Maryland Educator Receives 2025 National Award for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship

June 26, 2025

Washington, D.C. (June 26, 2025) /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – National Park Trust announces that Kevin Marshall, former educator at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy in Baltimore, MD, was honored with the 2025 National Educator Award for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship at the June board meeting. Fondly referred to as “The Buddy,” in homage to the Park Trust’s beloved mascot, Buddy Bison, this annual accolade recognizes educators who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to fostering their students’ appreciation for the natural world and the importance of safeguarding our nation’s cherished parks, public lands, and waters.

St Ignatius Loyola Academy (SILA) is one of the original Buddy Bison School Program participants and was welcomed during the program’s pilot year in 2009. Since 2018, Kevin Marshall, a former SILA teacher, Graduate Support Coordinator, Student Activities and Service Director, and SILA graduate, has leveraged his passion for the great outdoors and embraced the school’s partnership with the Park Trust.

Under Kevin’s leadership, SILA has skillfully integrated park trips into the academic curriculum, creating lasting environmental learning experiences at local, state, and national parks. Each of the school’s 120 students across four grades experienced the outdoors and explored nature throughout the school year while fostering an awareness of environmental stewardship. From sailing on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland to camping under the stars at Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, his work has enriched the educational journey for countless youth and strengthened the school’s long-standing relationship with the Park Trust.

In addition, Kevin was selected as one of our two Youth Program Fellows in 2023, serving for two years as a special advisor to the Park Trust board and providing key insight that benefited the growth of our national youth programs that serve students in 41 states, plus Washington D.C. and American Samoa.

“I am honored to be recognized for the “The Buddy” National Educator Award. I fully support National Park Trust’s Buddy Bison Program of providing outdoor and park field trips for students. Every student should be given the opportunity to experience learning and enjoying life outside of the typical classroom. There are so many wonderful opportunities to connect with nature and to learn from being outdoors. I am grateful that I am able to help connect students and families to the beautiful world that we all share,” said Kevin Marshall.

Grace Lee, executive director of National Park Trust, stated, “Kevin Marshall exemplifies everything this award stands for—dedication, passion, and a lifelong commitment to connecting students with nature. “As a proud alum and educator at St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, Kevin transformed how environmental education is integrated into their classrooms. His leadership has opened the outdoors to hundreds of students and helped shape the future of the Park Trust’s youth programming nationwide. We are thrilled to honor him with this year’s National Educator Award for Outstanding Environmental Stewardship.”

ABOUT NATIONAL PARK TRUST

National Park Trust’s mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Since 1983, the Park Trust has acquired many of the missing pieces of our national parks, benefiting 55 national park sites across the country. Our national youth education and family initiatives, including our Buddy Bison, College Ambassador, Military Family Programs, and National Kids to Parks Day, serve tens of thousands of children annually and cultivate future park stewards. We believe our public parks, lands, and waters should be cared for, enjoyed, and preserved by all for current and future generations. Find out more at parktrust.org.

To learn more about our National Educator Award, please visit https://parktrust.org/the-buddy-national-educator-award/.

Media Contact: Ivan Levin at 540.818.5818 or ivan@parktrust.org