BOOST Community Ambassador, MCCC Professor Awarded Distinguished Teaching Honors

MCCC Professor Alvyn Haywood, center, accepts the Distinguished Teaching Award from Interim Vice President Judith Redwine and Board Chair Anthony Cimino.

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- On May 22 Mercer County Community College celebrated the graduation of 935 students in outdoor ceremonies. Speaking on behalf of the student population was Television major Jennifer Leigh, a 2004 graduate of Nottingham High School. Leigh produced and directed many live and taped television productions and won several awards for her work. "When I came here, I was looking for a gold coin and found the whole treasure chest," she said. Leigh plans to continue her education in television production.

Addressing the 2008 graduates was Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who began by saying she was proud that her son, Jared, was among the graduates. She said to the green-robed grads, "Your professors have given you a toolbox. It's up to you to decide what to do with those tools. Don't ever stop learning; don't ever stop challenging yourself and asking why." As the Majority Leader of the Democratic New Jersey General Assembly, Coleman is the highest ranking woman in the state legislature.

Following a longstanding college awards tradition, Professor of Communication Alvyn Haywood was presented with this year's Distinguished Teaching Award, having been selected by his colleagues. In addition to chairing the college's governing body, the College Forum, Haywood is a popular voice on campus and also serves as the voice of Passage Theater on WIMG AM radio. He recently completed the second year as host and originator of the cable television variety program "What Might Happen," which airs on Mercer's cable channel 26.

In addition to holding many positions at MCCC for the past 15 years, and teaching at both campuses, Haywood also teaches Human Communication for Project Inside at the Garden State Correctional Facility. He has served as a member of the Juvenile Intensive Supervisor Program for the Juvenile Justice Commission. He holds a Masters of Divinity Degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Theater Arts from St. Andrews Presbyterian College.

Also on May 22 the college hosted its Honors Convocation, presenting 120 awards and scholarships to graduating students, including monetary awards endowed by generous donors. In congratulating the awardees MCCC President Patricia C. Donohue said "you have proven the value and worth of our community college mission."

Gilmores (The G-Spot) Promotes Green and BOOST Enters New Jersey Learns Inaugural Class of Educators for Sustainability.

(photo left) Kevin Gilmore, owner of the G-Spot, is committed to greening-up, (photo middle); Jamie Cloud - President and Founder of Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education; and (photo right, pictured from left) Winnie Fatton, Project Manager for the Municipal Land Use Center at College of New Jersey (TCNJ) greets BOOST Board of Directors Tyrone Gaskins, Kevin Wortham, and Professor Monique Simon on May 22 at the inaugural class for New Jersey Learns. Not pictured, but present at NJ Learns is Building Open Opportunity Structures Together's Founder and Executive Director, Tim Razzaq (busy, taking pic.s, as always.)

Development Spotlight: Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education New Jersey Learns Certification Training Program: Class of 2009 a first for the Garden State

Thanks to a generous grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Cloud institute for Sustainability Education has accepted 50 participants from 12 different communities to participate in New Jersey Learns Leadership Training, a training-of-trainers program designed to contribute to NJ’s capacity to educate for sustainability as it prepares educators, trainers, and community leaders to introduce their constituents to sustainability education. On Thursday, May 22, the Board of Directors for Building Open Opportunity Structures Together, also known as BOOST, joined stakeholders from around the state of New Jersey at the Johnson Center for Education, located on the grounds of the D & R Greeway Land Trust in Princeton (NJ), for the inaugural training course of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education's Education for Sustainability (EfS) certification program (http://www.sustainabilityed.org/). *** Cloud's New Jersey Learns Class of 2009 members include four representatives from BOOST and teams from the Municipal Land Center at the College of New Jersey, Project Use, and Farleigh Dickinson University's Institute for Sustainable Enterprise, Morris County Community College, and citizen-lead sustainability groups from West Milford, Cherry Hill, Highland Park, and several other organizations, institutions, agencies, and businesses from the Garden State. **** Please re-visit http://www.gss-set.blogspot.com/ for periodic announcments about this historic developmental program and sustainability education initiatives forthcoming.

