Today, the Coastal Conservation League stood beside partners at the Penn Center to officially relaunch the Penn School for Preservation.
In February, the Penn Center received a $650,000 grant from the Coastal Community Foundation to relaunch the Penn School for Preservation, using courses to address land loss and development pressures in Beaufort County by providing training in civic engagement, citizenship, and community-based planning.
The Conservation League will serve on the steering committee.
“We are honored to be a partner in this relaunch of the Penn School,” said Faith Rivers James, Executive Director of the Coastal Conservation League. “We look forward to paying homage to the founding leaders of the Penn School as we work with the Penn Center to build this new phase of the school.”
The Conservation League’s relationship with the Penn Center spans three decades and was forged when the two groups partnered to create the Penn School for Preservation. The Penn School for Preservation first launched in October 1993, with a course curriculum focused on rural economic development, environmental protection, and community empowerment.
Participants learned about zoning and planning and honed their leadership and advocacy skills. Classes graduated in 1994 and 1995, wearing the traditional Penn colors of red and white. Over the years, the Conservation League has also worked with the Penn Center on preservation.
The Penn School for Preservation laid the groundwork for the community-driven Cultural Protection Overlay (CPO) zoning.
Emory Campbell, the namesake of the new school, was Penn Center’s Executive Director for 20+ years and also served on the Conservation League’s Board. We look forward to partnering with the Penn Center on this impactful programming.