Kentucky Association for Environmental Education

CONFERENCE

The 2009 KAEE Conference at General Butler State Resort Park brought friends and colleagues together for two full days to share knowledge, resources, and an all around good time! The conference couldn’t have taken place without the support of our members and financial supporters. Twenty groups filled the exhibit hall this year. Government agencies, businesses, and non-profits brought their information and products to share.

KAEE’s members provide the bulk of the sessions that are offered at the yearly conferences and they certainly stay on top of current trends in the field of environmental education. This year, many new faces were seen in the presenters chairs! Having such a diverse group of presenters sets the stage for a broad spectrum of environmental education issues. Forty-seven sessions were offered this year. For more detailed information about the conference, please look at the conference program.

Ample networking time was provided during extended meal times and Friday night’s events. After our dinner in the conference center, John Shortt gathered a group together as he called several folk dances. He played his banjo and handed out instruments for others to join in as well. The Kentucky University Partnership for Environmental Education (KUPEE) sponsored the after-dinner reception. Although no one wanted John to stop playing, many conference-goers went to the Rec Center to watch two short movies covering healthy food issues. A discussion with our keynote speaker, Melinda Hemmelgarn, followed the movies.

The free electronics recycling event was held at Arkema, Inc. in Carrollton and was sponsored by the Carroll County Fiscal Court, North American Stainless and Arkema in cooperation with KAEE and Creative Recycling Systems of Louisville. More than 15,844 pounds of electronic equipment and 25,457 pounds of Household Hazardous Waste was dropped off by Carroll County citizens and KAEE conference attendees. The electronic materials will be reclaimed and used to make new products with less than 3% of the materials landfilled.

Several award winners were recognized by KAEE for their devotion to environmental education: Winner of the Outstanding Individual Award – Amanda Patrick; Winner of the Outstanding Program Award: Grant County Middle School, Mrs. Kelli Lee’s 3rd hour class; Winner of the Outstanding Organization Award: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., Environmental Education Center | Nature Trail. Please take a few minutes to read more about these wonderful people and programs on our Award Winner’s Page.

The 2010 conference will be held at the Cave City Convention Center in Cave City, Kentucky on September 17th and 18th. The theme will be ‘Telling Our Story’. Effectively communicating the importance of environmental education is essential to our supervisors, legislators, and funding sources. This issue is especially important in today’s economic climate. Check back often for more updates!

If you would like to volunteer for the 2010 Conference, contact us here.