Santa Barbara, CA: Explore Ecology is excited to announce the recipients of the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Awards. Since 2016, the environmental education nonprofit’s annual awards have recognized teachers, students, classes, and clubs in Santa Barbara County who demonstrate exceptional environmental stewardship. The award winners were nominated by community members who believe that these eco-champions should be recognized for their impactful efforts.
The public is invited to honor and celebrate these eco-heroes at a special luncheon on Thursday, April 17th from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm at the Cabrillo Pavilion. The event will feature an awards ceremony and a delicious lunch by Quail Canyon Catering. Attendees will be inspired by powerful stories from teachers, students, and community leaders – including Dr. Mary Khan, Superintendent of the Goleta Union School District, who will speak about the importance of environmental education.
Proceeds from this fundraising event will support Explore Ecology’s vital Environmental Education, School Gardens, and Creative Reuse programs that serve schools throughout the county. Tickets cost $45 and are available until April 11th at ExploreEcology.org/awardsluncheon/
This year, a record number of nominations were submitted, highlighting the increasing dedication of students and educators to sustainability. After careful review, a panel selected twelve winners who exemplify environmental leadership.
Meet the 2025 Explore Ecology Environmental Stewardship Award Winners:
Student Winners:
- Bodhi Crawford is an ocean steward who volunteered as a Site Captain for Coastal Cleanup Day at Jalama Beach at 8 years of age. He helped gather volunteers, pass out materials, and pick up trash. Bodhi is very passionate about helping to keep the beach clean and being a role model for his peers.
- Liz Loeza is an ardent advocate for the environment. Liz founded her own organization- Plant the Next Tree, through which she has organized tree plantings in local open spaces. She also led a community cleanup at Santa Barbara Community Academy, rallying families to make a difference by removing litter from the neighborhood surrounding her school.
- Jackson Simmons-Furlati created a project at school where he, along with the Dos Pueblos Environmental Club, spearheaded the fundraising and installation of four hydroponic towers that provide fresh lettuce used in the cafeteria. Jackson is part of a United Nations accredited student-led group raising awareness on the harms of single-use plastic. The group will be participating in the UN Ocean Conference 2025, where he will be speaking about growing food where it is needed and launching a micro grant program for other students to do the same on their campuses.
- Rowan Smith is deeply committed to environmental advocacy and is a key member of the Santa Barbara Middle School Enviro Action Club. Rowan has not only participated in the club, but has emerged as a leader and role model. Her enthusiasm and commitment inspire those around her to take action and help cultivate a culture of environmental awareness within the school.
Teacher Award Winners:
- Nancy Morris embodies environmental stewardship and is very active on her Monroe Elementary school campus as a voice for nature. Nancy has been a teacher for over 25 years and is a strong advocate for watershed, garden, and environmental education. Nancy is passionate about protecting the environment and educating children about their responsibility and stewardship of our planet.
- Kim Berman and Danielle Weill are a 6th grade team of teachers at Montecito Union School whose interdisciplinary unit on Climate Change and Student Activism incorporates reading, writing, science, and data literacy- while exploring complex scientific concepts. Students choose an environmental topic, work weekly with mentors, and take meaningful action, such as organizing a clothing swap for fast fashion awareness.
- Marie Chavis is the founder of the El Camino Jr. High Ocean Club and has inspired students to take an active role in preserving our oceans. Most recently, Marie partnered with the MERITO Foundation, leading her students on a field excursion to Shell Beach, where they collected critical data that will contribute to NOAA’s database on the health of the Central Coast’s coastal areas.
- Chris Hamman makes sure that his students get outside to directly observe ecosystems firsthand. Instead of just reading about science at La Colina Junior High, Chris created a living laboratory in a patch of unused land outside his classroom. There, his students conduct experiments such as analyzing soil composition and measuring water levels. His curiosity and openness ignite a sense of wonder in students which is essential for scientific exploration.
Club Awards:
- Sustainable Future Club members at San Marcos High School restored an abandoned drainage culvert that runs through their campus. They planned, promoted, and led a student work day where over 100 trees, shrubs, and perennials were planted to reduce erosion and slow, sink, and store rainwater in the ground. The area will also increase habitat for birds, beneficial insects, and maybe even frogs someday!
- Ashley Griffin’s Class created an outdoor learning area using native plants. These kindergarteners and first graders designed the space with benches, rocks, pathways, and native plant beds. They also installed a rain barrel to use for watering. They and their fellow students at Goleta Family School now enjoy this beautiful nature-rich area.
School Support Staff:
- Martha Rugg’s commitment to environmental education has profoundly impacted Canalino School, inspiring students to embrace sustainability. Martha started an after-school gardening group, facilitates hands-on science lessons for kindergarteners, teaches composting, and maintains a campus garden. Through education, advocacy, and action, Martha fosters a culture of sustainability, empowering students to protect the environment.
- Wendy Kanter has taught generations of planet and plant protectors! Wendy is a truly dedicated environmental steward, bringing both passion and knowledge to her work with young children. Wendy cultivates a beautiful and thriving garden at Santa Barbara Charter School and also nurtures a deep appreciation for nature in her students. She recently started a Nature Journaling Club and teaches children about local birds. For 32 years, Wendy Kanter has encouraged countless children to love the earth and to take care of it.
Award winner Marie Chavis says, “As a child I roamed the open fields of the Santa Ynez Valley collecting wild flower bouquets for my mother, splashing in creeks, chasing wild trout and crawdads, drinking straight out of our coastal mountain streams, and climbing trees. The Earth is a playground and provides us with everything we could ever need. I cannot imagine living without giving back to her, even if in the simplest way. To pass on to future generations a knowledge of this incredible planet is the least I could do.”
Jill Cloutier, PR Director for Explore Ecology, says, “Explore Ecology is thrilled to honor teachers and students in our community who care for nature. This year, we invite the public to be part of the celebration at our first awards luncheon! If you’re ready for some good news, please join us! We promise you will feel uplifted, motivated, and inspired.”
For more information about the luncheon, the winners, and for more high-resolution photos of the awardees, please contact Jill@ExploreEcology.org or call 805-884-0459 ext. 13.
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About Explore Ecology: Explore Ecology empowers our community to protect and preserve the planet with innovative education and nature-based learning. Explore Ecology programs include Environmental Education, Art From Scrap, the Watershed Resource Center, and the School Gardens Program.
For more information, visit ExploreEcology.org.
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