Florida PLT Awards- Nominations are now open until May 31! Thank you for your submissions!
Project Learning Tree applauds all educators, facilitators, and partners whose efforts make our program successful. Each year we recognize two individuals and one organization for their outstanding contribution to the program. In 2011, two certificates of appreciation were also awarded. Now is your opportunity to nominate a deserving educator or business.
Congratulations to our 2011 Florida PLT Award Recipients!
Martha Pierce, Brooke Mohr, and International Paper, Inc.
Certificate winners: Lindsey McConnell, and Ramona Chorman
Martha Pierce: 2011 Florida Facilitator of the Year
Martha is being recognized as a facilitator with exceptional dedication to the PLT p
rogram. She became a facilitator with PLT in 2009. Within only two years she has made a great impact on environmental education in her region through PLT. She organized a regional team and together they have worked to conduct educator workshops, training 66 educators. Her team has worked with Bonita Springs Charter School in Lee County to help them gain PLT school designation. She is now expanding her involvement into the high school level by serving as a facilitator to the Forests of the World training workshops. Pierce also hosted the Florida 2011 PLT Professional Development Conference. Read Press Release!
Brooke Mohr:Florida 2011 Educator of the Year and 2012 National Educator of the Year
As said by her nominator, Robin Will, “Mohr exemplifies the PLT Outstanding Educator with her dedication, creativity, student and partner engagement plans, and commitment to caring for the environment.” Brooke Mohr is the PLT Co-coordinator for Medart Elementary School in Wakulla County. She has taught at various grade levels and has been involved with PLT for 12 years. Mohr has taken an active role in incorporating PLT curricula in her own classroom as well as promoting the PLT program throughout the state. She helped Medart and Shadeville Elementary schools gain PLT school designation by leading workshops and training facilitators. Mohr annually leads a PLT week at her elementary school where each class participates in various activities surrounding a central theme. On the last day of her PLT week, she had a student come up to her and tell her that this was the best week of school ever. Then the student asked her what are we doing next week? Read Press Release!
International Paper Inc.: 2011 Florida PLT Business Partner of the Year
International Paper has provided tremendous support of the PLT program this year. International Paper has contributed to the availability of PLT workshops, events, and resources in Florida. In particular, the assistance of John Brown, a Florida PLT Steering Committee member, truly exceeded expectations. Brown hosted a two-day strategic planning meeting this year by providing logistical, financial, and even catering support. Brown organized the location of the meeting, and showed incredible hospitality to attendees.
Through International Paper’s support for PLT has shown the company’s dedication to support environmental education in Florida. Read Press Release!
Lindsey McConnell: Certificate of Appreciation in the Area of Communications
Lindsey McConnell has worked part-time for Florida PLT for five years while 
earning her BA from the School of Natural Resources and Environment at University of Florida. Prior to becoming a PLT facilitator in 2009, McConnell worked with various PLT projects including a study to investigate how environmental education can enhance language arts and the use of the Places We Live online workshop. Since her certification as a facilitator she has developed an online version of the PreK-8 workshop. Through the online workshop, the PLT program has reached more educators because of its accessibility. Read Press Release!
Ramona Chorman: Certification of Appreciation in the area of Early Childhood Education
Ramona Chorman is the Early Childhood Director at St. Paul Lutheran School. 
She works with children from 15 months to three years old. The teachers under her supervision are required to attend PLT training every year and to actively incorporate PLT activities into their lesson plans. Chorman has encouraged teachers to use activities in creative ways such as raising animals and nature walks.
The PLT coordinator for St. Paul Lutheran School, Deb Wagner, shared that “these young children are seen around campus collecting nature items, looking for nature with pretend binoculars, and planting in the gardens. I am thrilled to have her working with me, encouraging, and sharing with other teachers the benefits of PLT activities.” Chorman’s passion for environmental education also reaches the children’s families as she shares weekly parent letters that encourage families to go outside and explore nature. Chorman works with her staff to find new ways to expose the children to the outdoors through art, reading, and even history.
Chorman shared that “we never run out of ideas to get outside and bring the outside inside.” Read Press Release!
Past Recipients
Meet past recipients of Educator and Facilitator of the Year awards