View Genially version [↗︎]
50 Years of EEAC NYC
1974–2024
Explore the past 50 years of the Environmental Education Advisory Council of New York City.
1974
EEAC Founded
EEAC founded at the Mohonk Conference, planned and organized by Dr. Eugene Ezersky, Coordinator of Outdoor Education, School Camping and Environmental Education for the Bureau for Health and Physical Education at NYC Board of Education.
1975
First EEAC Meeting
The first EEAC meeting is held in the fall at the Gateway National Recreation Area.
1976
Opening of the Gateway Environmental Study Center
The Art of Trip Taking and A Guide to Residential Facilities published in partnership with EEAC
1977
EEAC Begins Formulating Bylaws and Becoming Incorporated
1978
EEAC's Bylaws and Incorporation Are Passed by General Membership
First Winter Wonders Workshop
First Winter Wonders Workshop held at Gateway Environmental Study Center with strong EEAC support.
1982–1990
Statewide Environmental Education Initiative Collaboration
EEAC collaborates with the Council on the Environment of NYC and the Environmental Action Coalition to coordinate the Statewide Environmental Education Initiative. A talent bank of environmental educators is developed to infuse environmental concepts into the NY State Syllabus.
1985
NY Naturally I Conference Hosted
EEAC organizes citywide NY Naturally l conference for teachers and non-formal educators. See the EEAC Newsletter Summer 1985 issue.
1987
NY Naturally II Conference Hosted
EEAC organizes NY Naturally ll. See the EEAC Newsletter Spring-Summer 1987 issue.
"The Development of Environmental Education in New York City: Personal Perspectives" published
EEAC publishes "The Development of Environmental Education in New York City: Personal Perspectives." See the EEAC Newsletter Winter/Spring 1988 issue.
1989
Blueprint for Action Conference Hosted
EEAC organizes the "Blueprint for Action" conference with the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, which links environmental educators to the city government and the business community. See the EEAC Newsletter Fall 1989 issue.
1990
Chancellor's Environmental Education Task Force Formed
Chancellor’s Environmental Education Task Force formed with several EEAC steering committee members appointed to serve.
EEAC Youth Congress Held at the Gateway Environmental Study Center
See the EEAC Newsletter Autumn 1990 issue.
EEAC Plays Major Role in Citywide "Nature in the City" Conference
1991–1994
Campaign to Keep the Gateway Environmental Study Center Open
EEAC conducts letter writing campaigns and demonstrations to successfully convince the NYC Board of Education to keep the Gateway Environmental Study Center open. Gateway is unfortunately closed in the early 2010's.
1992
Chancellor's Environmental Education Task Force Report Released
Chancellor's Environmental Education Task Force Report released; calls for establishing a citywide Environmental Education Coordinator position.
1996
The First "Green Horizons" Event Takes Place
EEAC co-sponsors with the NYC Board of Education and New York ReLeaf, the first "Green Horizons" event at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for intermediate school youth to learn about environmental careers. Green Horizons becomes a feature of the EE landscape in NYC.
1998
The John Kominski Memorial Fund is Founded
EEAC sets up the John Kominski Memorial Fund which gives awards to excellent educators, students and organizations over the next several years to commemorate the great science and environmental educator. See EEAC Newsletter Spring 1998 (p.3).
1999
EEAC 25th Anniversary Celebration
EEAC's 25th Anniversary Celebration held at Barge Music on the Brooklyn waterfront with nearly 200 environmental educators, environmentalists, political officials and community members in attendance. The October 1, 1999 25th Anniversary Special Issue of the EEAC Newsletter includes articles by past chairpersons on EEAC's history and development.
2000
EEAC Receives the "Green Star Award" from the Environmental Action Coalition
See EEAC Newsletter Spring/Summer 2000.
