Camp Cooper Education Team at NAAEE 2022

Camp Cooper at NAAEE

We had a blast presenting at the North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Conference and Research Symposium (NAAEE) last week! The conference focused on the role education can play in creating healthier communities and issues of environmental and social inclusivity. Topics from climate change education and climate justice, to the benefits of connecting to nature, building a green workforce, protecting biodiversity, and centering equity in environmental education were discussed in keynote presentations, table activities, and breakout sessions. New approaches to environmental education that emerged from the pandemic and ways in which current research can increase effectiveness to transform communities so they are more sustainable and just were also an important part of the conference.

With the conference being held in Tucson this year, we were excited for Cooper Center to be a big presence and our sessions and booth were popular throughout the four days of the conference. Some highlights included Colin's Earthwalk demonstration and our education team's presentation and discussion on the topic of helping adults prepare for outdoor education. Cooper also represented the Institute for Earth Education with a booth on the exhibitor floor where we promoted the educational materials we use for our field trips including Earthkeeper's and the institute's other published literature. After attending the event, we are continuing to apply the knowledge and practices that we gained from attending NAAEE this year to improve our own programs and approach to environmental lessons and activities for our students. You can learn more about the NAAEE 2022 Conference here.