LYONS at Applewild School named NRWA Educator 2014

Maura Lyons, science teacher at Applewild School, Fitchburg received Nashua River Watershed Association's Environmental Education Award for 2014. Lyons was honored at NRWA's Annual Meeting in Devens. The West Townsend resident received the award "for her dedication, passion, and creativity in developing sustainability curriculum and inspiring colleagues, parents and students at Applewild School to become active environmental stewards."

Lyons is in her 11th year teaching science at Applewild and is chair of the Science Dept. She teaches fourth and fifth grades and has created a curriculum that gives students a real life look at the natural world around them. For several years, her students have taken part in the River Classroom program run by NRWA.

In her acceptance speech, Lyons honored Marion Stoddart, founding director of NRWA, as her mentor and role model: "It is because of Marion Stoddart's vision, her commitment, and inspirational success story that I am standing here tonight...I have embedded the story of one so-called 'ordinary' woman's true grit and determination in cleaning up a river, into my curriculum. Marion's internationally recognized ecological success story contains SO many valuable lessons for us all, but especially for our young ones."