CAEE 2024 Conference eeVoices: The Power of Stories

Advancing Colorado's Environmental Education Plan

• Are you interested in learning more about Colorado's Environmental Education Plan?
• Are you interested in learning more about how YOU can advance environmental and outdoor learning in Colorado?

If so, you are invited to join us for a pre-conference summit to generate ideas to advance environmental and outdoor learning in Colorado. Each year, we select a strategy from the Colorado Environmental Education Plan to dig into and think about how we can work together to build stronger systems for PreK-12 Learning in Colorado. We will invite experts to share about trends that might be impacting outdoor and environmental learning and we will work together to brainstorm strategies together!
When:  September 18th, 2024 from 10am-3pmWhere:  CSU Spur, DenverCost:  $29 to cover lunch and snacks, Free for Colorado EE Leadership Council MembersPlease check back for a detailed agenda and speaker list.

Start your day with CAEE each morning from 8:00-9:00am for morning networking and the EExhibitor Resource Walk to learn more about how exhibitor programs and resources can support your work. If you would like to receive CSM credit for the EExhibitor Resource Walk, pick up the CSM credit form from the registration area for instructions.

Coffee will be provided by the Western Daughter’s Kitchen in Hydro (Level 1) thanks to the genorous sponsorship of CSU Spur!

As we aim to reveal, inspire, and engage- weaving stories into EE is a powerful way to captivate the attention and emotions of our audiences. In this interactive session, we’ll uncover impactful hacks for making story-sharing an essential part of your communication and create a toolkit to apply to your experiences.

Join us at the first annual eeLeaders Forum, a specialized conference session designed for individuals with five or more years of professional experience in developing environmental education (EE) and interpretive programs, supervising education staff, and managing educational or interpretive sites. This forum provides a unique opportunity to network and connect with fellow managers, directors, and leaders of environmental and outdoor learning programs. This year, we will focus on the crucial areas of recruitment, hiring, retention, and the culture of EE teams, encompassing staff, volunteers, and other contributors. Participants will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance their team's effectiveness and cohesion.

The forum will give participants the opportunity to:

• Connect with other environmental and outdoor learning managers and leaders
• Ask your most burning questions about recruitment, hiring, retention, and team culture to a panel of HR Experts
• Engage in small group discussions with peers to brainstorm strategies that will work at YOUR organization

Grab lunch in the Hydro Lobby and bring it up to the Annual Member Meeting!  

The Annual Member Meeting is an opportunity to learn about state and national initiatives, catch up on CAEE news, and provide direction for EE in Colorado. We want to make sure we are meeting the needs of environmental and outdoor educators and organizations. Join us to provide your feedback on the most important things CAEE can be doing over the next 5 years to support you!

Learn some new team building activities for small groups, large groups, and all ages. These activities are based on the Training Wheels team building activities developed by Michelle Cummings. Come play AND Learn!

Ever noticed how some people dominate conversations? While it seems convenient, not speaking up means your ideas, values, and needs go unheard. What if there was a solution? Join our interactive session to gain three tools for speaking up, even for introverts. Unlock your voice and make an impact today!

Start your day with CAEE each morning from 8:00-9:00am for morning networking and the EExhibitor Resource Walk to learn more about how exhibitor programs and resources can support your work. If you would like to receive CSM credit for the EExhibitor Resource Walk, pick up the CSM credit form from the registration area for instructions.

Coffee will be provided by the Western Daughter’s Kitchen in Hydro (Level 1) thanks to the genorous sponsorship of CSU Spur!

Stories matter to bringing environmental justice (EJ) to EE. In Part 1, we center the ethics that allow us to receive and share stories of EJ, with respect, authenticity, and reciprocity. Intergroup Dialogue—especially relationship-building techniques and learning on social identities—support teachers ready to build EJ curriculum.

In Part 2, small groups build curriculum that aligns EJ with Colorado state standards, while engaging stages 3 and 4 of Intergroup Dialogue (approaching “hot topics,” creating a “product” together). Participants create lessons from case studies of environmental racism, or indigenous stories. We close with self-reflection to promote cultural competence and justice.

