American Society of Landscape Architects Launches New Educational Resources for K-12 Teachers and Students

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Society of Landscape Architects is launching two new educational resources that will help young people and teachers explore the landscape architecture profession—a newly redesigned Career Discovery website and the new Tools for Teachers. The launch is part of ASLA's outreach for National Landscape Architecture Month in April.

The Career Discovery website, aimed at students in middle school and high school, explains what a landscape architect does and how to become one. With a background that features the evolution of Columbus Circle in New York City from sketch to reality, the website shows how landscape architects creatively solve complex urban and environmental issues through design. Columbus Circle was redesigned by OLIN, a landscape architecture firm, and received a 2006 ASLA Honor Award in the General Design category.

The website also includes two videos—"Personal Paths" and "Why Become a Landscape Architect?"—featuring landscape architects and designers on why landscape architecture is the perfect career for art- and science-oriented students.

Tools for Teachers is a new education hub for K-12 teachers.  It is loaded with fun, free classroom activities that will inspire lesson plans and start classroom dialogues about landscape architecture. It includes links to all of ASLA's educational resources, including:

• Hands-on classroom activities aligned to national teaching standards
• The Roof is Growing! green roof education program
• Designing Our Future: Sustainable Landscapes pages offering educational animations, case studies and K-12 classroom activities
• A link to a reservation form to visit the green roof on ASLA's Washington, D.C. headquarters.

"Students need to know at an earlier age why landscape architecture is a fun, rewarding, and important career that helps communities become great places to live," said Mark A. Focht, FASLA, president of ASLA and first deputy commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. "Our educational and career discovery resources will help them and their teachers get excited about what we do and why it matters."

"We invite students and their teachers and families to check out our resources and learn more about the landscape architecture profession," said Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, the executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. "Landscape architects draw upon their knowledge of the environment, science, and art to design outdoor environments and related green infrastructure, such as plazas, campuses, parks, playgrounds, streetscapes, and residential properties. Their work is everywhere."

These resources are an opportunity for students to explore landscape architecture, a career they may not have heard much about, and learn the pathways of becoming a landscape architect.

Note: Media are welcome to download the "Personal Paths" and "Why Become a Landscape Architect?" videos from Vimeo as long as they are unedited and ASLA is given credit. For more information, please contact Karen Grajales.

About the American Society of Landscape Architects
Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 72 student chapters. Members of the Society use the "ASLA" suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. The Society's mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education and fellowship. Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140325/DC90161LOGO-b

Contact: Karen Grajales
American Society of Landscape Architects
(202) 216-2371
[email protected]
@landarchitects

SOURCE American Society of Landscape Architects