News Release 512

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PRESENTS WATER EDUCATION AWARDS TO FRANK AND THERESA JOHNSON

Volume 34-512	Contact: Renee Bungart
(For immediate release)	573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, NOV. 15, 2006 -- The Missouri Department of Natural Resources presented Frank and Theresa Johnson with the 2006 Water Education Award at the Miller High School. Frank is a retired teacher from Greenfield High School and Theresa is a teacher at Miller High School.

"It gives me great pleasure to recognize Frank and Theresa Johnson on their efforts to educate students about water quality issues," said Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers. "They are a positive influence to not only the students but to other teachers as well."

Frank and Theresa Johnson have been a user of project WET (Water Education for Teachers) and have attended many department-sponsored courses on a variety of topics. Theresa became a Stream Team member and volunteer water quality monitor in 1993 followed by her husband in 1994. Together they formed Stream Team #444 and currently monitor seven streams in the region, which include Sons Creek, Turnback Creek, Sac River, Chaney Branch, Maybee Branch and unnamed tributaries to Maybee Branch and Chaney Branch. The team has involved over 400 participants and has spent over 700 hours on Stream Team activities like water quality monitoring and litter pick-ups on their adopted streams.

Frank Johnson has written articles about the team's activities, written letters for stream protection, attended workshops, and held meetings for Stream Teams. As a biology, chemistry and physics teacher at Greenfield High School, Johnson involved students in Stream Team water quality activities, as well as projects on prairie restoration, plant identification, and exploring the geology of the region, including caving experiences. He is a man of many talents including building his own kayaks and writing two books and several short stories. He continues to be involved in water quality at Stockton Lake.

Theresa Johnson is a biology and chemistry teacher at Miller High School and involves her students in Stream Team activities such as water quality monitoring and litter pick-ups. Johnson engages her students in science by taking them to Talbot Conservation Area near Miller. Always active in professional activities, she is now also working on a master's degree in science curriculum.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources presents the Water Education Award annually to Missouri high school or middle school teachers. The Water Education Awards focus our attention on the vital role of teachers in educating our future citizens on the importance and value of water as a critical natural resource. The department recognizes the outstanding effort and the unique opportunities that each instructor provides for their students to learn the wonders of water ecology.

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.

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 meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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