Conference Program

2

PLT 2016—Salt Lake City, Utah

Welcome to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 30th Annual Project Learning Tree International Coordinators’ Conference!

This conference provides an amazing opportunity to network with PLT State Coordinators, facilitators, outstanding educators, various program sponsors and partners, local Utah natural resource professionals, and other environmental education professionals from around the country and the world.

We look forward to sharing with you how we are implementing PLT’s new strategic plan, which focuses on bringing the Next Gen of PLT to life. We have exciting sessions and networking opportunities planned that will provide you with new tools and ideas to use throughout the coming year and beyond in your own state programs.

As PLT’ers, we recognize the need to expand our understanding of the field of environmental education and the contributions we can make to advance environmental literacy. PLT has accomplished much in the 40 years since it was created. None of this would have been possible without the support and leadership of PLT State Coordinators, state sponsoring organizations, facilitators, and steering committee members. Our conference gives us an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments and continue to learn and grow.

Staff and volunteers from Utah and Washington, DC, have worked throughout the year to plan this exciting conference. The Utah Conference Committee has organized exciting educational adventures for us, including a day at Antelope Island State Park and a local Head Start garden. We’ll also have the opportunity to network while exploring the Tracy Aviary, home to over 400 birds representing 135 different species.

We hope you’ll be able to join us in recognizing our four decades of accomplishments with a 70’s themed birthday bash that will include cake, a champagne toast, some wild critters, and dancing. Don’t forget to wear your 70’s attire!

On behalf of the PLT staff, the Education Operating Committee, and the Utah PLT Program, we would like to thank the many volunteers and all of the presenters and participants for contributing to the success of this conference. We’d also like to give a special thanks to our conference sponsors for their generous financial and in-kind support. Contribute to the success of your conference by participating and sharing what you know!

Enjoy!

Kathy McGlauflin Senior Vice President, Education American Forest Foundation

3

Table of Contents

Sponsors .................................................................................................. 4 Radisson Floor Plan ..................................................................................... 5 Agenda at a Glance ..................................................................................... 6 Notes ...................................................................................................... 8 Conference Strands ....................................................................................10 Sharing Sessions—Meeting Locations ................................................................11 Detailed Agenda

Monday ..............................................................................................12 Tuesday .............................................................................................15

Off-Site Dinner: Tracy Aviary ...............................................................20 Wednesday ..........................................................................................21

Field Trip: Antelope Island & Head Start Garden ........................................23 Thursday .............................................................................................24

A Look Back at PLT Conferences Past .............................................................28 Utah PLT Steering Committee .......................................................................29 PLT Education Operating Committee ...............................................................30 American Forest Foundation Staff ..................................................................31 Participant List .........................................................................................32

4

Albert I. Pierce Foundation

Cotopaxi

Tracy Aviary

Red Rock Brewery

Utah State University Forestry Extension

USDA Forest Service—Conservation Education

5

Radisson Floor Plan

Registration Con

curr

ent

Sess

ions

Con

curr

ent

Sess

ions

Was

atch

Con

curr

ent

Sess

ions

Gen

eral

Ses

sion

s, B

anqu

ets,

Si

lent

Auc

tion

Concurrent

Sessions

Second Floor Meeting Space

6

Agenda at a Glance Monday , May 23 ————————————————————————

Registration & Information Desk Open

Pre-Conference Workshop: Facilitating Next Gen PLT

2:30 p.m. Silent Auction Opens

2:30-3:45 p.m. Conference Welcome & Opening Session

4:00-5:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions A

6:30-8:30 p.m. Opening Banquet: Hawaiian Luau

Hospitality Suite Open

Tuesday, May 24 ———————————————————————— 7:00-8:00 a.m. Breakfast

Registration & Information Desk Open

8:00-10:30 a.m. General Session: Keynote Presentation by Nalini M. Nadkarni

10:45-11:45 a.m. Interact Sessions

12:00-1:30 p.m. Outstanding Educators Luncheon

2:00-3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions B

3:15-5:00 p.m. General Session

5:30-9:00 p.m. Off-Site Dinner: Tracy Aviary

Off-Site Gathering: Keys on Main

7

Agenda at a Glance Wednesday, May 25 ———————————————————————— 7:00-8:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00–10:30 a.m. Registration & Information Desk Open

8:00-9:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions C

9:15–10:30 a.m. Sharing Sessions: By State Sponsor Type

Field Trip: Antelope Island and Head Start Garden

6:00-9:00 p.m. Dinner on Your Own in Salt Lake City

Hospitality Suite Open

Thursday, May 26 ————————————————————————— 7:00-8:00 a.m. Breakfast

Registration & Information Desk Open

8:00-9:30 a.m. General Session

9:45-11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions D

12:00-1:30 p.m. Gold Star Awards Luncheon

2:00-3:00 p.m. Sharing Sessions: By Region

3:15-4:15 p.m. Closing Session

4:30 p.m. Silent Auction Closes

4:30-5:30 p.m. Pick Up Silent Auction Items

5:30-8:30 p.m. Closing Banquet: Happy Birthday PLT!

