On Thursday, the 6th of June 2024, Grand Bahama Bishop Michael Eldon School Eco-Schools Bahamas (ESB) Coordinator, Mrs. Cheng Bee Selim-Dela Peña was named as one of seventeen teachers worldwide honoured with the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) 2023/2024 Teacher Award. By instituting an award for teachers, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) aims to recognize the efforts of outstanding teachers from the global network who promote and integrate Education for Sustainable Development in their schools and communities.
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Through the award, FEE aims to highlight professional excellence, celebrate achievements, and spread inspirational stories amongst stakeholders. The award is not a competition awarded to a select few,but a recognition of teachers’ efforts and a celebration of their work and the impact they have had every day over the last 30 years.
An elated Cheng Bee Selim-Dela Pena, BMES Eco-Schools Coordinator, said, “When we instil genuine passion and character in our students, our environmental voice grows stronger. It’s challenging but possible with perseverance and dedication.”
“Our vision at BREEF is for a nation where all people appreciate the value of our oceans and everyone takes action to protect them,” stated BREEF Executive Director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert. She continued, “Over the years, we’ve reached every school across the country, we’ve had at least one from every Bahamian school participate in one of our week-long BREEF workshops.”
The Jury was very impressed with Mrs. Selim-Dela Peña’s application, and one of the members highlighted that, “Cheng is innovative, caring, mentoring, encouraging, and helps students to discover their place in the natural world and what they can do to improve not only their surroundings but themselves as well.”
“Congratulations to Mrs. Cheng Bee Selim-Dela Peña for her unwavering support and inspiring so many young environmental stewards at BMES and in Grand Bahamas as a whole,” said Kevin Glinton, Education Coordinator and Eco-Schools Bahamas National Operator at the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF).
BMES was the first school in Grand Bahama to receive its 1st Green flag in 2016, and successfully renewed its 2nd green flag in 2020, its 3rd green flag in 2022, and its 4th green flag in 2023. BMES’ Vertical Hydroponics Garden was among the top 5 of the FEE GAIA 20:30 Biodiversity Best Practice Competition winners on August 19, 2022.
Teachers who were involved in any of FEE’s three educational programmes for at least five years were eligible for the award.
With over 100 members in 81 countries, the Foundation for Environmental Education is the largest environmental education organisation in the world. BREEF officially represents FEE in The Bahamas and operates the Eco-Schools Bahamas and Young Reporters for the Environment programmes. Eco-Schools is a global sustainable school programme that is active in 79 countries. BREEF’s Eco Schools and Young Reporters network is spread over six islands with 21 government and 27 private schools.
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To learn more about Eco-Schools Bahamas ,YRE and other BREEF environmental education programmes and its work in promoting the conservation of the Bahamian marine environment, please email breef@breef.org and ecoschoolsbahamas@breef.org.
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