CMMCP Receives Award from EEA Secretary Richard Sullivan

The Patrick-Murray Administration Recognizes 22 Programs for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education.

BOSTON – Monday, May 13, 2013 – Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rick Sullivan today honored 22 energy and environmental education programs at the 19th Annual Secretary's Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education. More information here: Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Awards.

The CMMCP educational programs were recognized among several school programs for our educational and public outreach efforts. In our nomination paper, we wrote:

The Central Mass. Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) provides a year round program of mosquito control in 40 communities in both Worcester and Middlesex counties. A fundamental aspect of our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan is education about mosquito biology, and the techniques to reduce risk from mosquito-borne illnesses. Since the discovery of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Massachusetts in 2001, our educational programs have become even more important. Our school program was revised, and community outreach increased substantially. In 2011 we developed a special educational program for senior citizens, and at-risk population from both WNV and EEE. Our school program teaches student basic mosquito biology and empowers students to become a "mosquito patrol officer". We have found that by teaching children the basics of larval mosquito development, they will share with their siblings and parents this knowledge, and reducing larval mosquito habitat around the home is the first tenet of mosquito education (empty those containers!). Educators from dozens of school systems in our service area call upon our entomologists each year to provide curriculum in April and May, times when mosquitoes become evident again. We have displayed at numerous health fairs, Rotary and Garden clubs and other public outreach events in the past decade. Since 2001 we have presented information about various aspects of our program to over 26,000 students & residents at over 575 events. A major source of education is printed materials that are used in our public programs, as well as stocked in area libraries and town halls. Each year we disseminate over 20,000 copies of our printed materials to area residents including the standard mosquito brochure, dog heartworm pamphlet, horse protection flyer, door hangers for service calls, etc. Our education programs are funded by our operating budget and staffed by CMMCP entomologists, biologist and other administrative personnel. In a given year we will average 1,500-2,000 students in 40 school programs, and 500 residents in 10-15 public presentations. Our educational programs have been used for models in other Massachusetts mosquito control programs, as well as in New Jersey. The coloring book we created in-house used in our K-2 school program is being revised for students in Canada from an Environmental Health program in Ontario.

Pictured from left: EEA Secretary Richard Sullivan; CMMCP Staff Entomologist Curtis Best; SAGEE Chair Ursula King; CMMCP Exec. Director Timothy Deschamps; CMMCP Director of Operations Timothy McGlinchy; CMMCP Field Biologist Frank Cornine III; and Dept. of Energy Resources Mark Sylvia. Not pictured is CMMCP Entomologist Juliana Miller.