National Environmental Education Foundation and Samsung Empower Students and Teachers to “Engineer a Sustainable World” During National Environmental Education Week
STEM Learning Resources Focus on Solving Environmental Challenges
Washington, D.C., April 9, 2014 /3BL Media/ - Students and educators around the country are taking part in National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) 2014 throughout April with learning focused on how the STEM fields, specifically engineering, can be used to solve some of today’s biggest environmental problems, leading to sustainable solutions for a healthier planet and healthier people.
EE Week, run by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and sponsored by Samsung Electronics North America, offers students and teachers the opportunity to explore lessons, careers, online tools and other resources that use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to solve real-world problems. This year’s EE Week resources include classroom lessons, Google Hangouts with Samsung and NASA engineers, professional development webinars and resources from multiple partners, all geared toward Greening STEM. The educational materials and engagement projects for EE Week 2014 include:
- An Engineering Educator Toolkit with resources for students from kindergarten through high school to apply engineering principles to environmental challenges in the classroom
- Educator Webinar: Grand Green Challenges for Engineering to discuss using engineering to meet sustainability challenges, April 9, 7 p.m. ET (archived EE Week professional development webinars on Greening STEM are available online via http://eeweek.org/webinars)
- A Google Hangout with NASA engineers to discuss STEM fields and careers for girls, April 22, 7 pm ET
- A Google Hangout for teenagers with a Samsung engineer to share real-world learning experiences and encourage students to pursue STEM careers, April 23, 7 pm ET
- A Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Environmental Sustainability Innovation Award announcement
- A photo contest showcasing students engaged in environmental education, with STEM subjects and with nature for a grand prize of a Samsung Galaxy Tab, April 14 – April 18
- A series of blog articles on Greening STEM from educators across the country
- An index of mobile apps and games that help students use technology to connect with the environment
- An infographic exploring the past, present and future of environmental problem-solving through STEM
“Environmental education, combined with STEM learning, gives teachers and students the chance to develop sustainable solutions to real-life environmental challenges while being exposed to exciting potential careers,” said Diane Wood, president of NEEF. “Lessons in engineering teach useful correlations, such as the relationship between design and function, while encouraging an appreciation for trial and error.”
By partnering to provide these resources and activities, the two organizations strive to ensure that the country’s future leaders are well equipped to create sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to the obstacles that may lay ahead.
“As the largest electronics company in the world, Samsung is the direct result of a strong pipeline of employees who are passionate about science, technology, engineering and math,” said David Steel, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics North America. “Therefore, ensuring that today’s students are interested in and engaged with STEM subjects is a key priority for us and for the economic health of the United States. Environmental education and connecting future leaders with knowledge and ways to improve the health of their communities and the planet can help bridge this gap and empower students today to help build a stronger, better tomorrow.”
EE Week is traditionally celebrated the week before Earth Day, but due to the demand for information and the wealth of materials available, NEEF is expanding EE Week this year.
“We have so many opportunities and resources, that we couldn’t contain them all in one week, so we extended our activities throughout the month of April – and beyond,” said Wood. “We encourage educators to think of Environmental Education Week as something they can do every week throughout the year.”
EE Week is the nation's largest celebration of environmental education. This year’s theme, Engineering a Sustainable World, is part of EE Week’s multi-year focus on Greening STEM. Since its inception in 2005, EE Week has delivered free, non-biased, high-quality, environmental materials grounded in accurate, timely scientific information and tied to local, state and national learning standards.
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About the National Environmental Education Foundation
NEEF is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, connecting people to knowledge they use to improve the quality of their lives and the health of the planet. To accomplish this, NEEF provides knowledge to trusted professionals and other leaders who, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve every day environmental problems. NEEF sees a future where by 2022, 300 million Americans actively use environmental knowledge to ensure the well-being of the earth and its people. Learn more at neefusa.org, follow NEEF on Facebook.com/neefusa and Twitter @neefusa.
About Samsung Electronics North America
Samsung Electronics North America (NAHQ), based in Ridgefield Park, NJ, is an arm of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The company markets a broad range of award-winning business and consumer electronics, information systems, and home appliance products, as well as oversees all of Samsung’s North American brand management including Samsung Electronics America, Inc., Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC and Samsung Electronics Canada, Inc. As a result of its commitment to innovation and unique design, Samsung is one of the most decorated brands in the electronics industry. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com. You can also Fan Samsung on www.facebook.com/SamsungUSA or follow Samsung via Twitter @SamsungTweets.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, tablets, personal computers, cameras, home appliances, printers, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 286,000 people across 80 countries with annual sales of US$216.7 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.
Contact:
Amber Taylor
National Environmental Education Foundation
703-201-4893
amber@taylored-communications.com
Theresa Cha
Samsung Electronics North America
201-229-4032
tcha@sea.samsung.com