The ‘G’ Spot Promotes Green & Supports BOOST’s Efforts and Classics Book Fair

BOOST’s own Green, Smart, and Sustainable Stakeholder Education and Training series of public awareness forums and community capacity building workshops launches on Saturday, June 7 from 11am to 4pm, at Gallery 125 located at 125 South Warren Street in downtown Trenton. Classics Trenton Book Fair and Trenton’s 30th annual Heritage Days Celebration serve as splendid backdrops for a screening of Sundance Channel produced, Big Ideas for a Small Planet (the Build episode), and presentations by Mitchell Joachim (http://www.terreform.org/) of Terreform and Archinode Studio; Anastasia Harrison of WESKetch Architecture (http://www.wesketch.com/); Fred Stine for the Delaware RiverKeeper Network (http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/); Jason Kliwinski for Spiezle Group (http://www.spiezle.com/); and Elizabeth Slate-Rutledge for the Alchemical Nursery Project (http://www.alchemicalnursery.org/). For more presenter details, please visit http://www.gss-set.blogspot.com/ and to RSVP, please call (206) 202-2883 or email gss-set@gss-set.com.

Gilmores Café’ (The G Spot), located at 118 S. Warren Street, has been providing BOOST and its partners meeting space for the past two months and its owner, Kevin Gilmore, has made a commitment to contribute to environmental and public good by using eco-friendly compostable cups made from corn, and containers, cup sleeves, utensils, trays plates, and napkins. Gilmore’s also employs a line of natural cleaners that are formulated to leave the G-Spots indoor environment super clean, and best of all, do not pollute the Spot with toxic smells and chemicals. To top your green experience off, Gilmore’s offers 5 cents payback to customers who bring their own mugs, cups, and food storage containers to take home leftovers. As for GSS-SET and the Trenton Book Fair, Gilmore’s is contributing 100 Green Gift Certificates good for 15% off its entire menu for each paying customer who attends GSS-SET activities and/or purchases a book or gift item from Classics Used and Rare Books, co-owned by Laurice Reynolds and her son-in-law, Eric Maywar. Gift certificates will be good for Friday, June 6 and Saturday June 7.

BOOST’s Green, Smart, and Sustainable Stakeholder Education and Training (GSS-SET 2008-09) is the organic outgrowth or natural progression of Building Open Opportunity Structures Together’s work at achieving community benefits for traditionally under-served populations as real estate and economic development growth is steered into New Jersey’s older urban centers and first-suburbs.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

BOOST is deploying GSS-SET in five major cities/regions throughout the Garden State this year: Atlantic-Cape, Camden, Trenton-Mercer, Newark-Essex, and Elizabeth-Union and your company, organization, institution, or agency can tag along and get your marketing message delivered to tens of thousands of potential clients, customers, and constituents.

We are committed to creating win-win partnerships that lead to mutually beneficial opportunities and outcomes. Call us at (206) 202-2883 to work out a customized tactical plan that fits your budget and our mission. Email: sponsors@gss-set.com.

Who is Greening? GSS-SET Saturday, June 7 Launch List of Presenters for Gallery 125 11am to 4pm Activities:

Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Terreform and Archinode

He completed his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Architecture: Design and Computation. His dissertation is entitled: Ecotransology - Integrated Design for Urban Mobility. He is faculty at Washington University and Columbia University.

Anastasia Harrison, WESKetch Architects

AIA member from WESK Architecture, Inc. Anastasia is a licensed architect and one of the first indoor air quality certified professionals in the state and develops environmental design strategies can enhance the aesthetics of a house and improve quality of life and the financial bottom line.

