Jon Hooper Receives National Award from Project WILD
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2006
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Jon Hooper, Recreation and Parks Management
530-898-5811
Jon Hooper Receives National Award from Project WILD
Jon Hooper, Department of Recreation and Parks Management, was selected for the national Project WILD Outstanding Facilitator of the Year Award. Hooper, who was California's nominee, has incorporated Project WILD into his university classes and served the Project WILD program in various capacities for more than 20 years.
Hooper has been at California State University, Chico, since 1978. His specialty is environmental communication. He helps students and field professionals learn how to become environmental educators and interpreters. These professionals must often explain complicated environmental concepts in terms that can be understood by lay audiences.
In his class for future teachers, Methods and Materials for Environmental Education, Hooper provides each student with a copy of the Aquatic Project WILD Guide. The materials are free if the students complete a variety of WILD assignments, including acquainting themselves with the Project Wild Web site, making Project WILD presentations in class and leading WILD activities before two real-world audiences at schools, nature centers, camps or park settings.
Hooper was also selected as the Raymond F. Dasmann Professional of the Year for the Western Section of the Wildlife Society in 2001. The award is given to a professional in the field who has made an outstanding contribution to wildlife management and understanding.
"My professional mission," said Hooper, "is to help people make informed environmental decisions based on biological facts rather than just emotion."
As part of his award, Hooper will receive an expense-paid trip to New Orleans for the national Project WILD convention in June.
Project WILD is aimed at developing responsible behavior in students concerning wildlife by increasing awareness, skills and a commitment to informed decision making. More than 1 million educators in the United States have participated in Project WILD workshops since the program was introduced in 1983 and, in turn, have provided instruction using Project WILD to more than 48 million youth. More information about Project WILD is available online.
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