Interview with Christie Cook, February 20, 2007

Partial Transcript: Uh, this is Dale Johnson with Eastern Kentucky PRIDE...

Segment Synopsis: Johnson begins the interview by introducing Christie Cook and detailing the setting of the interview.

Partial Transcript: Uh, can I get some--a, a brief context on your life in general?

Segment Synopsis: Cook details her personal history and where she has lived throughout her life. She discusses moving to Johnson County, where she lived at the time of the interview, and her property there. She describes her work history and details how she became an environmental educator with the local Conservation District.

Keywords: Children; Conservation districts; Early childhood education; Eastern Kentucky; Farms; Grant writing; Grants; Greenup County (Ky.); Homes; Libraries; Logan (W. Va.); Paintsville (Ky.); Properties; Putnam County (W. Va.); Woods

Subjects: Education; Employment; Environmental education.; Johnson County (Ky.); Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: So the, the first year, I took all of the projects--project Learning Tree, um, project Wild, project Wet, I've taken project Leopold.

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes beginning as an environmental educator and the projects with which she has worked. She discusses the process of learning how to be an environmental educator and how she does things differently from most other environmental educators.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Environmental Education Council; Kids; Learning; Paintsville (Ky.); Schools; Science; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: Um, I, I think the other thing that, um, this shift in gears in careers for me personally, um, has also, uh, underlined the fact that I believe in lifelong learning.

Segment Synopsis: Cook discusses her focus on lifelong learning and she stresses the importance of hands-on learning and outdoor classrooms to environmental education. She also describes the different groups of students that she works with and some of the challenges she faces in working with a very large range of ages and in working with other teachers.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Schools; Science; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.; Teachers

Partial Transcript: Do you go to about every school in the county?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes Johnson County's Conservation Day, in which every fourth grader in the county comes together for a day of environmental education. She discusses the partners who come in to work with students and how the day focuses on a different theme each year. Cook also describes the different activities in which the students are able to participate and she details how they aim to have the program work with Kentucky's education standards.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Conservation; Education; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Partnerships; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Kentucky.; Outdoor learning laboratories.

Partial Transcript: Um, I have one school--am I allowed to mention names of schools?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the partnership she has with one school in which the fifth and sixth grade classes are able to work with her one day each month, rather than only once a year. She also describes a program with seventh and eighth graders in which the students work with waterways and water quality testing. She describes the impact of working outdoors with students who aren't used to being out in nature.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Conservation; Education; Kids; Learning; Our Lady of the Mountains School; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.

Partial Transcript: And, and, and crafts--the kids don't get enough time to, to do art or crafts.

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the work she does with students having them make art and crafts in nature. She also discusses some archaeological aspects she has been able to introduce into the outdoor classroom and the importance of creating these opportunities.

Keywords: Archaeology; Art; Children; Classes; Crafting; Crafts; Education; Folk art; Kids; Learning; Nature; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.

Partial Transcript: But, um--so how many schools have written PRIDE grants?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes her work with schools showing them how to apply for grants with PRIDE and what they can purchase using grant money that can help in their classrooms.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Grant proposals; Grants; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky).

Partial Transcript: Now we were talking about Tom, Tom Biebighauser earlier, um, and you said that one of the schools had wetlands?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the schools in the area that have outdoor classrooms and a recent effort to get a wetland at one school. She also describes the value of having an outdoor classroom at schools even though her outdoor classroom is available to the schools.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.

Partial Transcript: So, um, do you get involved in the PRIDE cleanups?

Segment Synopsis: Cook discusses PRIDE cleanups in the area and the involvement of schools in the cleanups. She describes the impact that cleanups have on children and the people who live in the areas which have been cleaned. She also details an effort by students to help reduce cigarette litter in a housing complex.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Cleanup; Conservation; Education; Garbage; Kids; Learning; Litter (Trash); Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Solid waste; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Roadside litter; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: Well, I would see, um--you know it's obvious the people that trash their p, their property and everybody else's have problems with self-esteem.

