Schools might soon be letting out, but educators and others who work with youth have a chance to continue their learning through wildlife-focused workshops that also fulfill mandates set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Project WILD aims to provide a wildlife-based conservation education that fosters responsible action. It’s one of the most widely used conservation and environmental education programs among educators, and the activities easily can be incorporated into almost any classroom curriculum.

Theresa Alberici coordinates the program in Pennsylvania through the Game Commission’s Bureau of Information and Education. She works closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Education as well as conservation and environmental education organizations throughout the state and the country.

Her dedication to wildlife and environmental awareness, along with her talents in creating curricula and ability to work with educators have earned her recognition from the state Department of Education and Pennsylvania’s conservation education community.

“Educators leave Project WILD with a renewed appreciation of wildlife and are excited about how they’re going to share what they’ve learned with their students,” Alberici said.  “This year, wildlife agencies nationwide celebrated 1 million educators ‘Gone WILD.’ More than 1 million educators have been trained in the program since Project WILD originated in 1983.

“Project WILD isn’t about teaching kids what to think about wildlife; it’s about teaching kids how to think about wildlife and giving them the skills they need to become responsibly active citizens who recognize the importance of wildlife and the environment.”

Those who are looking for more information on Project WILD workshops offered this year can visit the Game Commission’s website.

Following is a listing of scheduled workshops for educators. All workshops are approved for Act 48 hours:

June

-- Project WILD (2-day workshop): Participants will experience hands-on activities that help address Department of Education state environment and ecology standards. This workshop is for formal and non-formal educators who work with youth in grades kindergarten through 12. It is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, June 5 and Thursday, June 6, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, at the Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711, Bolivar, PA 15923. Participants should wear comfortable hiking shoes and dress for the weather conditions as a portion of the class will be held outdoors. To register, please contact Intermediate Unit #1 at 724-938-8722 or www.solutionwhere.com, or Intermediate Unit #7 at 724-836-2460 or visit online. The cost of the course is $140, plus a $20 materials fee. Checks should be made payable to P.J. Sleber.

-- WILD about Elk (2-day workshop): This opportunity chronicles the history and management of elk in Pennsylvania. Meet with elk biologists, habitat managers and wildlife conservation officers and go out to the elk range to view habitat and hopefully elk. This workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 11, from noon to 7 p.m., and Wednesday, June 12, from 7 a.m. to noon, at the Elk Country Visitor Center, 134 Homestead Drive, Benezette, PA 15821. On Tuesday, lunch and dinner will be provided. A small stipend reimbursement is available to help cover cost of travel. If you are interested in receiving more information and a registration form, email Theresa Alberici at talberici@pa.gov, or call her at 717-787-1434.  Deadline to register is June 1 or as soon as the workshop is full.

-- WILD About Orienteering (2-day workshop): Educators will learn how to use a traditional map and compass, as well as GPS units, and discover how important this new technology is to wildlife and its management.  This opportunity will be held on Wednesday, June 12 and Thursday, June 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, at the Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711 in Bolivar, PA 15923. Participants should wear comfortable hiking shoes and dress for the weather conditions as a portion of the class will be held outdoors. To register, please contact Intermediate Unit #1 at 724-938-8722 or www.solutionwhere.com, or Intermediate Unit #7 at 724-836-2460 or online. The cost of the course is $140, plus a $20 materials fee. Checks should be made payable to P.J. Sleber.

-- Pennsylvania Songbirds (1-day workshop): Pennsylvania Songbirds is a state-specific bird education program designed for K-12. During this workshop, participants will explore background information of songbirds and participate in hands-on activities about birds, bird identification, people and bird habitat. This workshop is for formal and nonformal educators who work with youth in grades kindergarten through seventh. This workshop is scheduled be held on Thursday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Charles Brightbill Environmental Center, 4881 Fort Loudon Road, Mercersburg, PA. The cost of the workshop is $10, with checks made payable to the Tuscarora Wildlife Education Project. Those wishing to register can call TWEP at 717-328-2126, or contact the group by email at twepmail@gmail.com. This workshop will earn educators IU Credit or Act 48 hours.

-- WILD About Bears (2-day training): Educators will explore the world of the black bear and black bear research and management, and will have the opportunity to view black bears. This workshop is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 20, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, at the Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711 in Bolivar, PA 15923. Participants should wear comfortable hiking shoes and dress for the weather conditions as a portion of the class will be held outdoors. To register, please contact Intermediate Unit #1 at 724-938-8722 or www.solutionwhere.com, or Intermediate Unit #7 at 724-836-2460 or online. The cost of the course is $140, plus a $20 materials fee. Checks should be made payable to P.J. Sleber. This opportunity will earn educators IU Credit and ACT 48 hours.

