Working in pairs, volunteers throughout the state are beginning to fill this gap through a unique DNR program, Teaching Environmental Awareness in Maryland (TEAM).

Filling A Need
Created in 1998 by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), TEAM volunteers provide classroom-based programming to Maryland schools. The goal of these dedicated volunteers is educating students about the Chesapeake Bay and other important Maryland environmental issues. By their actions, TEAM volunteers are helping connect local schools to Maryland’s natural environment.

From its beginnings, TEAM was a response to demands by schoolteachers around the state. They felt that DNR needed to support their efforts to teach students about Maryland’s natural environment. However, the Department lacked the resources to provide these services. As a result, DNR harnessed the spirit of volunteerism in Maryland to meet this need by creating the TEAM program. Since then, TEAM has become an important resource to schools around the state.

TEAM Classroom Services
TEAM is a free service, offering elementary and middle school teachers a choice of classroom programs designed to fit their needs. A watershed program teaches students about the Chesapeake Bay watershed, its habitats and the effects of non-point source pollution.

Following on the watershed concept, a two-part middle school program on Maryland streams teaches students about water quality, stream habitats and the community of organisms that inhabit them. The second part of the stream program takes students to a local stream to sample its macroinvertebrate community and collect habitat data. This information will help them understand and make conclusions about the health of that stream.

Two more programs relate to the marine resources of Maryland. A program on horseshoe crabs, a species of concern in Maryland, introduces students to their life history, anatomy, and some of the management issues surrounding this important fishery. TEAM’s newest program on oyster reefs teaches students about the community of organisms that depend on the presence of the reef and some basic oyster anatomy. All TEAM programs consist of hands-on activities and are designed for upper elementary or middle school level students.

The Results
From the Appalachian Mountains to the Coastal Bays, TEAM volunteers have given hundreds of classroom presentations, reaching more than 10,000 elementary and middle school students. Our volunteers and the programs they offer have been well received by teachers and students alike. Teachers evaluating TEAM programs are complimentary and positive about the service and the volunteers.

“They were fantastic!” “They spoke on a level that the children understood,” and “They inspired us all!” are just a few of the teacher comments about the program. As a result, educators come back year after year to request TEAM services - an excellent indicator of the quality and professionalism of TEAM volunteers. Their commitment and enthusiasm is integral to TEAM’s success.

The Volunteers
While TEAM members come from all walks of life -- the majority are retired professionals -- this small but dedicated group of volunteers has several important motivators in common. Each enjoys working with young people. Each has a strong desire to be a positive influence on the young people they serve. And each has keen interest in protecting our natural environment. Together they form a solid foundation of active stewards that DNR will build on for years to come.

One TEAM volunteer describes her personal experience. “During my training, everyone kept telling me that if we reach just one child and teach them about our natural resources, it’s worth it. The personal satisfaction that doing this volunteer work has brought to me is more than I can explain. The children learn so much about the different topics we discuss and most are very eager to make a difference in their environment. It’s more than I expected and I am very proud to be a part of TEAM.”

Each year TEAM recruits additional volunteers from around the state.

It Starts with Training
TEAM training provides volunteers the tools and skills necessary to educate students in a classroom setting, a broad understanding of Maryland’s natural resources, and helps them become natural resource stewards in their own communities.

All TEAM training classes utilize the expertise of DNR’s professional staff to provide volunteers with exciting and informative instruction. Many sessions are field classes, allowing volunteers to experience Maryland’s natural resources first hand. Additional classes are offered year-round, allowing volunteers to expand their knowledge. In the fall of 2002, these classes covered a variety of topics, including invasive species and forest ecology. Upon completing their training, new volunteers help TEAM expand its services throughout the state.

What’s Next
The volunteer spirit of Marylanders gives DNR a real advantage when it comes to accomplishing important natural resource goals. Whether they are members of Maryland’s Tributary Strategy Teams, eradicating water chestnut in the Bird River, or teaching stewardship in the classroom, volunteers have become an indispensable part of DNR’s restoration and outreach efforts.

For today and tomorrow, DNR is using this spirit of volunteerism to foster a new generation of environmental stewards.

Matthew Chasse, is a DNR Conservation Education Specialist and TEAM Program Coordinator. He also serves on the agency’s Education Matrix Team. Matthew provided the photos for this article.