Hospitality Suite Open

8

Notes Sharing Sessions This year there will be two opportunities to share ideas, successes, and challenges with your colleagues: one by state sponsorship type and one by region. We encourage you to use these sessions to problem-solve and collaborate on common needs. See page 11 of the conference program for more details regarding the times and meeting locations. Share Fair Please be sure to visit the Share Fair tables. This is the place to check out how other PLT programs work, share state and national newsletters, workshop agendas, and much more! Silent Auction Get ready to bid, bid, bid! Proceeds support the Utah PLT Program. The silent auction is always a source of excitement and friendly rivalry! Items from Utah and beyond will be open for bidding beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Monday. Bidding ends at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Should you be a lucky winner, please pick up your items in the registration area from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. You can pay via cash or check. Hospitality Suite Come join us in our after hours gathering space for refreshments and continued networking. Complimentary soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and light snacks will be provided. Off-Site Dinner: Tracy Aviary We’ll have a private dinner at Tracy Aviary, America's oldest and largest bird park. It has over 400 birds representing 135 species on 7.5 acres. Many of the birds at the aviary are found on the Western Hemispheric Flyway, a migratory pattern that includes Great Salt Lake. You will see emus, bald eagles, flamingos, parrots, and several types of waterfowl. Don't be startled by the wandering peacocks! We will be able to experience the newly completed tropical rainforest exhibit. Buses will depart starting at 5:30 p.m. and will depart approximately every 15 minutes, running a continuous loop between the hotel and the Aviary until 9:00 p.m. Interact Sessions These sessions will take place in Wasatch 4 on Tuesday from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Please roam, share, and learn with the facilitators of these sessions. These sessions are designed to be more of a conversation about the topic than a presentation. Outstanding Educator Luncheon Since 1994, National PLT has recognized the efforts of outstanding educators for their commitment to environmental education, their exemplary use of PLT, and their exceptional teaching skills. Join us for this keynote event to celebrate the achievements of these educators.

9

Gold Star Awards Luncheon The PLT Gold Star Award is the highest honor bestowed on individuals and partnering organizations by National PLT on an annual basis. The award is intended to acknowledge a recipient’s enduring and unflagging dedication to the mission and goals of the Project Learning Tree program as demonstrated by their years of exemplary service to the organization. This luncheon provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the 2016 Gold Star Winners, who will be surprised with their awards at the luncheon. Off-Site Event Transportation All transportation for off-site events will pick up and depart from the front entrance of the hotel. Outstanding Educator Program Revision Survey As a follow-up to the Outstanding Educator Interact Session, help us revise this program by providing feedback on our online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/oe_revision

10

Conference Strands PLT Conference Sessions fall into four conference strands. These reflect the highest priorities for our network’s professional development. 1. Innovation in Education: Newly tried or tested efforts to connect PLT materials and

professional development to current educational trends.

2. Best Practices in Professional Development (PD): Efforts to strengthen the instructional design of our wide range of PD events.

3. Organizational Leadership and Management: Efforts to strengthen state program capacity.

4. Outreach and Communications: Efforts to expand awareness and strengthen retention and engagement with all of our target audiences.

For each session, participant outcomes are listed in the detailed conference agenda. These describe what participants will be able to do in real life as a result of participating in this session.

11

Sharing Sessions—Meeting Locations

This year, there will be two opportunities to share ideas, successes, and challenges with your colleagues: one by state sponsorship type and one by region. By Sponsorship Type: Wednesday, 9:15—10:30 a.m. If you are a state coordinator, please attend the session that fits the category of your employer (and therefore your PLT State Sponsorship Type). If you are not a state coordinator, please join your state coordinator in the appropriate session. Government Agencies Wasatch Ballroom State Forestry Agencies, State Departments of Conservation/Natural Resources, State Departments of Environmental Protection/Management, or State Departments of Education Forestry Associations Millcreek Environmental Education Associations Red Butte Non-Profits Parleys 1 & 2 Foundations or PLT-Specific Non-Profits Universities Wasatch 4 Cooperative Extension Services, Colleges of Forestry, Colleges of Natural Resources, or Colleges of Education By Region: Thursday, 2:00—3:00 p.m. North Central Millcreek Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin Northeast Red Butte Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia Southern Parleys 1 & 2 Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mexico, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia Western Wasatch 4 Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Japan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

12

Detailed Agenda Monday, May 23 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Registration & Information Desk Open Wasatch Foyer

8:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Pre-Conference Workshop Wasatch 4 Facilitating Next Gen PLT Outcomes: Participants confidently use the PLT online units in their workshops. Participants integrate PLT’s new online PD offerings to offer online and blended workshop experiences in their states. Participants write outcomes when developing their professional development events.

