NEWTON MARASCO FOUNDATION
Invite reviews
Each year The Newton Marasco Foundation invites the Green Earth Book Award winning authors and illustrators to the campus of Salisbury University in Maryland to share their books and stories with students, especially the pre-service teaching candidates. Additionally, the authors go out into the larger educational community and visit with children in pre, elementary and secondary education settings. The importance of their environmental stewardship message cannot be overstated. Today's youth needs to be involved with awareness AND action. These books encourage and inspire kids to do just that. And meeting the authors and the illustrators motivates the kids because they build a personal relationship with an adult who cares about the earth to write, draw and photograph its beauty and fragility.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Each year more and more classes ask to participate in the Green Earth Book Award program by asking for author visits or asking for an invitation to come to the many events on campus that surround this award event. Our campus now has a Children's Resource Center where for the past 6 years all the winning and honor books have been kept, and are continuously checked out by student teachers to use in their classrooms.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Encourage the books to be translated into other languages.
I have worked closely with the Newton Marasco Foundation for several years and I can say unequivically that with their help and expertise our environmental science curriculum hs become outstanding. NMF has not only found local funding to support our programs but has supplied experts from the field to both speak to our classes and help in the field .
With NMF help we have begun working more closely with the schools in our highschool cluster, which has been a great benefit to the schools but more importantly to the the children in those schools.
With NMF help we have been able to build a one mile long nature trail within the town limits, plant riparian buffers to protect our water qualiity and stream corridors, take a Chesapeake Bay watershed experience along the Shenandoah river. guest speakers have help educate our students on topics from energy to pollution control.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
They do great work and are a very professional and dedicated group of individuals
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Ask them to expand their network and bring their message and expertise to other school districts.
NMF is a superior non-profit - they have a strong and clear mission, they communicate efforts, activities, and results efficiently and clearly, and they have a strong interaction with their community. NMF clearly makes a difference in the lives they touch and they continue to make a strong impression in guiding the next generation of environmental stewards.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
going to the classroom to see how book drives and the Book Awards impact children.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
n/a
I have volunteered for NMF multiple times by helping with research and preparing handouts for presentations. I have found the work to be rewarding and fun. NMF offers a variety of opportunities to volunteer and all are equally rewarding.
Here are a few examples of how I have volunteered with NMF:
I volunteered a couple of hours to look for quotes and facts about sustainability. The facts and quotes were used in a presentation given by NMF at the Master Gardener’s Symposium on Sustainability. NMF was the key note speaker at the symposium.
I volunteered a couple of hours to look for facts supporting the need to get children outside in unstructured play. These were also used in the presentation given by NMF at the Master Gardener’s Symposium on Sustainability.
I volunteered after work to make flashcards with facts about composting. The flash cards were used at a booth at the NMF at the Master Gardener’s Symposium on Sustainability. NMF used the flashcards to engage children in sustainability activities and to encourage parents to teach their children how to be sustainable.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have seen how the kids get excited to learn about sustainability and realize for the first time at a NMF event that they enjoy being outdoors and participating in sustainability events.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Suggest holding more events where they can inform potential and current volunteers about the projects they are working and how they benefit the community. I believe NMF does a lot of good for the community but this is not always communicated with the volunteers.
I have been involved with the Newton Marasco Foundation for about three years, and I continue to enjoy my experiences. The annual Eco Golf Classic is the main event at which I volunteer and it is a wonderful fund raiser. The enthusiasm from golfers, volunteers, and event organizers is contagious and a fun day is had by all. In recent years I have been helping to organize the silent auction portion of the event, and it is great to see how many donations come in. The Newton Marasco Foundation continues to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards through its programs and initiatives.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
seeing youth of Northern Virginia learn techniques to be more environmentally friendly.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Expand its scope of work beyond Northern Virginia, especially Loudoun County.
I have been very impressed with the Newton Marasco Foundation and the way they have stepped in to ensure that our children receive an education about the choices we make that affect the world they will inherit.
