Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award
About the Johnson Award
The Johnson Award honors the memory of Richard A. Johnson, a well-known orthopedic surgeon in the Allegany County area. He passed away in 1990 leaving a legacy of a caring and dedicated physician, family man, and naturalist. The Laboratory honors his memory through its promotion of environmental education and the people who excel in its practice.
The endowed fund usually provides a $2,500 annual award to recognize local citizens who directly contribute to environmental education in Allegany County or Garrett County, Maryland. The award, which is meant to aid ongoing environmental education efforts, may be given to individuals or to organizations. The award committee intends for the true beneficiaries to be the students of our community who learn from the activities of the environmental education programs.
2026 Winner:
The Mountain Laurel Garden Club has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award.
2025 Award
Mr. Matthew Kline, science teacher at Mount Savage Middle School, has been selected as the 2025 winner of the Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award. Mr. Kline was selected due the instrumental role he has played in the development of the school’s agricultural program. Under his guidance, the program has grown from a few garden beds, designed and planted by students, to an all-year program that sells produce and honey to the community and includes a chicken-hatching program for elementary students.
Thanks to generous donors, Mr. Kline will receive a monetary award of $2500 to continue environmental education efforts at the school.
