| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.18 |
| Liaison | Allen Bottorff |
| Submission Date | Oct. 8, 2012 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Valencia College
ER-1: Student Sustainability Educators Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.00 / 5.00 |
Zia
Ansari Student Development Advisor Student Activity SL |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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Total number of degree-seeking students enrolled at the institution:
43,293
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Program name (1st program):
Your Campus Environment: West Campus
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Number of students served by the program to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (1st program):
18,919
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (1st program):
In efforts to get students outdoors and learning about the campus natural environment, Valencia College West Campus Peer Educators have set up monthly nature walks around the lake on campus. These walks, open to students, faculty, and staff, are led by a student leader trained on natural features of the area, along with members of the Sustainability Committee.
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (1st program):
Students apply to be Student Leaders and go through a summer Leadership Training Program, which included a Lake Pamela walk and outdoor volunteer work near the lake. The student leader for this program, out of her own initiative, volunteered to take responsibility for the program.
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (1st program):
The student leader received training in leading the walks from members of the Sustainability Committee, and then participated in an apprentice capacity for several walks, before being available to lead the walks on her own. This student then led the marketing effort to secure student participation in the walks.
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (1st program):
Members of the Sustainability Committee (Faculty and staff) join the walks whenever schedules permit and provided training for the student leader. No financial support was needed. The student leadership group (Peer Educators) market the program through having a table presence on campus periodically with a flyer on the walks. Students can receive Skillshop credit (needed for scholarships) for participation in the walks. Faculty and staff can also receive Wellness points for participation.
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The website URL for 1st Program:
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Program name (2nd program):
Green Apple Day of Service
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (2nd program):
18,919
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (2nd program):
Through efforts of the Horticulture Club and Student Government Peer Educators, Valencia College West Campus participated in USGBC's LEED for Schools Green Apple Day of Service by planting a butterfly garden. Forty participants, about 30 of them students participated in the event, despite it being on a Saturday.
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (2nd program):
The Student Development Advisor queried Student Leaders as to who would like to lead this effort and the Student Government Association Vice President volunteered. He worked in conjunction with the president of the Horticulture Club, in conjunction with the Sustainability Committee, to organize the event.
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (2nd program):
The student leaders were given orientation on the design of the garden, selection of plants and mulch by representatives from the Sustainability Committee. All plants were to be natives and mulch was to be melaleuca mulch, a sustainable mulch made from an invasive plant common in South Florida.
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (2nd program):
The budget for the garden was $400 from the Student Development funds for the Horticulture Club. Some plants had been dug up for transplant by Grounds crew from East Campus where they were going to be destroyed by road-widening in front of the campus.
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The website URL for 2nd program:
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Program name (3rd program):
Earth Day East Campus
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (3rd program):
21,177
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (3rd program):
The Valencia Earth Studies Association (VESA) is a student club that organized East Campus Earth Day 2012 and will organize Earth Day 2013.
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (3rd program):
Students voluntarily join the club and officers are elected.
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (3rd program):
Under the guidance of the club sponsor, an Earth Science professor, the students have gone on field trips to local parks and researched best local organizations and businesses to invite to participate in Earth Day.
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (3rd program):
Student Government supports Earth Day through its budget, including food, 100 recycle grocery bags, 100 water bottles, and 100 T-shirts, plus $300 for the Central Florida Zoo to bring a variety of native animals (owl, hawk, tortoise, etc.). For Earth Day 2013, VESA has its own budget and will plan for use of that for Earth Day.
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The website URL for 3rd program:
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Program name (All other programs):
Arbor Day Tree Campus USA event
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Number of students to whom peer-to-peer sustainability outreach and education is offered (All other programs):
18,919
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A brief description of the program, including examples of peer-to-peer outreach activities (All other programs):
Through a grant from the Arbor Day Foundation, AASHE, and Toyota, Valencia College was able to hold an event in which students and staff planted 100 large trees on West Campus. The event was coordinated by the Tree Campus USA committee, Sustainability Committee, Horticulture Club and Student Government West Campus.
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A brief description of how the student educators are selected (All other programs):
The student member of the Tree Campus USA committee was nominated by a participating professor for her interest in horticulture and trees.
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A brief description of the formal training that the student educators receive (All other programs):
This student pro
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A brief description of the staff and/or other financial support the institution provides to the program (All other programs):
Everything for this Tree Campus USA event- trees, hats, T-shirts, gloves, and lunch- was paid for by the Arbor Day foundation. The college made sure the trees were watered and survived.
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The website URL for all other programs:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
While it has generally been commented that involving students in Sustainability activities is difficult in a community college, especially one such as ours with so many part time students, we have embraced the effort, in conjunction with Student Government and Valencia Volunteers. We trust it will be a growing effort. More photos are posted at http://www.facebook.com/ValenciaCollegeSustainability.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.