DALLAS — January 8, 2020 — Scott Jordan of Cuba-Rushford Central School (CRCS) in Cuba, New York, has been named the 2020 Educator of the Year by the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF). The presentation will be made during the Dallas Safari Club’s evening banquet and silent auction on Friday, January 10, in the Dallas Ballroom (Level 3) of the Omni Hotel.
“Scott is a great example of what our mission is all about, teaching and modeling outdoor education and promoting wildlife conservation through the Outdoor Adventures program,” said Scot McClure, OTF education coordinator. “He is well-loved by his students and his peers, and his passion for the program is contagious.”
Jordan, who is in his 28th year as an educator, teaches 8th grade science in the mornings and the Outdoor Adventures curriculum in the afternoons. His first Outdoor Adventures class began in 1996, making it the first in the state of New York.
“It is quite an honor to receive this,” Jordan said. “What’s so special about the Outdoor Adventures program for me is the ability for students to learn something in school and immediately be able to go into the field and use it. This award will give my students in the program more of an opportunity to share our class’ experience and best practices with OA programs across the country; we’ve worked hard to improve and grow our OA program over the last 23 years.”
Jordan currently has an average of 55-60 students enrolled and estimates more than 3,500 have experienced the class throughout the years. He has also led off-campus trips to New Zealand, Alaska, Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Africa, Australia, Scotland, Ireland and England, Canada, Egypt, Rome, and Greece.
The Outdoor Adventures curriculum also reaches beyond Jordan’s classroom through CRCS Outdoors, a television show the class produces on the Pursuit Channel, with an average viewership of 217,000.
The Fisheries and Wildlife Technology Classes at Cuba-Rushford Central School are designed to provide rural students the opportunity to study biological organisms in their natural habitats, utilizing the integration of math, science, and computer technology. This course includes hands-on applications with conservation and research on animals as the primary focus. The class also features working with professionals from related fields and career development.
Research projects include: The Deer Project (capturing, collaring, tagging and tracking whitetail deer), The Turkey Project, The Salmon Project, the CRCS Hatchery (raising paddlefish and trout), the Wildlife Research Center (Log Home), the Deer Research Center known as Deerasic Park where students conduct scientific research on the rut cycle of whitetail deer, and new this year, a turkey research facility. The students at CRCS also annually compete in the Environthon. Many of Jordan’s former students have gone on to become leaders in conservation and ecology.
“Recently I have a fisheries biologist/intern working in Alaska, a wildlife technician working with endangered and threatened birds in Hawaii, a Turkey Biologist who just finished his masters in Tennessee, a duck researcher who is now in a masters program conducting research, and a large mammal biologist in Maine,” Jordan said.
Cuba-Rushford School Assistant Principal Christopher C. Fee recommended Jordan for the honor and expressed his admiration in a nomination letter:
“The real-life, hands-on experience that Mr. Jordan gives is second to none. CRCS community is fortunate to have him be an integral part in molding our youth.”
Interview availability during the Dallas Safari Club convention:
Scott Jordan, Educator of the Year—Thursday, Friday morning and afternoon, Saturday morning
Sean McLelland, OTF Executive Director—Friday afternoon, Saturday morning
Scot McClure, OTF Education Coordinator—Friday afternoon, Saturday morning
DSC Convention Media: To attend local OA school visit Thurs. Jan. 9, RSVP to Lucas@130a.com. Shuttles depart front entrance of Omni Hotel at 8:30am.
Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation
Since 1981, the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation (OTF) has made its mission to teach outdoor education and promote wildlife conservation through the Outdoor Adventures program, currently in 550+ schools across the country. The curriculum, impacting more than 300,000 students since it began, is accessed by 50,000+ students annually in 35 states, including archery, shooting, fishing, camping, first aid, boater safety, hunter education, outdoor cooking and more. The OTF also provides grants for equipment, free workshops and teacher training, and is accredited by state parks and wildlife commissions from each state. More info about Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, and how to bring the Outdoor Adventure curriculum to a school near you, go to gootf.com.
