2024 COEEA Annual Conference
Date: December 07th 2024
Location: Suffield High School, 1060 Sheldon St, West Suffield, CT 06093.
Time: Check-In begins at 8:30 AM. Conference runs from 9:00 AM to 4 PM
The COEEA Annual Conference brings together thought-provoking and engaging opportunities to share with, learn from, and water the seeds of inspiration with other outdoor and environmental education leaders and nature enthusiasts from across the state. With quality workshops and ample networking opportunities, COEEA’s conference is a great place to connect with old friends and new. Last year’s conference attendees included non-formal educators, classroom teachers, administrators, students, and leaders advancing EE and Environmental Justice across CT!
This year's theme is “Building a Resilient Future in a Changing World.” We aim to address both internal and external resilience, with workshop topics ranging from coping strategies for ecoanxiety to how to engage with communities for a more resilient future.
You can also request a scholarship support during registration! Through our conference scholarship program, COEEA fully subsides professionals, classroom teachers, students, and anyone else interested in advancing environmental literacy for all residents of Connecticut to attend our conference free of charge.
If you would like to support our sponsorship program and sponsor a fellow EE to attend our event, you can make a contribution at the end of your registration. Rest assured that your contribution will be allocated to those like-minded individuals to make our conference bigger, stronger, and more plural! Any contribution is welcome and appreciated, no matter the value.
Registration includes access to the workshops and networking events throughout the conference. Boxed lunch, snacks, and refreshments will be provided.
As a registered participant, you will also have the opportunity to submit your best Outdoor & Environmental Education picture to our Annual Photo-Contest. Share your special 2024 moments with our community and take a chance to win prizes!
Schedule At-a-Glance
Check-In | 30 min | 8:30 - 9:00am |
Welcome & Keynote Speaker | 1 hr | 9:00 - 10:00am |
Affinity Groups | 45 min | 10:00 - 10:45pm |
COEEA Business & Awards | 45 min | 10:45 - 11:30am |
LUNCH | 1 hr | 11:30am - 12:30pm |
Workshop Session 1 | 1 hr | 12:30 - 1:30pm |
BREAK | 15 min | 1:30 - 1:45pm |
Workshop Session 2 | 1 hr | 1:45 - 2:45pm |
BREAK | 15 min | 2:45 - 3:00pm |
Workshop Session 3 | 1 hr | 3:00 - 4:00pm |
Post-Conference Social | TBD | 4:00pm - TBD |
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Maggie Favretti
Maggie Favretti conspires with younger learners, community leaders, and colleagues from around the world to democratize and deepen learning and to build agency for caring and transformative resilience.
In her new book Learning in the Age of Climate Disasters: Empowering Teachers and Students Beyond Futurephobia, author and award-winning educator Maggie Favretti outlines the contexts and causes of “futurephobia” and then offers Regenerative Learning strategies rooted in nature’s principles for repair and redesign. She also explores methods for co-empowering youth creativity, agency, and hope. Her guiding question? What kind of ancestor will I be?
WORKSHOPS
WORKSHOP SESSION #1 (12:30 pm - 1:30 pm)
❧ Climate Café: Eco Grief
Presented by: Merrit Juliano, Climate Psychology Alliance of North America
Join our Eco Grief climate café. This listening circle is a simple, hospitable, empathetic space where fears and uncertainties about our climate and ecological crisis can be safely expressed.
❧ Educating for Climate Action and Justice - Intro to the New NAAEE Guidelines
Presented by: Brock Adler, Chair of the NAAEE Advocacy Committee
Discover how to apply the North American Association for Environmental Education's latest climate education guidelines across school and community settings, fostering collaborative, locally-driven, and emotionally supportive learning for climate action.
WORKSHOP SESSION #2 (1:45 pm - 2:45 pm)
❧ Youth Perspectives on Collective Resilience: Holding Space for Eco-Grief and Cultivating Eco-Hope
Presented by: Ollie Perrault, Mass Audubon's Statewide Youth Climate Leadership Program, Director of Youth Climate Action Now
Explore strategies for cultivating resilience, hope, and collective support as we empower a new generation to navigate eco-grief, systemic challenges, and the uncertainties of a changing world.
❧ Envirothon. The benefits of connecting with your community and environment.
Presented by: Audra Leach, CT Envirothon
Learn how participating in Envirothon, North America’s largest high school environmental science competition, fosters hands-on STEM learning, community engagement, and informed citizenship through activities in ecology, forestry, land use, and wildlife conservation.
WORKSHOP SESSION #3 (3:00 pm - 4:00 pm)
❧ The 12 Steps to Climate Recovery
Presented by: Sydney Collins, Sunrise New Haven
Explore how the principles of recovery - accountability, community, personal growth, and the need to address deeper, systemic causes of harm - can guide the global fight for climate justice.
❧ Launch of the CT Climate Hub
Presented by: Jim Clifford, CT Climate Education Hub
Hear about the new Connecticut Climate Education Hub, featuring a comprehensive free collection of scientist-reviewed and teacher-approved resources. We aim to empower educators, inspire students, and make climate education accessible for all.
More TBA!
PREVIOUS COEEA CONFERENCE SPONSORS
YOUR LOGO HERE
SPONSORS
COEEA has always been able to keep our programs free and our conferences affordable due to our funders and sponsors.
If you are interested in supporting COEEA's work in promoting advancements in environmental literacy for all residents of Connecticut, please consider becoming a sponsor today and contact us at info@coeea.org!
Your sponsorship will help COEEA keep:
-
Supporting Green LEAF schools across the state to achieve every day environmental improvements in their school grounds and with their students
-
Offering network opportunities and free training and resources to students and environmental education professionals
-
Providing funds through Mini-Grants to locally relevant, meaningful, experiential learning projects that advance diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in environmental education initiatives aligned with the goals of the Connecticut's Environmental Literacy Plan
-
Recognizing the hard work and dedication of deserving environmental educators and organizations with our Awards
-
Organizing our affordable Annual Conference, a great opportunity for anyone interested in environmental education to attend workshops, learn from and be inspired by environmental education leaders, listen and share experiences and projects with like-minded, motivated professionals
You can still help!
If you enjoy learning, listening, and sharing experiences with EE friends and colleagues in our Annual Conference and want to join us to make our annual event better, more engaging, and more inclusive, please contact us at conference@coeea.org. Your help would be greatly appreciated in:
-
Planning & setting up the event
-
Seeking sponsors
-
Advertising & promoting the conference
- Collaborating & having fun with like-minded professionals