‘A true friend of the environment and education’
By Meliqueica Meadows
Of the St. Louis American
“It’s a spiritual journey for me,” Michael Nelson said.
The journey is one on which he embarks daily, taking kids from the ‘hood and showing them the natural majesty of their home state. For his hard work, Nelson was recently honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the Region 7 Educators Environmental Excellence Award.
As vice president of partnerships for Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS), Nelson develops public and private community partnerships, with an emphasis on environmental issues and education. He manages ARCHS’ Community Access to Environmental Education (CATEE) program, which serves nearly 2,000 St. Louis-area students. CATEE is a pollution-prevention and environmental-literacy program.
“Under Michael’s direction, CATEE currently impacts 1,985 students at six area schools,” ARCHS’ CEO Wendell E. Kimbrough said.
“He spearheads learning about air and water quality, recycling, conservation of natural resources and pollution prevention. Michael is a true friend of the environment and education.”
“These are the kids that they say don’t like science,” Nelson said.
“When they open their door, they don’t see the natural world. That’s why I started focusing on education.”
In 1994, Nelson began working with the Green Center as a consultant using his engineering background on a restoration project. Green Center Program Director Dr. Dianne Benjamin said, “His unique talents have helped to create Green Center programs and projects that blend the world of science, and also the arts, with an unsurpassed compassion for children and education.”
In addition to his background in science, Nelson is a veteran of the local music scene, a composer, bandleader and multi-instrumentalist with a focus on African and Caribbean traditions.
For 13 years Nelson worked as an environmental chemist. Using his engineering expertise, he created an ongoing Summer Eco Camp for kids. For six weeks, about 300 urban children explore state parks, rivers and even caves. With his staff of three and several project partners, including the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Science Center, Nelson teaches youth the beauty of the natural world.
“My goal is getting kids to focus on the forest and nature in this state, not the rainforest that they’ll never see or Save the Whales,” Nelson said.
“I talk to them on their level. I get down on my knees and talk to them, not over them. I use a hands-on approach and let them touch, see, smell, hear, taste and feel science. Its fun – that’s why it’s been successful.”
Indirectly, he is combating Hollywood stereotypes of what a scientist looks like. He proves that not all scientists are “nerdy, weird white guys.”
In his environmental chemist gig, Nelson said it was rare to see another African American. “I wouldn’t see another black person all day,” he said.
Nelson, however, was fortunate to see a black scientist right in his own house. His father, Edward Nelson, was one of the first black scientists to work with the EPA. The younger Nelson remembered days spent in his father’s small lab, located on what is now the parking lot of City Hall.
“My mom made me a little lab coat from a sheet,” he recalled.
Now Nelson’s 11-year-old daughter, Niambi, seems to be joining the family legacy. “She loves science,” Nelson said. “She is my little helper.”
Nelson’s artist mother, Pauline Nelson, nurtured his artistic side. It is his unique blend of science and art that won him the EPA honor.
“I use art as a way to have children express what they’ve learned, instead of giving them a test,” he said.
“Any time you have the opportunity to be a presence in a child’s life, it’s a divine opportunity. You don’t know what they’ll turn into. It’s a powerful thing.”
ARCHS serves as the CATEE Partnership’s St. Louis sponsor. ARCHS is building local partnerships to bring the CATEE experience to educators and students throughout Greater St. Louis. For more information, contact Michael Nelson at (314) 534-0022 or nelsonm@sltarchs.org.
