Rachel Carson, 1951 Courtesy of the Lear/Carson Collection

The Hatcher Group is leading the communications efforts of the Newton Marasco Foundation for its Rachel Carson Centennial Celebration. The celebration honors legendary Maryland environmentalist Rachel Carson, credited with catalyzing the modern environmental movement with her landmark book, “Silent Spring.” The Hatcher Group coordinated a March 6 press conference at the state Senate in Annapolis to launch the Centennial Celebration. In addition to announcing the foundation’s new Rachel Carson Scholars Program, The Hatcher Group coordinated the partnership with state Senator Brian Frosh to announce his bill proclaiming Rachel Carson Day in Maryland. READ the media coverage here.

Environmental leaders, state officials, community members and reporters attended the press conference, which coincided with the Senate committee hearing on Sen. Frosh’s legislation. The press conference also included the presentation of energy-saving tips and supportive remarks by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other environmental leaders and elected officials.

Amy Marasco Newton, president and founder of the Newton Marasco Foundation, Maryland Senator Brian Frosh and Maryland Delegate Jane Lawton at the March 6 press conference launching the Rachel Carson Centennial Celebration.

Speakers at the press conference included: Amy Marasco Newton, president and founder of the Newton Marasco Foundation; Maryland Senator Brian Frosh of Bethesda; Maryland Senator Jamie Raskin of Takoma Park; Maryland Delegate Jane Lawton of Chevy Chase; Rebecca Bell, environmental education specialist for the Maryland State Department of Education; Karen McManus, representing U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen; Joan E. Maloof, biology professor at Salisbury University; Allyson Ladley, education outreach coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and Kyle Tanger, principal of Clear Carbon Consulting.

The Centennial Celebration continues through May 27, when Carson would have been 100, with presentations of “A Sense of Wonder,” a one-woman play by actress Kaiulani Lee about Carson’s life. The Newton Marasco Foundation is presenting the play at the D.C. Environmental Film Festival, on Capitol Hill and at the National Wildlife Visitor Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Md.

The celebration launch was covered by the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Examiner in Washington and Baltimore, the Capital newspaper in Annapolis, the Gazette newspapers in Montgomery County, the Montgomery Sentinel, on WAMU-FM, and on NBC4’s “Going Green” segment with Wendy Rieger.

Loudoun Valley High School student Chris Morgan created the winning design in the Rachel Carson poster contest.

The Hatcher Group also generated widespread media coverage for the Newton Marasco Foundation’s Rachel Carson poster contest. The Centennial Celebration features the first-place poster as its artistic centerpiece. The top three designs were selected from a pool of submissions by students at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville, Va.

The Hatcher Group also provides communications support for other environmental organizations:

• Resources for the Future
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation
• State Environmental Leadership Program