INFORMATIONAL

 As part of the Governor's Virginia Naturally 2000 initiative for environmental 
education in the commonwealth, the Department of Conservation and Recreation is 
piloting a new summer program, the Governor's Academy for Environmental Stewardship, 
to introduce and mentor students who are interested in careers in natural resources.

Two one-week sessions will be held July 16-22 and August 13-19, 2000, at Cove Ridge 
Center, a new environmental education facility at Natural Tunnel State Park in 
Southwest Virginia. Sixteen students will participate in each session.

State and federal natural resource managers, higher education faculty and corporate
professionals will instruct students in the areas of park, forestry, fish and 
wildlife management; watershed and land use management; geology; and threatened and
endangered species and communities.  Activities will be primarily field observations,
hands-on experiences and opportunities to discuss issues and careers with 
instructors.

Please encourage high schools in your division to nominate tenth-grade students for 
consideration in this exciting new pilot program. Enclosed you will find 
informational sheets describing the academy and a student application all of which 
can be duplicated. Applications should be returned by April 30, 2000, directly to 
the Department of Conservation and Recreation. If you have any questions, please 
contact Delores Dalton, science specialist, Office of Secondary Instruction, 
804/371-0778. 

JLD/DD/ce
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