Background
King was born in Pacifica, California and currently resides in Goleta, California, which is home to the headquarters.
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Ryland King
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Ryland King is the founder and executive director of, a 501 non-profit organization with the mission to bring supplementary youth-to-youth environmental education programs to the public school system completely free of charge, building more sustainable communities from the youngest members of society up.
Education
King graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012 with a degree in environmental studies and professional writing.
Career
In the summer of 2009, King worked as camp director at Surf Camp Pacifica. During the following academic school year, King became involved with an environmental club on campus. He combined his passions for the outdoors with the recognition of a need for progression in environmental sustainability, which fueled the idea behind his non-profit organization.
King attributes the beginning of, founded in 2009, to not one, but two big "thank you"son" The first came from two parents, who were astonished to see their developmentally disabled son overcome his fear of waves at a summer surf camp because of Ryland’s encouragement.
The second unforgettable "thank you" came from an inspired 2nd grade girl, for whom the highlight of each school week was Ryland’s science lesson, especially when she got to "dance" like a bumblebee or nurture her own seed to grow tall and strong. Over the past four years,, formerly known as Environmental Education for the Next Generation (EENG), has expanded from 25 college students at UCSB in five different classrooms, to four other California chapters: San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and Davis.
The curriculum aligns closely with the California Department of Education’s content standards and uses a system of teaching called "flow learning" which engages the four types of 4MAT system learners. Lessons cover topics like water conservation, habitats, seed cultivation, ecosystems, sustainability, composting, and soil science, covering a broad range of environmental issues.
King received $100,000 in 2011 for his work and was in the running to receive $1,000,000 in December, 2012.
2012 2011 2010.
Achievements
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Chase Community Giving Awards Finalist Chase Community Giving Awards ($20,000) Brower Youth Award ($3,000) Video Hits One’s Do Something Finalist Dockers Wear the Pants Contest Grant ($100,000) Chosen from a nation-wide pool of over 3,300 entries to live your life’s passion. Donald A. Strauss Scholarship Award ($10,000) Awarded to 12 California college students to undertake a high-impact, sustainable, social change project in their senior year. Community Affairs Board Foundation Grant ($10,000) Williams Corrbett Foundation Award ($10,000) The Fund for Santa Barbara’s Youth Making Change Grant ($2,300) UCSB Associated Students 2010 Project of the Year Tom Roger’s Scholarship Award ($5,000) Foreign a project that embodies the ideals of civic responsibility and environmental stewardship. Yolanda Garcia Scholarship Award ($1,000) Awarded for outstanding community service and social justice.
