Albuquerque's Environmental Story

Educating For a Sustainable Community

A Process Manual: The Timeline involved in the Process in Developing the Monroe County Environmental Story

March 1988

The Monroe County Environmental Education Task Force (EETF) was created. This group is comprised of various individuals involved in a wide range of environmental education programs. The Monroe County schools provided a liaison person.

June 1988

After an introduction to the DCES, the decision was made to take on a similar project, the writing of the Monroe County Environmental Story. A small group for the EETF formed a project committee and chose a person to coordinate the writing o the MCES. Major decisions were made by this core group.

July-August 1988

Contacts made with editors of AES DCES. Copies of these books were obtained and studied. Study of the draft process manual. A list of possible Ad Hoc Committee members, key people in the community, was complied.

Sept. 1988

Met with Superintendent of Schools to explain project. Gave presentation of MCES to the Monroe County School Board and received total approval and radio and newspaper publicity. Letter went out to potential Ad Hoc committee members.

Oct. 1988

Wrote a hand out explaining MCES project. Compiled a list of potential contributors. Sent out form letter to potential contributors with a participation from to fill out.

Nov. 1988

First Community Planning meeting held. The Superintendent gave the welcome address, then a general introductory session. Group meeting followed. Six areas were set up – one for each of the four sections of the book, one for community resources and one for specialties, production, etc. Participants joined the group of their interest/expertise. MCES project committee members chaired each of the six groups. Major decisions and commitments were made. This was a very high-energy meeting and the input was invaluable.

Dec. 1988

Plans were made for section meetings. Letters to potential contributors were sent announcing section meetings.

Jan. 1989

Sections meetings were held, the outline was refined and the writing topics were assigned.

Feb. – April

Articles received. Letters sent to writers who sent articles. Letters sent to writers who had not sent articles.

April 1989

Spring meeting/social was held for updating progress. Participation forms were available for newcomers.

May 1989

Peer review guidelines were written.

June 1989

Summer Teachers’ workshops were held to modify worksheets and activities.

July 1989

Meetings held with writers, peer reviewers. Editing and word processing took place with periodical updating.

1990

Updated mailing lists.

Kept up personal communication with telephone and letters.

Met with photographers and artists.

Made charts

Located photographs.

April 1990

Prepared a MiniBook, sample of articles that will appear in MCES, to be used for obtaining funding; Had an all out effort for state funding, phone, and letter writing campaigns

September 1990

Started a publicity campaign.

The EETF puts out a monthly newsletter giving progress of the MCES.

Monthly EETF meetings are published in local papers, always mentioning the MCES.

All Countywide meetings are announced on local radio stations and the newspapers.

Booths set up at educational conferences.

(Up to Introduction, Back to The Replication Process, On to Welcome)