Scott J. Cope has been named the new President of the PA Association of Environmental Educators, taking over from Ed McCrea.
Cope currently serves as Vice President Of Education for the Wildlands Conservancy, but has worked for DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and locally as a municipal parks and recreation director.
Monday, he introduced himself with this message to members and others interested in environmental education—
Who is he? That could be a question many of you may be asking since I am a relatively newcomer to the environmental education field. But don't let that fact deter you from getting to know me better.
I have been involved with the outdoors all of my 35+ years of professional life, albeit in slightly different capacities yet connected by a common thread: nature.
After graduating from Slippery Rock State College (yep, I'm dating myself) I began my career as a county parks department groundskeeper, advanced to a municipal parks and recreation director, then made a switch to working at DCNR-Bureau of Recreation and Conservation in Harrisburg for several years before settling here at Wildlands Conservancy as the vice-president of education.
During those many years I traveled the Commonwealth from corner to corner. I worked with and met some of the most inspiring, dedicated and honest people I've ever met.
This place we call home, Pennsylvania, is rich with diverse cultures, history and, of course, the great outdoors we so dearly want to protect for generations to come.
I am blessed to be married to the most wonderful person for 35 years, have two extraordinary adult sons with equally impressive careers, a lovely daughter-in-law and a 2-year granddaughter who just steals my heart.
I love spending time with the family, fishing, hunting, photography, boating, landscaping, home improvement and going to the Jersey shore or our cottage in the heart of the Poconos for down time.
I even make people laugh sometimes and have been called such names as workaholic or perfectionist. I continue trying to find that perfect balance of home and work life too; just as many of you do I'm sure.
For the next two years I will be your President. I am honored to have colleagues on the board who are so passionate about environmental education in Pennsylvania and also see the huge potential of what PAEE is capable of.
We will continue to stay true to our strategic plan, strive for financial sustainability and look upon our members to help us grow.
Our past-president, Ed McCrea, used his extraordinary skills to help us focus on and establish a feasible direction.
For that, we will forever be grateful for his efforts and I personally look forward to tapping his expertise as our past-president, a new board position created to ease the transition of new presidents and diminish any quick loss of institutional knowledge.
However, PAEE needs your involvement to be successful and in the coming months we will seek your assistance.
In the meantime if you have a desire to become involved sooner please contact me or any other board member and we will be more than happy to discuss options with you. Until then, have a wonderful, safe and educational balance of the summer!
Scott
Scott J. Cope, President
Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators
Email: sjcope@wildlandspa.org
Other Initiatives
-- Click Here to nominate a person or group for the 2017 PAEE Awards
-- Click Here to learn more about the 2017 PAEE Conference March 12-14
For more information, visit the PA Association of Environmental Educators website. Click Here to sign up for the EE Resources newsletter (bottom, left of page).
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