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Driven by the philosophy that kids learn better if they are having fun, Ken Baxter was inspired by his students and compelled by his own interests to develop Allegany County's first environmental science curriculum for high school students.
During his 21 year tenure teaching science in Western Maryland, Mr. Baxter educated and inspired hundreds of students and mentored dozens of colleagues in science teaching methods and content, earning him the title of 2001 Allegany County Teacher of the Year.
Dr. Robert Gardner, UMCES Appalachian Lab Director (left) presenting award to Ken Baxter, Johnson Award Recipient (right)
Acquiring funding from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Trust enabled Mr. Baxter to take his students into the filed to analyze the watershed through a variety of scientific tests including water quality and macro invertebrate studies. But Mr. Baxter's interests in environmental science were not limited to his classroom. He participated in NASA science education programs producing remote sensing lessons for earth and environmental science educators, and went on the share his enthusiasm with other educators in a three-day workshop on the material. He has also helped champion efforts to integrate Geographic Information System (GIS) into the curriculum and co-developed a GIS workshop at the Appalachian Llaboratory for Western Maryland and Eastern Shore teachers.
Mr. Baxter was awarded the 2004 Richard A. Johnson Environmental Education Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication to teaching and leadership for environmental education within the Allegany County School System, and for the impressive depth and breadth of environmental science opportunities he has made available to students that far surpass his duties as a teacher. |