Are you new to the field of environmental education with less than five years of experience? Do you have questions about how to build a long-term career in the EE field? Join us at this roundtable to converse with other new professionals about the challenges and opportunities in EE.

How do you create wonder in your science education and EE programs? We will discuss and practice how to use props, pictures, observations and more. This interactive session is applicable to early career professionals, staff and volunteer trainers and anyone who wants to hone their skills and share their techniques.

Grab your lunch and explore the campus!  If you are working towards obtaining CSM Credit, be sure to pick up a Resource Walk Form.  You can add a description of any of the places you visit (listed below) to your form to count for 1 hour of Credit.  You must visit a combination of 10 Spur Campus Exhibits and/or Exhibits in the Exhibit Hall to receive 1 hour towards your credit.

You can find spaces to eat:
Outdoors
· The Backyard- Outside the Hydro Building
· 2nd Floor Terrace in the Hydro Building
· North Plaza-Outside the Terra Building
· Outdoor Garden Terrace- 4th Floor of the Terra Building
· Green Roof on the 5th Floor of the Terra Building
· Riverfront Open Space- Along the South Platte on the westside of Spur

In the following Classrooms:
In the classrooms on the 2nd Floor of the Hydro Building!

Explore the Spur Campus
The Backyard in Hydro- This outdoor space features landscape architecture depicting the major watersheds of Colorado, and allows visitors to enjoy a break in the Colorado sunshine walking along native plants while connecting them with educational opportunities. In addition to all that The Backyard has to offer, the space parallels the South Platte River and Riverfront Open Space area with walking paths and an amphitheater. It’s an easy walk down to the river from The Backyard to explore one of Colorado’s most important waterways.

While you are in the Backyard meet the mini horses who call Spur home. The minis are part of the Temple Grandin Equine Center's equine-assisted services program, and they will be going for their daily stroll during the lunch hour. Stop by and say hi.

Stream Table in Hydro (Level 2)- Check out the hands-on stream table equipped with water and sand that showcases how water affects the nearby landscape.

Community Food Justice Garden outside Terra- Zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, basil, cilantro, eggplant, cucumber, and more are grown here for the food access program at The GrowHaus to be distributed to CSU Spur neighbors in the community.

Green Roof in Terra (Level 4)-Green roof systems and an expansive greenhouse atop the Terra building show how urban spaces can be used for plant and food production. The green roof serves as a research and demonstration facility to build on previous CSU research to investigate water use, food production, agrivoltaics, plant-pollinator interactions, seeding, and other emergent industry questions.

Greenhouse in Terra (Level 4)- Visit a state-of-the-art rooftop greenhouse in the Terra building. Discover how CSU researchers in Controlled Environment Agriculture are leading the way in greenhouse growing systems that will inform solutions for growing food in urban spaces with limited resources. Interested in starting you a greenhouse at your school or business? Ask the Spur staff to connect you with our researchers!

Denver Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital in Vida (Level 1 and 2)- Veterinarians perform “on-view” surgeries, meaning the public can watch live procedures through glass while the League’s veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians discuss the surgery in real-time and CSU educators describe the activity and field questions.

Virtual Reality Room in Vida (Level 1)- step inside a virtual learning space and see how veterinary and biology students are using VR to study animal and human anatomy. This technology was developed by CSU faculty and students and is available to any field trip at CSU Spur (recommended for ages 9 and up).

Temple Grandin Equine Center in Vida (Level 2)- Observe horses helping human clients in equine-assisted sessions throughout the day. From physical therapy to horse care, learn how CSU’s team of equine scientists, human healthcare providers, and the horses who live at Spur are all working together to promote the betterment of individuals with all types of abilities.

Equine Sports Medicine and Rehab Center in Vida (Level 2)- As a visitor, check out the equine sports medicine and rehabilitation center viewing area on the 2nd floor (follow signs to the north side of the Vida building), and watch horses walking on underwater treadmills and working with veterinarians. A special demonstration for conference attendees is scheduled for Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Our Landscape Analysis unveiled findings about the state of environmental and outdoor learning in Colorado. So, now what? Explore tools and data that you can use in grant applications, reports, and more to build support for your work. Delve into recommendations and discuss opportunities to collaborate to advance environmental and outdoor learning across the state.