The Next Gen of PLT is here! In this hands-on session, discover how to incorporate new technology-based PLT resources into your existing workshops. Get hands-on experiences with the PLT activities featured in the new online units, and explore PD delivery models that integrate PLT’s new online PD. Also, we will discuss best practices in professional development, including the mechanics of how to facilitate high-quality workshops that focus on outcomes. Rachel Bayer, National PLT Esther Cowles, National PLT Consultant Jennifer Pic, National PLT Jaclyn Stallard, National PLT

2:30—3:45 p.m. Conference Welcome & Opening Session Wasatch Ballroom Silent Auction Opens! Join us for a welcome to Utah from the Mayor of the City, the USDA Forest Service, and our hosts, the Utah Society for Environmental Education. You’ll also receive an orientation to the conference from the National Staff.

Thom Benedict, Utah Society for Environmental Education Jackie Biskupski, Mayor of Salt Lake City, UT Nan Christianson, USDA Forest Service Tom Martin, American Forest Foundation Kathy McGlauflin, National PLT

13

4:00—5:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions A Preservice + PLT: Is It Working? Red Butte Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcome: Participants will be able to recruit new preservice faculty to incorporate PLT and EE into their courses by sharing evidence from research conducted at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

When encouraging university faculty to integrate PLT into their preservice classrooms, you may be asked “how do you know PLT works?” In this session, learn about our experiences using EE as a springboard for the development of lessons in an initial teacher education course and our findings regarding how often teacher candidates continue to use PLT and EE after the course. We will discuss ideas on how PLT and EE can be integrated into other university coursework, including which courses tend to work the best, and available resources to help you discuss how to integrate PLT (such as the PLT Preservice Resource Guide). Learn how to encourage university faculty to support integration of PLT and EE into courses and discuss evidence of PLT’s impact. Brenda Weiser, University of Houston at Clear Lake

Tell Your State’s PLT Story through Compelling Branding and Messaging Millcreek Strand 4: Outreach and Communications

Outcome: Participants will use the resources provided (templates, style guide) to support or enhance their ongoing marketing efforts.

Building on templates from National PLT, the Texas PLT Steering Committee created our own Branding and Messaging Style Guide to help our coordinators and steering committee effectively communicate the importance of EE and PLT to classroom teachers, school administrators, non-formal educators, supervisors, policy makers, funders, natural resource professionals, and conservation and environmental groups. We also published three brochures to reach our highest priority audiences and created support documents to extend the branding effort. In this session, we will walk you through the process of customizing the templates to create clear, concise messages and a unified brand for your state's PLT program. Misty Bowie, Texas Forestry Association John Boyette, Texas A&M Forest Service Vanessa Bullwinkle, National PLT Leslie Kessner, Texas A&M Forest Service

14

Growing Our Leadership: A Five-State Collaboration Parleys 1 & 2 Strand 3: Organizational Leadership and Management Outcome: Participants will use this model to work collaboratively with other states to build on their strengths and address areas needing improvement, with the goal of greater collective impact.

Our five states—Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, and Utah—are working collaboratively to examine and improve our program operations and management for greater collective impact. As the state environmental education associations that sponsor PLT, we face many similar challenges and opportunities. Using results from our BMPSATs and MPI funding, we are identifying opportunities for change and innovation. In this session, we will share our process as a possible model and help participants strategize how they might replicate this approach with other states. Rachel Bayer, National PLT Thom Benedict, Utah Society for Environmental Education Laura Downey, Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education Eileen Everett, Environmental Education Association of New Mexico Ashley Hoffman, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Sarah Livesay, Environmental Education Association of Illinois

Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together: PLT and NGSS Wasatch 4 Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will be able to describe how PLT materials can be used to meet the performance expectations of NGSS.

Are you still trying to make sense of how PLT fits into the larger puzzle of NGSS? This active session will look at how Every Tree for Itself connects with NGSS’s three dimensions and performance expectations. This activity is part of both the PreK-8 activity guide and the new online Energy and Ecosystems unit, which makes explicit connections to the standards. Karen Ostlund, University of Texas at Austin

6:30—8:30 p.m. Opening Banquet: Hawaiian Luau Wasatch Ballroom Come celebrate the start of our conference Hawaiian style. Enjoy a Hawaiian themed dinner while you catch up with old friends and make new ones at our opening banquet.

