2023 CSH2O Partner in Education Award
These awards recognize educators for going above and beyond expectations in supporting our mission through communication, coordination, collaboration and continued interest in our Environmental Education programs. We are so grateful to know and work with these caring individuals who are eager to ensure that the importance of environmental stewardship is transferred to future generations.
Jacki Cockroft
Jackie Cockroft, the art teacher at Broadneck Elementary School, has been affiliated with CSH2O for the last five years. Our partnership with Jackie extends over five years and two schools. Jackie is a dynamic teacher with an air of positivity while maintaining high expectations for her students. An artist at heart, Jackie grew up watching and creating art alongside her grandmother who shared her love of painting with Jackie. In the classroom, Jackie teaches her young artists with materials and mediums they would not normally use such as oil pastels, clay, and paper mâché.
When Jackie was teaching at Bodkin Elementary School, we brought her the idea of “Upcycled Jellyfish Art” to use as an art lesson. This project combined both a lesson on the role of jellyfish and the use of recycled materials as an art medium. What Jackie did with this project was to take it well beyond our visions and expectations to create an installation that hung in the main building of the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Millersville.
Jackie was able to create magic with her students to hang 120 rainbow inspired jellyfish with her students, and she continues to go above and beyond to make this magic happen in her classroom. Even though you only see each student approximately one hour per week, your dedication extends beyond that time. Jacklyn Cockroft, we thank you for your dedication to the students of AACPS and recognize your efforts to show the importance of Art in STEM that creates the wonderful STEAM! Congratulations for being the 2023 Teacher for “CSH2O’s Partner in Education” Award!
Rebecca Chisholm
In 2021, Rebecca Chisolm reached out to CoreShark H2O in an effort to bring environmental education to her school, Holabird Academy in Baltimore, where she is the Title 1 ESOL Educational Associate. Holabird Academy was a brand new building serving PreK through Grade 8, and there were many new features. Holabird was exploring the option of becoming a Maryland Green School through the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators, and they were interested in having CoreShark H2O facilitate environmental programming for the students at Holabird Academy.
At the beginning of our collaboration with Rebecca, we initially visited the early grades; however, Rebecca had the bold idea to facilitate programming to ALL grade levels, and since we had added Jen to our education team, we were able to make her vision a reality visiting TEN grade levels in all. We even had Bryan return to provide programming to over 200 students and their families.
To ensure that we were able to reach every student in every grade it took a great deal of coordination and patience from Rebecca. She was extremely hands on throughout our preliminary planning sessions and worked tirelessly with the school’s Master Calendar scheduling and rescheduling our visits to maximize our class reach, and the work paid off as the students valued the experience of learning through programs such as Who Polluted the Chesapeake, Curious Crab, Oyster 101, Nature Journaling, and Bay Games. Thanks to Rebecca’s perseverance, Jen and Bryan became instant celebrities when they returned to Holabird for additional programming.
Rebecca, you are a true instructional leader as you have gone above and beyond for your students and your school community. We appreciate your commitment to ensuring your students have the ability to have meaningful environmental experiences. Congratulations for being the 2023 Administrator for “CSH2O’s Partner in Education” Award!