by Amy Campagna
    We have something fun in store for our March program! Join us via Zoom on Thursday, March 10, at 7 p.m., when celebrated educator and former ASO board president Ron Cisar will talk about the importance of sketching and journaling, discuss useful tips and techniques for getting started, and share some of his amazing bird art.
    Ron believes students of the natural world must immerse themselves in the outdoor experience to fully comprehend the intricate interrelationships between living things and the environment they inhabit. In all his teaching, Ron hopes to fan the flame of excitement to instill a continuing sense of wonder that drives students to ask questions and seek answers to the mysteries of the natural world.
    Ron is an Omaha native and UNO graduate (BS, MS). He taught science and biology in the Omaha Public Schools
for 32 years and served Iowa Western Community College as assistant Professor Emeritus until 2017. He is nationally recognized as a singer-songwriter, has led educational and research programs in national parks, and has earned many awards for excellence in education:
•    Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation
•    Alice Buffett Outstanding Teaching Award
•    Nebraska Conservation Educator of the Year Award
•    Education Award from the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation
•    Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska Omaha College of Education.
    Ron currently teaches a program series based on the life work of Aldo Leopold at Pottawattamie Conservation’s Hitchcock Nature Center. His teaching style engages learners through a variety of media: PowerPoint lectures, discussion, hands-on experiences, self-reflection, journaling, and song.