News Releases 439

News Release No. 439

NOEL ELEMENTARY TEACHER TO RECEIVE EDUCATION AWARD

Volume 33-439	Contact: Susan Bloomer
(For immediate release)	573-526-1825

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 21, 2005 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will present Noel Elementary teacher Ron Howerton with the 2005 Water Education Award for his efforts to educate students about water quality issues. Howerton will be presented with the award on Oct. 24 at the school.

Sharing his love for nature with students, Howerton has spent countless hours teaching them how to care for water resources through monitoring activities on the Elk River. In 1998, he co-founded the Noel Conservation Club at Noel Elementary. Howerton is a dedicated fourth-grade teacher who's involvement in litter pickups, meetings, recruitment and presenting and displaying information on the Elk River and the Conservation Club has inspired local youth to join the Stream Team Program. Howerton is quick to mentor and share his belief that nature teaches students. His enjoyment and support for conservation is passed on to his students at Noel Elementary.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources presents the Water Education Award annually in conjunction with World Water Monitoring Day activities. World Water Monitoring Day, held on Oct. 18, gives citizens an opportunity to positively impact the health of rivers, lakes, estuaries and other surface waters. Volunteer monitoring groups, water quality agencies, students and the general public are invited to test four key indicators of water quality: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.

The recipients of the Water Education Award are chosen based on the following criteria:

Involvement with the Missouri Stream Team Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program;

Use of Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) in classroom activities;

Personal innovative ideas that promote youth's interest in the conservation of water resources;

Continued personal commitment to provide high quality educational programs about water ecology and water resources.

Other 2005 Water Education Award recipients include:

Erica Cox, Lebanon Junior High School,

Elizabeth Peterson, Ladue Middle School,

John England, Lincoln Intermediate Center in Farmington

For more information, call the Department of Natural Resources' Water Protection Program at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-1300.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming events, meetings and hearings, visit our online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

###