In addition to thousands of dollars in scholarships and research grants, SEASPACE also votes one additional merit award, to the person or organization which best fulfills SEASPACE's desire to bring about understanding, knowledge, and interest in the sea, to the largest possible number of people, and to do it in an interesting and entertaining way. The SEASPACE / PADI Environmental Awareness Award recognizes outstanding effort in the cause of marine conservation and education. Previous recipients include Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, Houston Lighting & Power, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Dee Scarr, Lynn Funkhauser, the Gulf Reef Environmental Action Team, Dr. Hillary Viders, Soames Summerhays, and Howard & Michele Hall.
Kenneth D. Knezick was named recipient of the 2005 SEASPACE / PADI Project Aware Environmental Awareness Award. This prestigious prize recognizes individuals and organizations that are working to enhance understanding of the marine environment, and the importance of its protection. Previous honorees include Jean-Michel Cousteau and renowned marine biologist and explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle.
Knezick made a point of accepting the award on behalf of the entire SEASPACE organization, of which he has been Executive Director for the past 20 years. He said, "Our overriding mission on behalf of SEASPACE has been that of environmental education. In particular, I am proud of our outreach to youth, and all the childrens’ activities SEASPACE has developed over the years."
The Environmental Award is accompanied by a $1,000 honorarium. Knezick revealed that, rather than accept the money personally, he would donate his honorarium to the SEASPACE Scholarship Fund. SEASPACE is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to educating the public about the oceans of the world and preservation the marine environment. Since its inception in 1969, SEASPACE has provided financial assistance to more than 256 students of the marine sciences enrolled in accredited colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Karl Shreeves, vice president for technical development at PADI’s Diving Science and Technology division, presented the award to Knezick. In addition to recognizing his decades of service with SEASPACE, Shreeves lauded Knezick for his strong commitment to environmentally responsible tourism in his capacity as President of Houston-based Island Dreams Travel, a company specializing in worldwide scuba diving adventures.
For more information about PADI visit http://www.padi.com. For more information about Kenneth Knezick and Island Dreams, visit http://www.islandream.com.
Environmental Awareness Award
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| Last updated on 4/18/2009, by |  |
SEASPACE, Inc.
P.O. Box 3753
Houston, TX 77253-3753
SEASPACE, Inc. is a 501(c)3 corporation