8:30 p.m.—Midnight Hospitality Suite Open Blue Spruce (3rd Floor)

15

Tuesday, May 24 7:00—8:00 a.m. Breakfast Wasatch Ballroom Enjoy a breakfast buffet, included as part of your registration.

7:30 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Registration & Information Desk Open Wasatch Foyer

8:00—10:30 a.m. General Session: Keynote Presentations Wasatch Ballroom Many state programs have ties to their state offices of education, but how can we build the strongest relationships possible to allow PLT and EE to benefit from education legislation at the state and national levels? We’ll hear from the State Department of Education about building and maintaining effective DOE relationships and the role the State Science Specialist can play in these efforts.

Ricky Scott, Utah State Office of Education PLT has just launched its new 2016 to 2018 Strategic Plan to implement the Next Generation of PLT. We’ll share how we are undertaking this work in conjunction with the state PLT programs, and what new developments are underway!

Kathy McGlauflin, National PLT Nalini Nadkarni has studied the plants and animals that live in forest canopies on four continents. Her research documents their roles in the cycling of water and nutrients and the resources they provide to birds and arboreal mammals. She also contributes to their conservation by linking these ecological values of forest biota to recreational, aesthetic, spiritual, and social justice values. She describes the innovative programs she has created to include poets, preachers, and prisoners in efforts to understand and protect nature in wildlands and in our cities.

Nalini Nadkarni, University of Utah

16

10:45—11:45 a.m. Interact Sessions Watsatch 4 Come See What PLT has Done with i-Tree! Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will share information about PLT and i-Tree connections with educators in their state.

National PLT has teamed up with the U.S. Forest Service i-Tree group to help design i-Tree Learn, an online tool for educators and students focusing on the benefits of trees. Come view and provide feedback on mockups of the new design of this online tool, and share your thoughts on how we can make connections between i-Tree and PLT activities. Susan Cox, USDA Forest Service Amtchat Edwards, USDA Forest Service Jennifer Pic, National PLT

Defining and Revising PLT’s Outstanding Educator Program Strand 4: Outreach and Communications Outcome: Participants will recognize changes to the Outstanding Educator program and be motivated to nominate educators who exemplify key characteristics.

Since 1994, PLT has recognized educators for their outstanding teaching skills and steadfast commitment to PLT. We know this program continues to inspire our network and bring publicity to various state PLT programs and partners. Drawing from 50 state PLT programs, however, National PLT only averages 12 outstanding educator nominations each year. Join us to help define characteristics of PLT’s Outstanding Educators and explore revising the nomination, selection, and recognition processes. You will be able to provide additional feedback at www.surveymonkey.com/r/oe_revision Libby Backman, National PLT Vanessa Bullwinkle, National PLT Renee Strnad, North Carolina State University—Extension Forestry

A Classroom Teacher’s Perspective on Southeastern Forests and Climate Change Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will share effective practices for using the Southeastern Forests and Climate Change module with students and integrate it into curricula.

The Southeastern Forests and Climate Change module includes 14 activities intended for high school science and environmental educators. Learn how these activities can be adapted and used in middle school classrooms (and other audiences) based on the experiences of a classroom teacher—what worked, what didn’t, and other advice for teaching students using this resource. Bryce Forrester, Earth and Space Science Teacher, FL PLT Steering Committee

17

NGSS Boot Camp and PLT: A Weekend Conference for 50 Teachers Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will consider using the Sierra Nevada Journeys model in their states to integrate the new PLT online units into a NGSS focused workshop.

In early April 2016, Sierra Nevada Journeys (SNJ) hosted a multi-day, sustained and intensive professional development experience. SNJ’s “NGSS/PLT Boot Camp” was designed to help K-6 classroom teachers better understand and implement Next Generation Science Standards. The event was designed and executed through partnerships with National PLT, the University of Nevada Department of Education, and the Nevada Division of Forestry. Join us to learn about the Boot Camp experience, which included educational workshops, recreation opportunities, night hikes, and plenty of other fun. Sean Hill, Sierra Nevada Journeys

Teaching about Biotech Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcome: Participants will be able to define how to engage various audiences with PLT's biotechnology module.

