-on activities that work well with a variety of audiences using many different subject areas... it really brings the knowledge home by incorporating a service learning aspect, such as the planning and organization of a birding festival with your students.  Few programs not only teach but call to action, and Flying WILD does!", says Amanda Patrick, educator with the US Fish and Wildlife at Wolf Creek Fish Hatchery.

As a City Partner for Flying WILD, MSU’s Environmental Education Center and Flying WILD facilitators will train 200 educators, both formally and informally over a three-year period. MSU will offer this training to individuals within its service region as well as in the areas of Louisville, Cincinnati and Huntington.   Lauren Dowell, Special Educator form Warren County and recent workshop participant, said "I had the best time at this training! Not only did I come away with great ideas for my classroom and the materials to pull it all together, the networking I experienced has prompted me to collaborate with other teachers."

A Flying WILD facilitator workshop has been scheduled for October 25, 2008. The workshop will be held from 9 am to 5 pm in Lappin Hall (room 243) on the campus of Morehead State University.  The facilitators’ training is designed for those educators that would like to be able to train other educators, both formal and non-formal. The fee for the workshop is $10.  Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

MSU’s Environmental Education Center is part of the Kentucky University Partnership for Environmental Education, a partnership of all the state universities in Kentucky. Kentucky is the only state to have an environmental education center at every public institution.

MSU’s center provides funding for supplies and equipment to ensure that all pre-service teachers at MSU may receive some training in environmental education. The MSU Environmental Education Center also performs outreach and research. Staff of the center is certified in Project WET, Aquatic WILD, Project Learning Tree, Food, Land and People, Population Connection, GLOBE, WOW! Wonders of Wetlands and POW! Planning of Wetlands.

Funding for Flying WILD comes from the Council for Environmental Education, MSU Regional Engagement, and Kentucky Environmental Education Council. For more information about the center’s programs and Flying WILD or the schedule training contact April Haight, Director, at 606-783-2455.  She may also be reached by email at a.haight@moreheadstate.edu or visit the web site http://eec.moreheadstate.edu.