TOWNSEND, TN — Tremont Institute’s Environmental and Community Leaders Fellowship program has been recognized as a 2019 UL Innovative Education Award finalist. This award recognizes the top environmental STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs in North America.

Co-designed by faculty from Tremont Institute and Fulton High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, the Environmental and Community Leaders Fellowship is an immersive 2-year experience for high school juniors and seniors. The program consists of 10 days of residential learning at Tremont in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, monthly meetings at Fulton High School, an annual student-led community engagement day event in Knoxville greenspaces, and an annual student-led community environmental stewardship event in Knoxville. Additionally, graduating seniors are recruited into summer internship programs at Tremont Institute to further their exploration of academic and career pathways in either education or STEM fields.

One student participating in the fellowship said, “As a person, I felt mental changes. I learned to love people I didn’t know. They became family. I saw the beauty of the world that is so close to us, yet most of us miss. We are so small and should be connected with each other and with the world around us.”

Judges on the award panel were impressed with the immersive 2-year model of the program, the focus on developing youth leaders through genuine leadership opportunities, and the commitment of Tremont Institute to partnering with diverse and underserved communities to further environmental health, justice, and community access to nature for all.

This year marks only the second year for the fellowship, and the Tremont Institute and Fulton High School leaders are inspired by being named a finalist for this award, and are excited to continue to build upon the initial successes of the program.

To learn more about the Environmental and Community Leaders Fellowship, please visit http://gsmit.org/leaders-fellowship. 

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont provides in-depth experiences through educational programs that celebrate ecological and cultural diversity, foster stewardship, and nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Connecting People and Nature since 1969.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2020