Teacher Environmental Education Preparation (TEEP) begins
The Teacher Environmental Education Preparation (TEEP) initiative begins with EEAC, Council on the Environment, and the Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education at NYU working with colleges of education to infuse more environmental education into teacher preparation programs. The first three TEEP symposiums are held at Pace University in Westchester, SUNY Cortland and Teachers College.
2001
EEAC Responds to 9/11/2001 with "City of Heroes" Newsletter
See EEAC Newsletter Fall/Winter 2001/2002.
2003
Remembering Bernie Kirschenbaum
Ruth Eilenberg writes a memorial for the Summer 2003 newsletter about previous EEAC Chair Bernie Kirschenbaum, Assistant Director of the Health and Physical Education Unit, Division of Curriculum and Instruction of the NYC Board of Education and the supervisor of the Gateway Environmental Center.
2003–2005
TEEP Publishes "White Paper on Environmental Education in Teacher Preparation in New York State"
TEEP "White Paper on Environmental Education in Teacher Preparation in New York State" is issued and is published in the EEAC newsletter and the newsletter of the New York State Outdoor Education Association.
2008
EEAC Recognizes Joan & Hy Rosner, Two of EEAC's Founding Members
Article in the EEAC Newsletter Fall/Winter 2008 issue on Joan and Hy Rosner, two of EEAC's founding group.
2009
EEAC Members Tour the Geothermal Green Energy Project at the General Theological Seminary
EEAC members see Geothermal Green Energy in action at General Theological Seminary, EEAC Newsletter Summer/Spring 2009.
2010
TEEP Holds Symposium at NAAEE Conference
TEEP holds symposium at the North American Association of Environmental Education conference in Buffalo, New York — the sixth of seven TEEP symposia held throughout the State of New York. See "TEEP Goes to Buffalo" in the Fall/Winter 2010 newsletter.
2014
EEAC Celebrates 40th Anniversary
EEAC's 40th Anniversary Celebration held at the Brooklyn Brewery.
2015
EEAC's History and 40 Years Forward Published in Winter-Spring Newsletter
Brief Summary of EEAC's history published in EEAC Newsletter Winter-Spring 2015. A view of the next 40 years is also included in this special issue.
2016
TEEP Begins Workshop Series
TEEP begins a series of workshops, the first one held at Teachers College. Read about it in the EEAC Newsletter Fall Winter 2016 issue. (See also the Forum/TEEP Workshops & Reports.)
2018
EEAC Newsletter Focusing on "Teaching About Climate Change"
EEAC's Summer 2018 newsletter focuses on "Teaching About Climate Change."
2019–2023
TEEP Evolves into the Environmental Education Projects Forum (EEPF) or "The Forum"
After four workshops, TEEP evolves into the Environmental Education Projects Forum (the Forum). Forum workshops 5 and 6 are held on zoom and generate a number of projects—read about it in the Spring 2021 newsletter issue.
2022
River's Legacy
River DiLeo, transformational chairperson of EEAC since 2018, tragically passes away in 2022. River created a welcoming, inclusive and accessible space for all, shaping the direction of the organization for many years to come. EEAC's revised mission statement and adaptive plan are two of the many living testaments to River's leadership, vision and ability to inspire action and effect change. See Life and Work of Those We've Lost for River including a poem by Ray Pultinas.
2023
EEAC Rebrands
EEAC's rebranding efforts results in a new organization logo.
New logo:
 |  |
Previous logo:
 |  |
2024
First "How Things Work" Conference Hosted
The first "How Things Work" conference is generated by the Forum. Sixteen exhibitors demonstrate how environmental systems from a solar collector to a windmill work to 200 students (grades 6-12) and their teachers in the Great Hall at City College.
Three of the 16 exhibits at the How Things Work conference, March 5, 2024:
 |  |  |
See the Report on the First "How Things Work" Conference for Students Grades 6–College.
EEAC holds "Lunch and Learn: The Role of Standards in Environmental Education Programs"
See the video of this virtual lunchtime session held on May 21, 2024.