Fred Stine, Delaware River Keeper Network

Citizen Action Coordinator for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN), the only advocacy organization working throughout the entire Delaware River Watershed and defines a “RiverKeeper” as an individual who is the voice of the River, championing the rights of the River and its streams as members of our community.

Jason Kliwinski, Spiezle Group

Jason is a LEED™-accredited professional, is currently Director of Sustainable Design with the Spiezle Architectural Group, and has designed seven educational and two residential projects in the last five years to incorporate the LEED Silver standards, including the recently completed Microsoft School of the Future in Philadelphia PA which received a LEED™ Gold certification.

Elizabeth Slate, Alchemical Nursery Project

Founder of the Alchemical Nursery Project, a non profit organization based in Syracuse, NY that embraces a holistic approach to sustainable urban living, focusing on art activism, urban land reclamation, brownfield remediation, community gardening, workshops on healing mind body and soul, educational outreach, information sharing, community building, green building techniques, alternative energy and waste management, permaculture, the new urbanism, formation of an urban ecovillage, neighborhood revitalization, mixed use neighborhoods, villages within cities, green spaces within cities, biking, and more!

Visit: http://www.gss-set.blogspot.com/ for GSS-SET updates and timely, reliable, relevant, and well-structured information and community-building resources.

Gilmore's Cafe Offers Gift Certificates for GSS-SET Launch and Trenton Book Fair: Links to three great articles on Trenton and the Capitol Region...

Trenton's newest downtown cafe is granting BOOST and Classics Used and Rare Books Gift Certificates for 15% off their entire menu. Gilmore's Cafe is located at 118 South Warren Street, directly across the street from GSS-SET Launch and Trenton Book Fair locations in downtown Trenton. Everyone who attends GSS-SET and/or purchases a book from Laurice Reynolds at Classics on June 6 and 7 will be given their Cerificate as well as enjoy the wonderful line-up of speakers, interactive workshops, and over a dozen venders.

Three great articles as prelude to GSS-SET at NJ and Company Magazine:

Trenton mines its past to create its future.

Mercer County Waterfront Park Stadium and Sovereign Bank Arena draw visitors and development.

Tim Razzaq gives a BOOST to this challenged city.

Trentons 30th annual Heritage Days celebration and a downtown Book Fair serve as the backdrops for the first of a series of public awareness and community mobilization forums being promoted by Building Open Opportunity Structures Together, also known as BOOST. This event will be free to the public and feature a screening of the Sundance Channel production, Big Ideas for a Small Planet and an in-person appearance one of the films featured designers. This program launch will take place on Saturday, June 7 from 11am until 4pm at Gallery 125, located at 125 South Warren Street in Downtown Trenton.

Mitchell Joachim of Terreform, a nonprofit philanthropic architectural group that focuses on ecological design for urban environments, and whose work is highlighted in Big Ideas, will conduct a slide show demonstrating his real-life tree house made of growing tree trunks, stackable cars, river gym, and other projects that reflect the Terreform mission which views ecology in design as not only a philosophy that inspires visions of sustainability and social justice but also a focused scientific endeavor.

Also, there will be presentations by Jason Kliwinski, associate with the Trenton-based Spiezle Group, one of New Jerseys leading architectural, planning, and design firms with several major projects on tap in the greater Mercer County region; Fred Stine, Citizen Action Coordinator for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Anastasia Harrison for WESKetch Architecture, and Elizabeth Slate-Rutledge for the Syracuse New York-based Alchemical Nursery. For more information, call (206) 202-2883 or email timrazzaq1@yahoo.com. Also vist http://www.gss-set.blogspot.com/ for updates and more details.

