Ashley Eaton Leads Award-Winning Place Based Education with LCSG
In case you were in any doubt about the quality of Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s Watershed Alliance K-12 education program, the program coordinator, Ashley Eaton, was just recognized by the Association of Northeast Extension Directors’ (NEED) with the Exceptional Local Educator Award. This annual award celebrates one Extension educator or agent who provides leadership for the delivery of an exceptional place-based program.
“We are proud of Ashley’s leadership of the Watershed Alliance program, including development of unique watershed education programs not only for youth, but for teachers and undergraduate interns as well,” said Kris Stepenuck, LCSG Associate Director and Extension Lead. “The program is a model watershed education initiative across Land and Sea Grant programs nationally.”
Watershed Alliance has provided watershed science education since 2002. Since joining the program in 2015 and becoming its coordinator in 2017, Ashley Eaton has strengthened, expanded, and formalized its core youth programs, developed new curricular resources, and led a team of staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students in conducting place-based watershed education. Her attention to collecting learning outcomes through pre- and post- lesson questionnaires helped illustrate the impact of place-based education on K-12 students. Eaton recently received her EdD and published a journal article highlighting the watershed education model Watershed Alliance uses.
Eaton played a pivotal role in designing the University of Vermont’s new research vessel with K-12 education in mind, creating a fully accessible floating classroom. She integrated modern sampling tools, microscopes with projection capabilities, and interactive plankton lessons to give students a unique on-lake experience. By connecting hands-on science with real-world environmental challenges, she has deepened students’ understanding of lake ecosystems and inspired a new generation of watershed stewards.
In addition to working with thousands of students across the Lake Champlain basin, Eaton has strengthened teacher capacity across the region by developing partnerships and professional development opportunities that connect educators with cutting-edge research. Through programs like the Watershed Alliance Teacher and Researcher (WATR) partnership and Watershed for Every Classroom (WEC), she enables teachers to learn directly from scientists and apply this knowledge in their classrooms, building a strong foundation for ongoing student engagement in watershed science and environmental stewardship.
“I am honored to receive the Exceptional Local Educator Award and deeply grateful to the phenomenal education team I’ve had the privilege to work alongside for the past decade—this work would not be possible without them,” shared Eaton. “I also extend my sincere appreciation to the incredible K–12 teachers, students, and partners who make the Watershed Alliance program successful. This recognition reflects our shared commitment to hands-on, place-based learning and to inspiring the next generation of watershed stewards.”
This award recognizes the growth and success of Watershed Alliance over the past ten years and the hard work the team has put in to advance the program. In addition to the $1,000 prize in professional development, Eaton will be honored at the next regional meeting.