Tag Archives: Candace Printz

El Dorado High School art teacher Candace Printz, well-known for promoting environmental awareness and proactive recycling efforts through her It’s Your World & Green Hope nonprofits, won an Environmental Excellence Award at the first-ever Texas Senate District 29 Environmental Excellence Recognition.

“I feel great that the years we have put into this program are now gaining attention at the local and state level because it’s going to improve the world we live in,” Printz said. “I’m also pleased that more organizations are creating programs that acknowledge and praise groups that are trying to make positive environmental change.”

The Environmental Excellence awards program was initiated by Senator José Rodríguez’ Environment Advisory Committee, in conjunction with the City of El Paso Environmental Services Department.

The program helps identify, articulate and strengthen a regional culture of conservation, preservation and best practices for the environment.

Printz launched the It’s Your World project in 2015 by organizing desert clean ups and making artwork from the debris that was collected. The former school club of 60 students has evolved into Green Hope Project, a non-profit organization that furthers education, the arts and environmentalism through work with scientists and engineers.

“We want to work with engineers and scientists to create solutions to the overabundance of plastic that is clogging our oceans and landfills,” she said. “We also want to re-purpose materials for housings, playgrounds, and artwork to decrease the amount of items that are discarded.”

Karl Rimkus, chairman of the EAC and Operations Manager for the El Paso Environmental Services Department said they were happy to recognize worthy endeavors in the advancement of environmental issues in our community.

“For the first time we will be able to not only highlight environmental projects worthy of recognition, but will maintain an archive of these projects for future reference and inspiration,” Rimkus said.

The EAC suggests legislation and engages in discussions that empower the community to have a role in policy change in regard to environmental affairs.

“This local, regional, and state attention is important to us because we want to continue this momentum and propel this project to higher levels,” Printz said.

The honor was awarded in April.

This Saturday, an opening reception will be celebrated for the Metamorphosis Art to Treasure III exhibit, which features artwork made from recycled materials.

The artists created the pieces for the annual contest in a community project spearheaded by El Dorado High School art teacher and event organizer Candace Printz.

The event is part of the It’s Your World community art project, in which participants create artwork from recycled material and raises awareness about environmental conservation, and Green Hope Project, a new nonprofit that is an offshoot of It’s Your World.

El Dorado students and community members involved in the project regularly take part in desert cleanups and turn the trash into art. The contest for the Metamorphosis exhibit invited all community members in the El Paso, Las Cruces and Juarez area to enter their artwork created from recycled materials.

In addition to promoting the arts and recycling, the Metamorphosis exhibit supports non-profits in the area, such as the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition, which helps preserve the local land, and MuttLove Dog Rescue, which helps take care of abandoned or sick animals that the It’s Your World community project members have found at the desert cleanups.

Proceeds from the sale of select works at the exhibit will go to one of these organizations or Green Hope Project.

At the event, both groups and the City of El Paso’s Environmental Services will set up informational booths. MuttLove also will have a dog adoption event. Entertainment will be provided by a DJ and the event will be catered.

Award winners will be presented at 3 p.m. during the reception.

The Metamorphosis Art to Treasure III exhibit will be on display from April 27 through May 17 at the International Museum of Art.

What:             Metamorphosis Trash to Treasure III recycled art exhibition

Who:               El Dorado High School art students and teacher; El Paso, New Mexico and Mexico artists; community members

Where:           International Museum of Art |   1211 Montana Avenue

When:             Saturday, April 27, 2019 –  Reception from 2 to 4 p.m., awards at 3 p.m.

El Dorado High School art teacher Candace Printz was named the 2019 Environmental Educator of the Year as part of the 2019 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards given by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

“This is an honor,” Printz said. “I hope that this attention can propel our future efforts with the Its Your World Project club, in addition to our newly founded non-profit, Green Hope Project, that furthers education, the arts and environmentalism through work with scientists and engineers.”

Printz was recognized for her creative conservation efforts with her It’s Your World clean-up, recycling and art project. With the statewide recognition, Print was awarded a $2,500 grant to go toward the It’s Your World project.

She was credited for educating students and the public, for utilizing volunteers, and for creating conservation projects. She was chosen by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and TCEQ commissioners.

Printz began the innovative It’s Your World project during the 2015-2016 school year. Seeing trash piling up in the El Paso desert, Printz and her students decided to collect debris and turn it into artwork. Their art educated the public on how much pollution there was in their community.

Her effort won a national contest sponsored by Barnes & Noble. Former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton, who was involved in the contest, visited El Dorado High School to recognize the school’s efforts and came back to El Paso a year later to attend an art exhibit that resulted from the recycling art project. Since then, she has continued growing her conservation art project with clean-ups, art shows, presentations, and workshops and has involved dozens of students and community members in the efforts.