As a result of their partnership with our elementary school, our children have benefitted from a butterfly garden and wildlife refueling station, both of which have involved a lot of student research and input. Both can be used as outdoor classrooms. This spring the older students will be leading younger students and parents through the gardens teaching them about the plants and the various pollinators and/or animals they help. The plants and structures (including a fountain) in the garden would not have been possible without the donations that Newton Marasco facilitated.
The children have also been learning about various conservation efforts, such as composting, recycling, waste-free lunches, and how not to be an energy hog. School families have built bluebird boxes and attended nature hikes focusing on birds, vernal pools, and trees. These activities were led by professionals brought to us by Newton Marasco's network of organizations and individuals.
The foundation has established a green earth book award, and has donated books promoting the environment to our library.
All of these efforts (and more) have involved a great deal of input and guidance from Newton Marasco staff. They have worked hard to establish a program at our school that is focused on our community's needs, is student centered, and will be self-sustaining into the future.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
The heightened awareness of myself, my children, and their school friends regarding environmental issues.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Grow it, so that all the schools in our area could benefit.
I am an elementary guidance couselor and the Newton Marasco Foundation has helped my school go green. They have been a great support in helping us build a pollinator garden and refueling station. They have donated time and money to help us jump start the project and keep it up in running. The student have learned so much about the enviroment from this project.
The two gardens are being used for outdoor classrooms. The 5th grade class have created lessons for the gardens that can used for all grade levels. This experience has taught them lessons that can be carried outside the school and into the community.
We could not have done this without the help of NMF! Thank you!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
NMF has helped in making my lessons successful. They have helped with the creating of the gardens and purchasing of plants. Bringing in speakers and providing materials (books, and supplies) to the school in order to teach the children about the enviroment.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I can not think of any changes I would make to this organization. They have been an amazing help!
More feedback...
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
What one change could this group make that would improve your volunteer experience?
None!
Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)
Yes! I enjoyed seeing the children learn about the enviroment! Also, it made me more aware of the impact I can make!
How did this volunteer experience make you feel?
Great!
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
The Newton Marasco Foundation has been a strong supporter of Hillsboro Elementary School for the past three years. The foundation has donated books for the school library. The foundation has worked with other organizations to donate plants, a water feature, and other items for our school gardens. They have organized school events such as building bluebird boxes.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
The organization has worked closely with students, staff, and the community to help our school.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
No changes recommended.
I have been volunteering with the Greater Washington Eco-Golf Classic and Charity Auction presented by the Newton Marasco Foundation (NMF) for the past 5 years. This is a fantastic event that brings together educators, Federal government employees, and representatives from some of the biggest environmental, energy, and IT consulting firms in the DC area. I can say that this is one of the best run, well-organized fundraisers that I have been a part of. Last year, the Classic made over $100,000 net...which helped fund environmental education programs for youth in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. I am proud to be a board member and volunteer for this wonderful non-profit organization.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I have also volunteered with the NMF EnGauge It program, where I educated patrons of a local shopping mall about the importance of proper tire inflation and the positive effects it can have on the environment and the wallet. Through this event, I passed out free tire gauges (donated by NMF partner UPS) and educational literature. It was really rewarding to have the look of understanding come across people's faces while I was talking with them.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Every non-profit relies on volunteer efforts...this is how they survive and thrive. NMF should encourage their staff to volunteer at most of their events and help with the planning of the largest events (i.e, the Greater Washignton Eco-Golf Classic). This would keep the staff engauged in the event and take some of the pressure off the volunteers planning the event.
Serving on the NMF Advisory Board and as a volunteer I have experienced the dedication of the Foundation's staff and its commitment to helping future generations (elementary school through high school) learn to appreciate the natural environment through first-hand expereince (e.g, high schoolers develop and lead the enGAUGE It Campaign, all students interact with the Chapman-DeMary nature trail)
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Helping to support the enGAUGE It campaign which demonstrates that simple actions like checking tire pressure can increase driver safety/help save lives and offer environmental benefits at the same time. It was especially insipring to see the level ownership and committment that the high school students took in running the campaign.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Find it ways to get more national recognition - especially for the Green Earth Literature Program