JEFFERSON AWARD: Presented to Sheilah Fish

Networking to save the Earth, ourselves
sheilah

 

 

Each week, The Chronicle features a Bay Area resident who has won a Jefferson Award for making a difference in his or her community. The awards are administered by the American Institute for Public Service, a national foundation that honors community service. Bay Area residents profiled in The Chronicle are also featured on CBS 5-TV and KCBS-AM, which are Jefferson Award media partners, along with The Chronicle.

 

After 10 years of volunteering at Contra Costa County's Earth Day celebration, Sheilah Fish decided to create a new group called EarthTeam, an environmental network for teens, teachers and youth leaders. Since it began in 2000, the Berkeley nonprofit has grown to include three paid employees who direct restoration projects, coordinate multimedia programs and handle youth outreach and volunteers."Sheilah is the powerhouse of the organization and works continuously to come up with new and innovative ways to get students involved in the environment through hands-on action," said Chicory Bechtel, the group's restoration projects director.So it's no surprise that the schools superintendents in Contra Costa and Alameda counties have both formally endorsed EarthTeam, which works with 60 schools and involves approximately 2,000 students in their programs each year. Participants have the opportunity to take part in a variety of projects,

from writing for the Green, an online newsletter, to "Visuals and Voices," a contest and traveling art, photography and poetry show, to environmental justice projects, such as this year's Something's in the Air, which focuses on asthma research and action. This fall, EarthTeam will begin a new venture working with 10 low-income schools to address specific needs."It is my hope that students from underserved schools will be inspired by the program and become stewards of their communities," said Fish,
whose programs are funded by private and corporate donations, and state and federal grants. A former therapist, Fish practiced in Walnut Creek for 25 years before she gradually gave up counseling to focus all her energy on EarthTeam. She sprung into environmental action when, at 69, she looked at the future of the air, water and global warming. She found the scenario depressing and decided to do her part in making a difference.
"I know I'll be a little old lady in tennis shoes," she laughed, adding that she has no plans to retire. The Berkeley native and her husband, Harry, have been married for 48 years and live in Moraga. They enjoy spending time with their three grown children and grandchildren.For more information, call (510) 704-4030 or go to www.earthteam.net.
E-mail Heather Maddan at hmaddan@sfchronicle.com

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