Lexington-Richland School District Five educator Will Green has been named Educator of the Year by the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina (EEASC).
A National Board Certified Teacher and 7th grade science teacher, Green has taught at Irmo Middle School for seven years and serves as the Certified Green Steps Team Leader at the school.
Green has established a Monarch and Milkweed habitat along with his 7th grade students, who affectionately refer to him as the “Greenhouse Commander”. He is recognized for bringing awareness in and around the community by narrowing the focus on one specific species of concern and using that as the impetus for a longitudinal student-driven project, creating a worthy model for other educators to follow.
Green collaborates with his 7th grade team to design and organize a community plant sale and provides opportunities for his students to sell milkweed at the Soda City farmers market. Students advocate for more controlled spraying of pesticides to protect Monarchs and increase the planting of Milkweed in the local area at Irmo Town Hall meetings. As part of School District Five’s #LeaD5 professional development initiative, Green also leads sessions for teachers on how to integrate Monarch and Milkweed education across the curriculum.
Environmental Education Association of South Carolina is a non-profit association with a leadership role in environmental and natural resource conservation education in South Carolina. EEASC was formed in 1977 from the Environmental Education Advisory council which guided efforts in environmental education for the South Carolina Department of Education from 1960 to 1977.
