Santa Barbara County Students and Teachers Honored for Being ‘Eco-Champions’

Explore Ecology’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Go to Goleta Family School Gardeners, San Marcos High’s Sustainable Future Club, and Several Teachers and Students

Goleta Family School teacher Ashley Griffin and her class of gardening kindergarteners and 1st graders were the 2025 Class Award Winners. | Credit: Courtesy

Every child deserves the chance to get dirt under their fingernails.

That message was driven home at Explore Ecology’s Environmental Stewardship Awards Luncheon on Thursday, where students and teachers were honored for being “eco-champions.” The awards celebrate learning beyond the classroom—in the soil, sun, and fresh air.

“The culture of sustainability is growing in Santa Barbara County,” said organizer Jill Cloutier, Explore Ecology’s public relations director. “There is good news happening. I get teary thinking about the nominations and the winners.”

Among the honorees was Goleta Family School teacher Ashley Griffin and her class of kindergarteners and 1st graders. Using a $4,000 NOAA grant, they transformed an empty, dead space next to their classroom into a vibrant garden of native plants. It is now a home for pollinators, lizards, and curious kids, including benches and paths for the entire school’s use.

As part of the deal, the grant required students to learn about local watersheds. But they went further. Before accepting their award, the little environmentalists shared with the crowd a lullaby-style song they’d prepared and performed for more than 150 classmates:

“What is a watershed? What is a watershed? Do you know? Do you know?”

(For the record: a watershed is an area of land that drains runoff into a body of water.)

Cloutier said that when they started the awards in 2016, they were thrilled to receive just four nominations, which are sent in by school and community members each year. This year, they received more than 50 nominees.

Alongside Griffin’s class, the winners included a school club, seven teachers, and four students.

The Sustainable Future Club at San Marcos High School was recognized for restoring an abandoned drainage culvert on their campus. Students planted more than 100 trees, shrubs, and perennial plants to reduce erosion and provide habitat for birds, insects and frogs.

“We get to see that youth can make a true measurable impact in our community,” said club president Ava Jane Damery. “We are just getting started.”

Teachers received awards for advocating for environmental education on their campuses and instilling in their students a responsibility to take care of our planet.

Kim Berman and Danielle Weill, for example, created a course on climate change and student activism for their 6th graders at Montecito Union School. Another teacher, Marie Chavis, created an ocean club for her school, El Camino Jr. High, and led her students on a field trip to Shell Beach, where they collected data for NOAA’s database on the health of our coastline.

“The Earth is a playground and provides us with everything we could ever need,” Chavis said. “To pass on to future generations a knowledge of this incredible planet is the least I could do.”

And those future generations are already getting started. The first student steward to receive his award — all of which were blue plaques with unique gem borders — was Bodhi Crawford, who volunteered as a site captain for California Coastal Cleanup Day at Jalama Beach at just 8 years old.

“We gotta pick up all the trash,” he emphasized.

Another winner was elementary student Liz Loeza, who founded her own organization, Plant the Next Tree, to encourage people to plant trees in local open spaces. At her school, Santa Barbara Community Academy, she also rallied families to participate in a community cleanup.

“It’s important to protect the Earth because if something bad happens to it, we can’t survive, animals can’t survive, flowers and trees can’t survive, children can’t survive,” she said.

The luncheon was full of teary eyes. It was an emotional affair for many of the teachers to be recognized for their efforts, and for the Explore Ecology staff to connect with such a sustainability-focused community.

“I’ve been getting emotional ever since we decided to have this luncheon,” said Development Director Morgan Coffey. “I’ve just been struck by our impact as an organization.”

“It’s important to lift up our educators,” she continued. “Environmental education is so important.”

Here is Explore Ecology’s full list of winners and their accomplishments:

Student Winners:

Student Award Winner Bodhi Crawford | Credit: Courtesy

Bodhi Crawford is an ocean steward who volunteered as a Site Captain for Coastal Cleanup Day at Jalama Beach at 8 years of age. He helped gather volunteers, pass out materials, and pick up trash. Bodhi is very passionate about helping to keep the beach clean and being a role model for his peers.

