Graduates of Armstrong Atlantic’s TEFEI program gather to request
that Dr. Sharon Haines, (seated) International Paper director of sustainable
forestry and forest policy, sign their graduation certificates. Haines
plays an integral role in ensuring the program gets its grant funding.
Institute instructor Dr. Lloyd Newberry stands behind Haines.
Educators Graduate from AASU's
Teachers, Environment and Free Enterprise Institute
Savannah, Ga.,
June 29, 2004–Twenty-five area educators graduated today from Armstrong
Atlantic State University’s Teachers, Environment and Free Enterprise
Institute. TEFEI is a collaboration between International Paper and
AASU designed to assist elementary, middle grade and secondary teachers
in increasing their understanding of forestry, environmental stewardship,
manufacturing and the free enterprise system.
Led by Dr. Lloyd Newberry, TEFEI has reached 519 teachers that have,
in turn, taught in excess of 139,000 children over 21 years. The 2004
institute was funded by a $30,000 International Paper Foundation grant
bringing total contributions from IP Savannah businesses to more than
$500,000 since the program’s inception.
"International Paper supports Armstrong’s ongoing success
in teaching our educators new and exciting ways to reach students,"
said Dr. Sharon Haines, International Paper director of sustainable
forestry and forest policy. "We ensure that there is the funding
for tuition, field trips and other projects and speakers; but we also
reap the benefit of having our own representatives from the forests,
mill and Arizona Chemical interact with these teachers. They get the
unique perspective of how the public sees the relationship between the
environment and free enterprise."
"There is so much misconception, even from the teachers coming
in," said Newberry, former dean of the College of Education. Newberry
retired four years ago, but he keeps coming back to lead what he sees
is a very valuable program. "One of the most important concepts
we present is healthy economies are paramount to healthy environments."
The program is intensive, lasting 8-10 hours per day over the month
of June, but that doesn’t stem the interest. "This is probably
the most sought-after graduate program at Armstrong Atlantic State University,"
Newberry said.
International Paper’s Savannah businesses consist of the headquarters
for the company's Forest Products group and two of its businesses: Forest
Resources and Wood Products. IP operations at the site also include:
Savannah Containerboard Mill, Savannah Container Plant, Arizona Chemical
Plant, Arizona Chemical Technology Center and IP Realty. The company
employs more than 1,800 people in the five county area.
International Paper (http://www.internationalpaper.com) businesses include
paper, packaging and forest products. As one of the largest private
landowners in the world, IP professional foresters and wildlife biologists
manage the woods with great care in compliance with the rigorous standards
of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative‚ program. The SFI‚
program is an independent certification system that ensures the perpetual
planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting biodiversity,
wildlife, plants, soil, water and air quality. In the U.S. alone, IP
protects more than 1.5 million acres of unique and environmentally important
habitat on its forestlands through conservation easements and land sales
to environmental groups. And, the company has a long-standing policy
of using no wood from endangered forests. Headquartered in the United
States, IP has operations in over 40 countries and sells its products
in more than 120 nations.
Courtesy
of International Paper
