Hoppy wins the Howard Bell Award!

At the statewide conference in Malibu, AEOE was honored to present the Howard Bell Award to Stephen "Hoppy" Hopkins from the Sly Park EE Center. Hoppy has been a tireless, passionate and enthusiastic supporter of outdoor/environmental education and AEOE for many years - in fact, at the conference, he was the only one who stood up when Janice Smith, AEOE State Historian, asked who had been involved since the 1970's! We managed to keep the award a surprise till the end of the conference, where Dan Allison and Savannah Brown tricked Hoppy into thinking he was only getting the home-made "Golden Megaphone Award" Savvy had put together for him! His surprise and delight were a joy to watch, and truly gave the conference "a Hoppy ending"!

Hoppy has been instrumental in establishing national and international programs of environmental education. In collaboration with the University of California he has conducted graduate programs in Conservation Biology and has helped to coordinate teacher training workshops and environmental education programs in Costa Rica and Ecuador. He has been associated with the Sacramento County Office of Education's Sly Park resident outdoor school program for over two decades where he is currently the school principal.

Hoppy believes that environmental education is an important part of the educational equation. "I am passionate about the outdoor school curriculum. Students who attend outdoor schools cultivate an appreciation for the natural world, develop social skills and remember their experience as a meaningful part of their lives. It is education that promotes a sound mind and a healthy body."

Hoppy continues to address these issues at meetings and conferences throughout the state. See the reprints of his articles on these isssues: Professionalism and "You're Not Paid What You're Worth"

As a long-time member of the AEOE board, Hoppy has served two consecutive terms as AEOE northern chairperson, organized statewide conferences and received the 2000 Environmental Educator of the Year Award as a clear recognition from his colleagues of his outstanding leadership contributions to outdoor education. Hoppy currently serves as the AEOE liaison to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). He is retiring next year.

Congratulations, Hoppy!

Hoppy receives Howard Bell Award at the 2004 State Conference in Malibu