Student Award Winner Liz Loeza | Credit: Courtesy

Liz Loeza is an ardent advocate for the environment. Liz founded her own organization: Plant the Next Tree, through which she has organized tree plantings in local open spaces. She also led a community cleanup at Santa Barbara Community Academy, rallying families to make a difference by removing litter from the neighborhood surrounding her school.

Student Award Winner Jackson Simmons-Furlati | Credit: Courtesy

Jackson Simmons-Furlati created a project at school where he, along with the Dos Pueblos Environmental Club, spearheaded the fundraising and installation of four hydroponic towers that provide fresh lettuce used in the cafeteria. Jackson is part of a United Nations accredited student-led group raising awareness on the harms of single-use plastic. The group will be participating in the UN Ocean Conference 2025, where he will be speaking about growing food where it is needed and launching a micro grant program for other students to do the same on their campuses.

Rowan Smith is deeply committed to environmental advocacy and is a key member of the Santa Barbara Middle School Enviro Action Club. Rowan has not only participated in the club, but has emerged as a leader and role model. Her enthusiasm and commitment inspire those around her to take action and help cultivate a culture of environmental awareness within the school.

Teacher Award Winners:

Teacher Award Winner Nancy Morris | Credit: Courtesy

Nancy Morris embodies environmental stewardship and is very active on her Monroe Elementary School campus as a voice for nature. Nancy has been a teacher for over 25 years and is a strong advocate for watershed, garden, and environmental education. Nancy is passionate about protecting the environment and educating children about their responsibility and stewardship of our planet.

Kim Berman and Danielle Weill are a 6th grade team of teachers at Montecito Union School whose interdisciplinary unit on Climate Change and Student Activism incorporates reading, writing, science, and data literacy — while exploring complex scientific concepts. Students choose an environmental topic, work weekly with mentors, and take meaningful action, such as organizing a clothing swap for fast fashion awareness.

Marie Chavis is the founder of the El Camino Jr. High Ocean Club and has inspired students to take an active role in preserving our oceans. Most recently, Marie partnered with the MERITO Foundation, leading her students on a field excursion to Shell Beach, where they collected critical data that will contribute to NOAA’s database on the health of the Central Coast’s coastal areas.

Teacher Award Winner Chris Hamman | Credit: Courtesy

Chris Hamman makes sure that his students get outside to directly observe ecosystems firsthand. Instead of just reading about science at La Colina Junior High, Chris created a living laboratory in a patch of unused land outside his classroom. There, his students conduct experiments such as analyzing soil composition and measuring water levels. His curiosity and openness ignite a sense of wonder in students which is essential for scientific exploration.

Club Awards:

The Sustainable Future Club at San Marcos High School won the Club Award for restoring an abandoned drainage culvert on their campus. | Credit: Courtesy

Sustainable Future Club members at San Marcos High School restored an abandoned drainage culvert that runs through their campus. They planned, promoted, and led a student work day where more than 100 trees, shrubs, and perennials were planted to reduce erosion and slow, sink, and store rainwater in the ground. The area will also increase habitat for birds, beneficial insects, and maybe even frogs someday!

Ashley Griffin’s Class created an outdoor learning area using native plants. These kindergarteners and 1st graders designed the space with benches, rocks, pathways, and native plant beds. They also installed a rain barrel to use for watering. They and their fellow students at Goleta Family School now enjoy this beautiful nature-rich area.

School Support Staff:

Wendy Kanter has taught generations of planet and plant protectors! Wendy is a truly dedicated environmental steward, bringing both passion and knowledge to her work with young children. Wendy cultivates a beautiful and thriving garden at Santa Barbara Charter School and also nurtures a deep appreciation for nature in her students. She recently started a Nature Journaling Club and teaches children about local birds. For 32 years, Wendy Kanter has encouraged countless children to love the earth and to take care of it.

Martha Rugg’s commitment to environmental education has profoundly impacted Canalino School, inspiring students to embrace sustainability. Martha started an after-school gardening group, facilitates hands-on science lessons for kindergarteners, teaches composting, and maintains a campus garden. Through education, advocacy, and action, Martha fosters a culture of sustainability, empowering students to protect the environment.