Center for Environmental Literacy

The Center for Environmental Literacy at Saint Mary’s is one example of the institution’s commitment to exploring new definitions of sustainability and new ways to create impact.

Saint Mary’s joined with the non-profit educational organization River of Words, founded by Pamela Michael and Robert Hass, to form the Center for Environmental Literacy (CEL) in 2011. Through this partnership, CEL explores and promotes programming for educators to integrate nature and the arts into academic curricula and engages students to work towards creative, environmentally responsible communities by deepening the connection between people and place.

Located in the Kalmanovitz School of Education, CEL develops new approaches to learning that engage students and teachers more actively in the cultural, scientific and social dimensions of environmental study. River of Words, CEL’s flagship program, connects children to their watersheds and their imaginations through an annual, international youth art and poetry contest inspired by the natural world.

For more info on CEL and the River of Words program (and to experience great youth art and poetry), visit their site.