New environmental education group to hold first conference

Delaware Association for Environmental Education (DAEE) will hold its first annual conference on Feb. 27 at Alapocas Run State Park in Wilmington, Del. The conference is open to both formal and non-formal educators and will have the theme “A Child in the Wild,” focusing on how the No Child Left Inside and Green Schools initiatives can bring the natural world to life in the classroom and on school grounds.

A variety of sessions will give attendees the opportunity to learn how to incorporate nature study into their curriculums, and Delaware environmental organizations will have exhibits and free educational materials available. Conference speakers will include Linda Rhoads, former executive director of the Environmental Education Association of Oregon, Sally Boswell of the Center for the Inland Bays, Sarah Toman of Environmental Concern, and April McCrae, science specialist with the Delaware Department of Education. Additionally, teachers can receive six clock hours through the Delaware Teacher Center.

DAEE was formed with the mission to promote environmental and outdoor education in the state and to facilitate positive community impacts on the conservation and sustainability of Delaware’s resources.

Now an affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), DAEE is supported by Delaware Sea Grant, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware Nature Society, Delaware Department of Agriculture, New Castle Conservation District, and several other organizations.

Advance registration for the conference is required, and seating is limited. Registration for the event, which will take place at Blue Ball Barn within Alapocas Run State Park, is $15, which includes lunch and a one-year membership to DAEE.

For more information and to register, visit www.daeeonline.wordpress.com.

To learn more about Delaware Sea Grant, visit www.deseagrant.org.