Columbia, SC—Kristin Ziegler, Lead Teacher for the School of Zoological and Botanical Studies (ZooBot) at Longleaf Middle School, has been named the 2016 SC Conservation Teacher of the Year for Secondary Education (7^th-12^th Grade) by the SC Association of Conservation Districts.  Previously, Ziegler was named Richland County Conservation Teacher of the Year by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.  These conservation awards are presented annually to a teacher who has exhibited an outstanding commitment to conservation education.

Ziegler is a deserving recipient of both awards, as she has dedicated her career to furthering her students’ passion for environmental studies.  She has taught secondary science for more than twelve years, and she has been in her current position as the Director of the ZooBot Magnet Program and leader of the Science Department at Longleaf Middle School for more than five years.  As head of this unique environmental education program, Ziegler successfully uses a combination of classroom activities, field studies, and projects to help her students develop both a sense of love and respect for the environment as well as the critical thinking and analytical skills that inform decision-making.

In addition to her recognition as the local and statewide Conservation Teacher of the Year, Ziegler has also been named Teacher of the Year at Longleaf Middle School, received a Champions of the Environment Grant from SC DHEC, and received an Education Mini-Grant from the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.  As this long list of achievements suggests, Ziegler is a champion of conservation education.  According to Joanna Weitzel, Executive Director of Camp Discovery—a host site for ZooBot student research—Ziegler “is helping a new generation of learners to become responsible environmental stewards in our communities and in our world.”

Ziegler will be recognized for her achievements at the SC Conservation Awards Luncheon in Columbia on Tuesday, February 21, at 12:15pm.  For more information about the Conservation Education Awards Program, contact Chanda Cooper at cooperc@rcgov.us.  Nominations for 2016-2017 Conservation Education Awards will be accepted until April 10, 2017; guidelines and nomination details are available online at www.rcgov.us/rswcd. 

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Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners.  The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County.

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