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Water Teacher of the Year:

Josh Gubits

Josh Gubits engages young learners.

Josh Gubits : Winner of the 2009 Water Teacher of the Year Award

The Water Teacher of the Year award, presented annually at the Montana Environmental Education Association (MEEA) Conference, recognizes an individual who fosters a sense of wonder about water and its unique qualities, and who empowers students to be water stewards.  This year’s award was presented to Josh Gubits at the MEEA awards banquet in Helena on March 20. 

Josh is field director for Watershed Education Network (WEN) of Missoula.  Josh is a positive role model for hundreds of students in Missoula as he shares his enthusiasm and stewardship of Montana’s water ways and fisheries.  He is instrumental in putting WEN’s student water quality monitoring “on the map” in Montana. 

Josh combines a high energy, outgoing manner, with commitment and solid water resource background.  His understanding that natural resource education does not occur because you want it to, provides Josh with the attributes of a successful natural resource educator.  Josh’s approach is to prepare students for learning by: providing necessary background information, demonstration, practice, and finally recognition of a job well done. 

A graduate of the University of Montana in environmental studies, Josh has pursued his field for the last three years at WEN.  As field director Josh supervises the day to day logistics of field activities, including pre and post field work presentations, he trains WEN interns and volunteers and he has enhanced and expanded WEN’s water quality monitoring program to include high school students.

As a passionate fly-fisherman with interest in fisheries’ health, his avocation and vocation nurture each other. When discussing the purpose and goals of WEN’s fly-fishing workshop for high school students Josh explains not only the workshop but the goal of watershed education whether we be fly-fishermen or not. “We're here because we share a love of fly-fishing, but there's something broader, too. It's about river ecology and field-journaling and sketching and self-expression. Part of our mission is to educate the next generation of water stewards, to instill that conservation ethic right in our backyards.”

Josh is a professional making a difference.  Or to put it another way, according to fifth graders, Zach and Corbin, “Josh rocks.” Josh, we salute you for your dedication to water and education!