BOOST's Feature Article NJ and Company, New Location and Additional Presenters for BOOST's GSS-SET June 7 Launch

BOOST feature article in New Jersey and Company Magazine now viewable, on-line, at http://www.njandco-digital.com/njandco/200805/?pg=40. Special thanks to Dr. Gregory D. Squires, Celest Novak, Doretha L. Riley, Winnie Fatton, BOOST board of directors, New Jersey Future, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, Richard Libbey, Jonathan Schein, Susan Piperato, and Bari Faye Siegel, Laurice Reynolds, Eric Maywar, Professor Alvyn Haywood, Trenton North Ward City Councilman Milford Bethea, Leo Vazquez, and all of those whom have supported this effort and provided encouragement and inputs into making BOOST an organization on the rise for a sustainable New Jersey. Looking forward to progress in 2008-09...

(Trenton, NJ) Trenton’s 30th annual Heritage Days celebration and a downtown Book Fair serve as the backdrops for the first of a series of public awareness and community mobilization forums being promoted by Building Open Opportunity Structures Together, also known as BOOST. This event will be free to the public and feature a screening of the Sundance Channel production, Big Ideas for a Small Planet and an in-person appearance one of the film’s featured designers. This program launch will take place on Saturday, June 7 from 11am until 4pm at Gallery 125, located at 125 South W arren Street. For more information or to reserve your seat, please contact BOOST at (206) 202-2883 or email info@gss-set.com.

Mitchell Joachim of Terreform, a nonprofit philanthropic architectural group that focuses on ecological design for urban environments, and whose work is highlighted in Big Ideas, will conduct a slide show demonstrating his real-life tree house made of growing tree trunks, stackable cars, river gym, and other projects that reflect the Terreform mission which “views ecology in design as not only a philosophy that inspires visions of sustainability and social justice but also a focused scientific endeavor.”

Attendees at this exciting and ground-breaking event will also be treated to a presentation by Jason Kliwinski, associate with the Trenton-based Spiezle Group, one of New Jersey’s leading architectural, planning, and design firms with several major projects on tap in the greater Mercer County region, including Rider University’s New Residence Hall project. This development will consist of 3- and 4-story buildings to house 152-beds in suite and apartment configurations. The project will be designed to obtain a LEED™-Silver Certification. Joining Dr. Joachim and Kliwinski will be Fred Stine, Citizen Action Coordinator for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Anastasia Harrison for WESKetch Architecture, and Elizabeth Slate-Rutledge for the Syracuse New York-based Alchemical Nursery.

Green, Smart and Sustainable Stakeholder Education and Training, or GSS-SET 2008-09, is the natural outgrowth of BOOST past effort’s at fostering a climate for positive change and a platform for resident inclusion in the planning and decision-making processes that affects, their communities, and neighborhoods. The program is designed to strengthen communities from the inside out and BOOST’s team of workshop facilitators and community resource providers are amongst the leaders in their respective fields of work. Individuals, organizations, businesses, institutions, and agencies throughout the state of New Jersey are being invited to be participants in this unprecedented education, training, and outreach initiative. Registration packages will be available for interested parties on June 7. For more information, please contact info@gss-set.com or call (206) 202-2883.

Training and education will start September (’08) and continue through June of 2009 and be hosted in five New Jersey cities/regions at community colleges. Your Company can sponsor one or more GSS-SET Program component and reach tens of thousands of prospective customers, clients, and constituents throughout the Tri-State Region.

For sponsorship inquiries, please call Tim Razzaq at our voice/fax center at(206) 202-2883 and/or email sponsors@gss-set.com.

Key Media Contacts and Presenter Sketches:

For Distribution/Release: RSVP's and information requests, contact Tim Razzaq, Executive Director for BOOST Outreach and Advisory Services at (206) 202-2883 and email timrazzaq@gss-set.com. Sponsorship opportunities at sponsors@gss-set.com.

