Why education matters

When I began writing this blog, I worked in the news business. I had worked there for over 35 years and believed I would stay. That changed and for my second career, I became a teacher.
In animal rescue as with other volunteer activities, education plays a huge role in how successful an organization is. Are your volunteers given training? Are there rules in place that must be followed for the safety of the people/animals and the continued viability of the organization? Does someone read your press releases for errors or do you just hope everything is grammatically correct. This also matters. If you seem uneducated or ignorant due to a written statement your organization sent out, many others will not contribute to you, whether in time or money.
I became a National Geographic Certified Educator in December. It took several months and several projects with my students to achieve the goal, but I did it.
One of the projects my journalism students did was the production of a four page spread in their student newspaper on the endangered species in Florida. From the Florida Panther to the Anastasia Beach mouse, they researched and wrote. They interviewed people; they visited a National Wildlife Refuge; they talked about development and invasive species and they all came away with a better understanding of Florida, her flora and fauna and how to best protect them. This is education.
Are all those students going to become scientists? Probably not. Artists? Nope. Citizens? Yes. Which is why we need to continue the educational process of teaching in all areas.
Our world includes domestic animals, wild animals, plants and the outdoors. We must continue to educate our students in the ways of things they may have no experience in so they can also develop a love of their environment and community.
Please consider education as a key component in the development and success of your organization. It will pay off in huge dividends.