“Ms. Printz’s hard work and dedication have once again brought credit to her and Socorro ISD,” said Ronald Pingor, SISD assistant director of fine arts. “Congratulations on a job well done!”

She will be recognized at a banquet on May 15 as part of the TCEQ’s Environmental Trade Fair and Conference at the Austin Convention Center

El Dorado High School art teacher Candace Printz and her students are once again spending Saturday mornings collecting trash in the El Paso desert as part of the It’s Your World community recycle and art project.

Candace Printz, a visual arts teacher at El Dorado High School, was awarded a grant by the National Society of High School Scholars’ to enhance the delivery of International Baccalaureate courses for the 2017-2018 school year.

“My students and I want to make a difference in our community by cleaning up the land, educating adults and children alike about the decisions they make, and raising awareness about our local non-profits,” Printz said. “We are doing this by cleaning up four miles of land, inviting local non-profits and the community to help, and turning the trash into artwork.”

Printz is one of 20 educators from 11 states, and the only one in Texas, to receive the $500 IB grant.

The grant will allow her to sponsor upcycling workshops and teach students, parents, teachers and community members how to create something useful out of discarded materials.

Printz, with the help of her students, pioneered various environmental programs such as the innovative It’s Your World community project and the Metamorphosis Trash to Treasure Art Contest.

“International Baccalaureate teachers are challenging our students to strive for excellence and our organization is pleased to be able to enhance their efforts,” said NSHSS president James Lewis, in a press release.”

Students in the El Dorado International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme are committed to achieving academic success and serving their community in pursuit of obtaining a higher education and becoming active participants in today’s global society.

The Socorro Independent School District celebrated its 46 Campus Teachers of the Year at the district’s 2017 Teacher of the Year Gala on May 13 at the Judson F. Williams Hall in the El Paso Convention Center.

Christina Luna Castaños, from Purple Heart Elementary School, was named the 2017 SISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Castaños is a fifth-grade English language Arts and Reading teacher and has been an educator for 15 years.

“I’m on top of the world,” Castaños said. “This means I can represent the teachers from our district and represent them well.”

Candace Printz, from El Dorado High School, was named the 2017 SISD Secondary Teacher of the Year. Printz is an art teacher and has been teaching for 12 years.

“I want to do the right thing by representing the district and our teachers,” Printz said. “I feel honored.”

The district elementary and secondary winners will go on to represent SISD in the Region 19 Teacher of Year competition in August.

“For me, I love this night because it is a chance to celebrate our Team SISD teachers,” said Dr. José Espinoza, SISD Superintendent. “They are our HEROES in the classroom!”

More than 1,000 people attended the event, including teachers, principals, family members and other SISD staff. Each school’s Campus Teacher of the Year was recognized at the gala, including those who were selected as Elite 8 finalists.

Telemundo 48 news anchor Karla Mariscal was the master of ceremonies for the gala.

El Dorado High School art teacher Candace Printz was recognized as a top educator in Texas and a 2017 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award finalist on May 7 at a special H-E-B awards ceremony in Austin.

The Socorro Independent School District educator was one of five Texas teachers selected as a finalist in the leadership secondary award category which honors educators for their outstanding dedication and commitment to students.

“I am extremely grateful to be an H-E-B finalist,” Printz said. “There are so many great teachers and amazing mentors in the state, so I’m deeply honored to have received this recognition.”

Earlier this year, Printz was recognized with a cash prize of $1,000 for herself and another $1,000 for her school during a surprise visit by H-E-B representatives and SISD Superintendent Dr. José Espinoza.

“We are extremely proud of Ms. Printz for being selected as a finalist of this prestigious award,” Dr. Espinoza said. “Her work, dedication and passion for students is admirable and truly embodies what our district is about. I commend her for her great work and thank her for being a role model to our children!”

Printz’ was nominated as a finalist for a plethora of accomplishments, including her innovative It’s Your World community project, which aims to collect trash and recyclables in the El Paso area and turn the waste into beautiful art; being the first-ever SISD Wall of Honor recipient in 2016; and being named an SISD campus Teacher of the Year in 2011 and 2017.

The educator plans to continue the project as well as start a non-profit organization with her students to continue creating an environmentally conscious culture in the El Paso community.

“We’ve learned so much this year and I look forward to continue this project by starting a non-profit organization where students who spearheaded the project can be our board members,” she said. “The objective will be to research our city’s laws, make suggestions and educate the community to be more progressive when it comes to recycling.”

This is the second year Printz has been recognized by H-E-B. Last year, she was one of 140 semi-finalists selected for the award out of the more than 1,400 submissions in Texas.

THE H-E-B award was created in 2002 as a way to support public education in Texas and pay tribute to educators who go the extra mile each day to serve their students, communities and inspire others to do the same, according to the H-E-B webpage.