Building Open Opportunity Structures Together (http://www.gss-set.blogspot.com/) is a creative community solutions organization that develops and utilizes innovative and customized strategies to build structured relationships between residents, businesses, organizations, and government agencies that lead to beneficial economic, social, and educational opportunities and outcomes in underserved and emerging urban neighborhoods. For more information about

BOOST, our partners, program enrollment, or sponsor/underwriter of GSS-SET 2008-09 please contact Tim Razzaq, at (206) 202-2883 or email timrazzaq@comcast.net (Please note that, on occasion, emails to this address will often receive a ‘bounce-back’ email telling them that their missive did not go through. In almost all instances, this is false; emails do go through).

About Spiezle Group, Inc. (http://www.spiezle.com/) Founded in 1954, Spiezle Group, Inc., (SGI) is an award-winning, full-service architecture, planning, and design firm with offices in Trenton, NJ and Media, PA. Known for highly effective design documentation and project management, SGI is an acknowledged leader in the design of public and private facilities promoting sustainable design in every project.

The Delaware RiverKeeper Network (DRN) (http://www.delawareriverkeeper.org/) is the only advocacy organization working throughout the entire Delaware River Watershed. The Delaware RiverKeeper is an individual who is the voice of the River, championing the rights of the River and its streams as members of our community.

WESKetch Architecture (http://www.wesketch.com/) is an award winning architectural firm focused on inspirational architecture, providing interior design, engineering services, construction management, green building design combined with the latest indoor air quality issues for each and every building type. Anastasia Harrison is a licensed architect and one of the first indoor air quality certified professionals in the state.

The Alchemical Nursery Project (http://www.alchemicalnursery.org/) is a non profit committed to spreading the word about the urban eco-village movement globally. We hope to provide the resources, dialogue space, and networks needed for those who would like to establish their own urban eco-village wherever they live! Our local grassroots project is, as you may have guessed, the development of an urban eco-village in Syracuse, NY, that can be replicated anywhere urban USA.

Award Program and Grants for Educators

This annnouncement is a courtesy of Building Open Opportunity Structures Together (BOOST) on behalf of our Partners and supporters for Green, Smart, and Sustainable Education and Training (GSS-SET 2008-09) public awareness and community capacity building campaign and programming. See details below this grant and awards opportunity notice.

Dear Educator:

What would you do with $1,600? $5,000? $10,000?

The National Environmental Education Foundation is excited about our new Classroom Earth Grants and the Second Annual Bartlett Award program.

Nominations and Applications are currently being accepted.

We have included information on both the grants and the award program for you below. We look forward to hearing from you.

2008 Bartlett AwardDo you know an outstanding educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into a daily education program?

The Richard C. Bartlett Award for environmental education will be given to a teacher who is creative, passionate, and effective and who can serve as an inspiration and model for other educators.

A $5,000 cash award will be provided to this outstanding teacher.

Deadline for nominations is June 30, 2008.

Nominate a teacher today!

High School Environmental Education Challenge Grants

Grant money is available through Classroom Earth to high school teachers to encourage the inclusion of environmental education into all high school subjects - from chemistry to art - and make it easier for teachers to access best practices online.

The Challenge Grants, for up to $10,000, will support teachers and schools who want to:
integrate more environmental education into their high school curriculum,
expand their course curriculum to include more environmental themes, and
develop their professional capacity to incorporate more environmental education into their teaching.

New to environmental education? Our professional development grants will provide funding for continuing education up to $1,600.

The Professional Development Grants will be awarded to support teachers new to the field of environmental education. NEEF in partnership with the University of Wisconsin's Stevens Point Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP), will offer professional development grants of $1,600 for two on-line courses offered by the University.
Applications are being accepted now.

For more information visit the Classroom Earth webpage, or NEEF's website.

Nominations and Applications are being accepted now!

Would you like to increase the environmental content in your courses? Apply Today!

Do you know an inspirational science or environmental education teacher who deserves recognition?

