Conservation Teacher of the Year

The Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District annually recognizes outstanding conservation education efforts of teachers within our service area.  We are seeking your help to find those teachers who are doing an outstanding job with conservation education!  We need nominations!

All teachers in public, parochial, and private schools in Page and Rockingham counties and the City of Harrisonburg are eligible for nomination.  Elementary (grades K-5) and secondary (grades 6-12) educators are recognized in separate categories. Nominations are reviewed by the SVSWCD, and a winner in each category is  recognized locally and receives a $100 gift certificate for educational materials.  Additionally, each local winner may be nominated by the SVSWCD for consideration in the state’s Teacher of the Year Award program.

Eligibility requirements:

  • Educators must be teaching full-time in the classroom.
  • Teachers who are SVSWCD Directors are not eligible, but Associate Directors are eligible.
  • Team teachers are eligible, but awards will be made only to the designated leader.

Any teacher who meets the eligibility requirements may be nominated. Teachers can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else.

The nomination period for 2024 award is open! Complete this form and submit by 4:30 PM on March 3, 2025.

Conservation Teachers of the Year 

2024

K-5 grade: Mary Crews, Smithland Elementary School

Ms. Crews has been an educator for 35 years and currently serves as a fifth grade teacher at Smithland Elementary School. Crews goes above and beyond to bring conservation education into her classroom at Smithland Elementary School. Not only does she challenge her students to think critically and make strong choices, she provides them opportunities to be grateful for the resources they have through daily gratitude journals to highlight the environment.  She allows students to create projects and clubs. Students have created a recycling club, a composting crew, and even designed, created, and now maintain a worm farm. Mary had the students go outside and had them adopt a square foot of the nature trail at their school. The students learn to respect the nature trail space as a home for many species and use it as a space to learn about nature and conservation. She has worked with several organizations to enhance the conservation education at Smithland Elementary School. She has worked with staff from James Madison University as well as members from the Shenandoah National Park.  These organizations helped work with the school on soil and water conversation as well as other natural resources topics. One her co-workers stated that Mary “is an excellent teacher and cares for the world!”. It is because of her dedication to conservation education and commitment to engaging her students in natural resources that the Shenandoah Valley Soil & Water Conservation District awards Mary Crews with the 2024 K-5th Grade Conservation Education Teacher of the Year Award. Ms. Crews was also recognized as the K-5th Grade States Conservation Education Teacher of the Year in December of 2024.

6-12 grade: Lynn Schwartzlander, Page County Middle School

Ms. Swartzlander has been an educator for 30 years and currently serves as a science teacher at Page County Middle School. She goes above and beyond to bring conservation education into her classroom at Page County Middle School. Students get to build a model of their home and analyze how they can conserve energy.  Also, she has her students involved with recycling, growing aloe vera and succulents, and so much more. Lynn works hard to get the students outside and provides them with hands on learning with testing the water quality at the Shenandoah River. Plus, she has students walk the Page County Middle School nature trail and analyze potential sources of pollution. She has worked with the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for her elementary and middle school classes. While at two elementary schools, her students participated in the Districts poster contest. Also, Lynn attended a professional development training session provided by the SWCD. She has had SWCD staff visit her classroom to demonstrate models of Karst topography and groundwater as well as human impacts on local water sources. Her principal stated that Lynn “is actively involved in utilizing local resources to teach students the joy of our beautiful creation”. It is because of her dedication to conservation education and commitment to engaging her students in understanding and appreciating our natural resources that the Shenandoah Valley Soil & Water Conservation District awards Lynn Swartzlander with the 2024 6th-12th Grade Conservation Education Teacher of the Year Award.

2023

K-5 grade: Carlene Lantz, Lacey Spring Elementary School

6-12 grade: Paryce Black, J. Frank Hillyard Middle School

2022

K-5 grade:  Alexandra Szucs, Spotswood Elementary School

6-12 grade: Shelley Garrison, Spotswood High School

2021

6-12 grade: Jeff Peake, Skyline Middle School

2020

K-5 grade: Laura Henry, Lacey Springs Elementary School

6-12 grade: Chris Riley, Luray Middle School

2019

K-5 grade: Phil Satolli, Lacey Springs Elementary School

6-12 grade: Summer Couch, Luray High School

2018

K-5 grade: Jonathon Trice, Mountain View Elementary School

6-12 grade: Tola Ogundipe, East Rockingham High School

2017

K-6 grade: Autumn Pequginot, Lacey Springs Elementry School

7-12 grade: Kristin Brill, Luray High School

2016

K-6 grade: Susan Eckenrode, John Wayland Elementary School

7-12 grade: Rebecca Holloway, East Rockingham High School