Kansas

Michael Hotz, Science Teacher, Wyandotte High School, Kansas City, Kansas

Michael Hotz teaches a range of science subjects at Wyandotte High School and incorporates environmental education into all the courses he teaches, with PLT at the core. In 2006, he helped his students form a Green Team to become a PLT GreenSchool. His students developed an outdoor classroom, raised garden beds, and aquaponics system. Under his leadership, they launched a “Save a Teacher” Campaign to save enough energy to make up the cost of one teacher’s salary when Wyandotte was faced with the threat of staff cuts due to budget shortfalls. They instituted many energy-saving projects and were able to meet their goal. He and his students mentored another PLT GreenSchool in the district. Michael regularly gives presentations and trainings to encourage other teachers to use PLT.

“Dr. Hotz provides inspiration for teachers across the region. He has taken PLT activities to a higher level, deeply incorporating the program into not only his classroom, but across all disciplines in the curriculum and into programs such as the KCK Saturday Academy and the Kansas Green Schools.”

– Cynthia Annett, Research Associate Professor, Kansas State University

Michael was named National PLT Outstanding Educator Honoree in 2015.

Schanee’ Anderson, Curator of Education, Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas

Schanee’ Anderson oversees a staff of five, as well as dozens of volunteers, who provide educational programs to students who visit the Sedgwick County Zoo. She has found that PLT is an ideal resource for this purpose. She shares what she learns with other nonformal educators, including other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She is a member of the AZA Conservation Education Committee and the Paraguay Conservation Partnership. (She conducted the first-ever PLT workshops in Paraguay!) Schanee’ was the president of the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (the state sponsor for PLT) when it hosted the PLT International Conference in Wichita in 2008. She also helped host the Kansas GreenSchools Conference. Many of the people she has mentored have gone on to become environmental education leaders in other institutions—a testament to her leadership.

Schanee’ was named National PLT Outstanding Educator Honoree in 2010.