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the effect that cleanups have on people in the area. She also discusses how people should teach others how to help the environment and to understand that people often litter and dump for complex reasons.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Conservation; Education; Environmentalism; Garbage; Kids; Learning; Litter (Trash); Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Solid waste; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Pollution.; Refuse and refuse disposal.; Roadside litter; Waste disposal sites

Partial Transcript: One thing that we do with Conservation Day, speaking of packaging and garbage--garbage was, the first couple years, a major thing.

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the efforts they have made in regard to their Conservation Day to reduce the amount of garbage it produces by having a contest to see which school could create the least amount of garbage. She also discusses the importance of trying to help locally in order to make a global impact on the environment.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Conservation; Education; Garbage; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Solid waste; Students; Trash

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Pollution.; Recycling (Waste, etc.); Refuse and refuse disposal.

Partial Transcript: But, um, so you didn't start working with PRIDE until 2001?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes how she got involved with PRIDE as an environmental educator. She discusses planning the first conservation day and the input she got from teachers to expand conservation day. She talks about what the students and teachers are able to get from it. She also discusses the importance of the partnerships with PRIDE and outside organizations like the Army Corps of Engineers.

Keywords: Animals; Army Corps of Engineers; Children; Classes; Education; Impact; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Partnerships; Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students; Wildlife

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What do you--do you have any other plans for the future or, uh, does this seem to be working?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes what more she would like to do moving forward, including publishing a tree-walking guide for the outdoor classroom. She also discusses wanting to install a bird blind at the outdoor classroom to increase the ability for students to see wildlife at the outdoor classrooms. She also describes how she would like to involve more schools moving forward.

Keywords: Animals; Bird blinds; Children; Classes; Education; Impact; Involvement; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students; Wildlife

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.

Partial Transcript: And so, from what I can gather, four or five probably have PRIDE clubs?

Segment Synopsis: Cook discusses PRIDE clubs in the area and why there aren't more. She describes the limitations schools face in regard to starting a club and the difficulties teachers face in regard to time and resources.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Clubs; Education; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; PRIDE clubs; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: But, uh, uh, I know why I was thinking of that 'cause I, I wanted to ask about recycling.

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the limitations in regard to recycling in Johnson County. She describes how, in schools that recycle, it's usually a teacher or administrator volunteering to take the recycling to a nearby county to have it processed. She also discusses her own recycling efforts.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Garbage; Kids; Learning; Limitations; Paintsville (Ky.); Schools; Science; Solid waste; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Recycling (Waste, etc.); Recycling centers.

Partial Transcript: So did--is this conservation area that you've been using with the kids, did I, did I miss--is that on the property that you bought?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes the outdoor classroom and its location. She discusses how the area is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and how the county leases the land. She also discusses how she has applied what she has learned to her own property.

Keywords: Army Corps of Engineers; Children; Classes; Education; Impact; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students; Waterways

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.; Paintsville Lake (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Um, and what am I mi--am I missing anything about your involvement--

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes how she ended up as an environmental educator and how her early interests led to that point. She also discusses how PRIDE enables individuals to succeed through the simplicity of their grant process and the help they provide individuals.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Grant proposals; Grants; Kids; Learning; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Resources; Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Outdoor learning laboratories.; Teachers

Partial Transcript: Is there anything that you've thought about that PRIDE could expand into?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes how she thinks PRIDE could move forward and discusses what she thinks of their work currently.

Keywords: Grant proposals; Grants; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Resources; Teachers

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: How 'bout, uh, um--have you been able to see outcomes and results from certain students?

Segment Synopsis: Cook describes how she hasn't been able to see much impact in the students that she is able to see only once a year but she has been able to see growth in the students with which she works every month. She also discusses the importance of making kids aware and giving them tools to learn about the environment and to change their own practices.

Keywords: Children; Classes; Education; Impact; Kids; Learning; Outdoor classrooms; Paintsville (Ky.); Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment (PRIDE); Schools; Students

Subjects: Environmental education.; Environmental protection; Environmentalism; Johnson County (Ky.); Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Well, um, I don't want to keep you all afternoon.

Segment Synopsis: Johnson concludes the interview and discusses with Cook how the interviews will be archived after his project is completed.