UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A Wapwallopen, Pa., teacher will be recognized as one of six outstanding 4-H Wildlife and Fisheries adult volunteer leaders in the country.

Mary Jo Gibson -- who for more than 30 years has taught biology, wetlands ecology, conservation biology, entomology, riparian ecology, animal behavior and integrated pest management -- will be honored at a conference next March by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service for her "strong commitment to 4-H education programs and to the conservation of natural resources for both present and future generations of Americans."

A teacher at Berwick Middle School in Columbia County, her activities and accomplishments in more than eight years as a 4-H volunteer include providing technical assistance to youth undertaking natural resources projects through the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks; providing support and guidance to 4-H'ers participating in wildlife projects in Luzerne County; coordinating and supervising members of the Hobby 4-H Club, which assisted Penn State Master Gardeners of Luzerne County with children's activities for an Earth Day celebration; applying a 4-H wildlife and water curriculum in her 8th grade earth and life sciences classroom; enriching "Linking Girls with the Land" (a U.S. Department of the Interior program) by utilizing 4-H wildlife curriculum with Girl Scouts; and training of Luzerne County 4-H members to participate in the State Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program competition.

Gibson, who is her school's representative and coordinator of student projects for the Briar Creek Watershed Association's stream restoration project, is a Penn State Master Gardener specializing in presentations on integrated pest management, butterfly gardening, invasive vs. native plants and container gardening.

"Mary Jo Gibson is an outstanding 4-H volunteer and a dedicated teacher," says Sanford Smith, an extension specialist in natural resources and youth education in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "She shares her experience and knowledge with tremendous energy and enthusiasm."

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Sanford Smith at 814-863-0401.

Contact:

Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-863-9877 fax #301