-- Forest Fire Ecology: Managing Wildlife Habitat Using Prescribed Burns (1-day workshop): Educators will explore the use of prescribed burns in managing forests. This workshop, to be held on Thursday, June 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will describe the best practices in prescribed burn management, and the corresponding benefits to forests and wildlife. The workshop will be based at the Ned Smith Center, 176 Water Company Road, Millersburg, PA and educators also will carpool to State Game Lands 210 to explore the soil conditions, temperatures, and plant and wildlife diversity at sites burned this year and last year, as well as tracts where no burning has been performed. There is no cost to attend the workshop. Registration deadline is June 5. For details on registration, contact Theresa Alberici at 717-783-1434 or talberici@pa.gov.

-- WILD About Endangered and Threatened Species (2-day workshop): Educators will join the Game Commission and Dauphin County Parks in the classroom and on the river to explore endangered species issues. Hands-on activities and classroom discussions comprise the first day, while a canoe trip on the Susquehanna River highlights the second. Canoes, paddles, life jackets and safety boaters will be provided. The workshop is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, June 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Wednesday, June 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way Harrisburg, PA 17110. Rain date for the canoe trip is Thursday, June 27. Cost of the workshop is $20, paid to Dauphin County Parks. To register, contact Wildwood at 717-221-0292 before the June 18 deadline.

-- WILD About Furbearers (1-day workshop): Participants will be taught to identify Pennsylvania’s furbearers and learn about their natural history. Educators will learn to identify furbearer sign, habitat preferences and management techniques. Game Commission publications will be provided. This workshop is for educators working with students in grades fourth through 12th, and is scheduled to be held indoors and outdoors on Thursday, June 27, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA  17578. There is no cost to participate. To register, contact Bert Myers at gimyers@pa.gov or 717-733-1512 by the June 1 deadline.

-- Wonders of Wetlands (2-day workshop): Participants will explore wetlands, and discover the plants and animals that depend on them. The workshop is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, June 26 and Thursday, June 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at State Game Lands 223, 480 Garards Fort Road, Waynesburg, PA  15370. To register, please contact Intermediate Unit #1 at 724-938-8722 or www.solutionwhere.com, or Intermediate Unit #7 at 724-836-2460 or online. The cost of the course is $140, plus a $20 materials fee. Checks should be made payable to P.J. Sleber. This opportunity will earn educators IU Credit and ACT 48 hours.

-- Pennsylvania Biodiversity (1-day workshop): Through the use of resource materials and hands-on activities, participants will investigate the concepts of biodiversity. The workshop, scheduled to be held on Friday, June 28, at PPL Montour Preserve, 700 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821 features both indoor and outdoor activities. There is no cost to attend. To register, contact Jon Beam at jdbeam@pplweb.com or 570-437-3131. Leave name, address, phone number, email, school/youth organization and grade/youth age taught.

July

-- Project WILD (1-day workshop): Participants will experience hands-on activities that help address state Department of Education environment and ecology standards. This workshop is for formal and non-formal educators who work with youth in grades kindergarten through 12. It is scheduled to be held on Friday, July 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Game Commission Northeast Region Office, 3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas, PA. There is no cost to participate. To register, contact Kathy Kelchner at 570-696-9105 or email nrspfrsleep@pa.gov  and provide name, phone number, email address, school/youth organization and grade/age taught.

-- WILD About Birding (2-day workshop): This workshop will be presented cooperatively by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center and staff from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. Educators will learn to hone their birding skills and develop the confidence to lead students on birding exercises. The first day of the workshop, on Monday, July 22, will be held at Nolde Forest, 2910 New Holland Road, Reading, PA and the second day on Tuesday, July, 23, will be at Middle Creek, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA. The workshops are scheduled to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on each day, and are intended for educators of students in grades kindergarten through 12th. There is no cost to participate. To register, contact Bert Myers at gimyers@pa.gov or 717-733-1512 before the July 12 deadline.

August

-- Advanced WILD: Monarchs in the Classroom (1-day workshop): Educators can find out how to raise monarchs in the classroom to teach students about insect anatomy and life cycle. The workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way Harrisburg, PA 17110. There is a $10 cost to participate, paid to Dauphin County Parks. To register, contact Wildwood at 717-221-0292 before the Aug. 5 deadline.

-- WILD About Waterfowl (1-day workshop): Educators will learn about waterfowl species and the importance of their wetland habitats. Field activities include observation of duck banding (conditions permitting), waterfowl identification and a guided field experience throughout the Middle Creek property. The workshop, to be held Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is designed to assist educators of grades 5 through 12. There is no cost to attend the workshop to be held at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA  17578. To register, contact Bert Myers at gimyers@pa.gov or 717-733-1512 before the July 30 deadline. Participants will earn Act 48 hours.

Those who are looking for more information on Project WILD workshops offered this year can visit the Game Commission’s website.

6/3/2013