Don Ott, a longtime adjunct faculty member in Wilmington University’s Elementary and Middle Level Education programs, was honored by the Delaware Center for Inland Bays at its Annual Friends of the Bays Award & Volunteer Appreciation event. The recognition reflects Ott’s deep commitment to connecting future educators with the natural world around them.

Ott has built a strong and sustained partnership with the Center for Inland Bays, weaving hands-on environmental learning into his coursework. He regularly brings his students to the center for field experiences that highlight the region’s unique ecosystems and the challenges they face. He also invites center experts into his classes, providing students with direct access to scientists and environmental educators who can discuss how everyday choices impact local waterways and habitats.

His life experience includes researching loggerhead sea turtles off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, and hiking the high peaks of the Adirondacks in New York. He teaches marine science to elementary students at Sussex Academy, a charter school in Georgetown.

By integrating these experiences into teacher preparation, Ott helps aspiring educators understand ecological concepts and learn how to inspire environmental stewardship in their own classrooms. His efforts broaden students’ perspectives and reinforce the importance of connecting academic learning with real-world impact.

— Eileen Smith Dallabrida