Nominations are being accepted now for the second annual Bartlett Award!

http://www.neefusa.orginfo@neefusa.org (202) 833-2933

---------------------------------

This annnouncement is a courtesy of Building Open Opportunity Structures Together (BOOST) on behalf of our Partners and supporters for Green, Smart, and Sustainable Education and Training (GSS-SET 2008-09) public awareness and community capacity building campaign and programming.

Trenton, (NJ): On Saturday, June 7, Building Open Opportunity Structures Together (BOOST) will launch its Green, Smart, and Sustainable Stakeholder Education and Training (GSS-SET 2008-09) public environmental awareness and urban sustainable communities campaign at Classics Used and Rare Books - located at 117 South Warren Street in downtown Trenton - from 11am until 4pm. This event is free to the general public a nd will feature a screening of Sundance Channel’s “Big Ideas for a Small Planet, the Build” episode and special presentation by one of the film’s featured designers, Mitchell Joachim of Terreform, a nonprofit philanthropic architectural group that focuses on ecological design for urban environments. Joachim will be join by Anastasia Harrison of WESKetch Architects, and Frederick Stine of Delaware River Keeper Network. A packed house is expected, so please call (206) 202-2883 or email info@gss-set.com to ensure your seat is reserved.

Delaware RiverKeeper Network Joins Building Open Opportunity Structures Together's GSS-SET Launch

BOOST, Terreform, Delaware RiverKeeper Network, and WESKetch at Classics Used and Rare Books

(Trenton, NJ) On Saturday, June 7, Building Open Opportunity Structures Together (BOOST) will launch its Green, Smart, and Sustainable Stakeholder Education and Training public environmental awareness and urban sustainable communities campaign at Classics Used and Rare Books - located at 117 South Warren Street in downtown Trenton - from 11am until 4pm. This event is free to the general public and will feature a screening of Sundance Channel’s “Big Ideas for a Small Planet, the Build” episode and special presentation by one of the film’s featured designers, Mitchell Joachim of Terreform, a nonprofit philanthropic architectural group that focuses on ecological design for urban environments. Joachim will be join by Anastasia Harrison of WESKetch Architects, and Frederick Stine of Delaware River Keeper Network. A packed house is expected, so please call (206) 202-2883 or email info@gss-set.com to ensure your seat is reserved.

The Delaware RiverKeeper Network (DRN) is the only advocacy organization working throughout the entire Delaware River Watershed. The Delaware RiverKeeper is an individual who is the voice of the River, championing the rights of the River and its streams as members of our community.

WESKetch Architecture is an award winning architectural firm focused on inspirational architecture, providing interior design, engineering services, construction management, green building design combined with the latest indoor air quality issues for each and every building type.

Terreform is a nonprofit organization (501c3) and philanthropic design collaborative that integrates ecological principles in the urban environment. The group views ecology in design as not only a philosophy that inspires visions of sustainability and social justice but also a focused scientific endeavor. The mission is to ascertain the consequences of fitting a project within our natural world setting. Solutions range from; green master planning, urban self-sufficiency infrastructures, community development activities, climatic tall buildings, performative material technologies, and smart mobility vehicles for cities. These design iterations seek an activated ecology both as a progressive symbol and an evolved artifact. Terreform is a winner of the Infiniti Design Excellence Award - History Channel City of the Future competition.

The Delaware Riverkeeper is assisted by seasoned professionals and by a network of members, volunteers and supporters. Together they are the Delaware Riverkeeper Network and together they stand as vigilant protectors and defenders of the River, its tributaries and watershed. DRN is committed to restoring the watershed's natural balance where it has been lost and ensuring its preservation where it still exists.

For more information about Building Open Opporunity Structures Together (BOOST) GSS-SET 2008-09 and being an enrollee in, presenter for, or sponsor/underwriter of GSS-SET 2008-09, please call (206) 202-2883 or email info@gss-set.com and please note that, on occasion, emails to this address will often receive a ‘bounce-back’ email telling the sender that their missive did not go through. In almost all instances, this is false and emails are recieved by GSS-SET.