Like much of the world, Hawaii is a hotbed of GMO and biotechnology controversy. Learn how the Hawaii Project Learning Tree program is working with West Oahu Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to teach about Biotech to diverse audiences. The goal of our efforts is to promote fact-based decision making about this controversial issue through use of the PLT Biotechnology supplement. Walk through key points of Activity 1, view agenda samples, and make and take a paper plasmid! Michelle Gorham Jones, West Oahu SWCD Manager of Partnerships and Education Makana Kaha’ulelio, HI PLT State Coordinator

Green Schools Alliance and PLT Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants can identify how to engage Green Schools Alliance (GSA) schools in their states.

Come learn how the Green Schools Alliance is helping the international movement to create sustainable schools by creating a coalition that is over 9,000 member schools strong. GSA succeeds in this work through membership engagement; measurement, reporting, and recognition; youth leadership development; professional development; and collective influence. Pick the brains of the great GSA staff to see how your state program can engage their member schools with all that PLT has to offer, including all of our PD and curriculum materials, not just our GreenSchools program! Sharon Jaye, Green Schools Alliance James McGirt, National PLT Katy Perry, Green Schools Alliance

18

Print PreK-8 Revision Feedback Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants can describe the process for the upcoming changes to the PreK-8 Guide.

We want to hear your feedback regarding the upcoming changes to the PreK-8 Guide. How many activities should the Guide have? How should the content change? Should it not change at all? What other ideas do you have? This guide will be the new version of our printed PreK-8 Guide and will be the first major revision in the last decade (since moving to the “orange” cover). We’ll also discuss the timeline for making these changes. Sarah Livesay, Environmental Education Association of Illinois Kathy McGlauflin, National PLT Jaclyn Stallard, National PLT

12:00—1:30 p.m. Outstanding Educators Luncheon Wasatch Ballroom Since 1994, National PLT has formally recognized the efforts of outstanding educators for their commitment to environmental education, their exemplary use of PLT, and their exceptional teaching skills. Please join us to honor and congratulate the 2016 National Project Learning Tree Outstanding Educators and Honorees.

Laura Downey, PLT Education Operating Committee Nat Frazer, PLT Education Operating Committee Tom Martin, American Forest Foundation Kathy McGlauflin, National PLT

1:30—2:00 p.m. Break

2:00—3:00 p.m. Concurrent Sessions B Bridging EE and Agricultural Education through PLT Red Butte Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcomes: Participants will cultivate relationships with agricultural education programs in their state. Participants will feel motivated to plan and design training that is specific for the agricultural education community in their state.

In North Carolina, high school agricultural education teachers are required to teach about natural resources, but few take coursework in natural resources as undergrads. North Carolina PLT is participating in a two-year research project that brings together environmental education researchers in the College of Natural Resources, pre-service agriculture teachers in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, in-service agriculture teachers, and the North Carolina Project Learning Tree Program. In this session, we will discuss this project, lessons learned, and engage in a guided open discussion for participants to share their experiences and pose questions for working with the agricultural education audience. Renee Strnad, North Carolina State University - Extension Forestry Rachel Szczytko, North Carolina State University—Department of Forestry and

Environmental Resources

19

Using STEM to Make Your School Greener and Healthier Millcreek Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcomes: Participants will connect PLT activities, GreenSchools Investigations, and STEM in future PD events. Participants will develop or enhance partnership opportunities with their state's Green Schools program.

Learn how to develop a PLT STEM-based workshop that ties PLT PreK-8 activities with the PLT GreenSchools Investigations to help schools assess their current environmental conditions while integrating STEM into their curriculum. We’ll highlight a model from the Oklahoma PLT and Green Schools programs to see how they have paired specific PLT PreK-8 activities with the School Site investigation to link core subjects like science, literacy, and math to enhance student learning. We’ll also highlight how the Oklahoma PLT program has partnered with the Oklahoma Green Schools program to expand their collective reach and how each program is working with the National PLT office. Steps for how to forge these partnerships in your state will be addressed. Rachel Bayer, National PLT Jerί Irby, Oklahoma Forestry Services Sara Ivey, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality James McGirt, Project Learning Tree

Putting PLT into the Classroom One School at a Time Parleys 1&2 Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcome: Participants will identify and work with specific schools to integrate PLT into their classrooms.

This session offers a case study for taking a one-to-few approach to working with whole schools. Come learn how Colorado PLT is integrating PLT into the classrooms of a local elementary school, including a look at the successful steps taken and lessons learned. This session will explore the needs of today’s teachers and how to use coaching to enhance PLT professional development. Participants will consider how to implement a similar approach in their states. Kyle Peterson Koyle, CO PLT Early Childhood Education Coordinator

Oldies but Goodies: Great Activities to Use at Field Days Wasatch 4 Strand 4: Outreach and Communications Outcome: Participants will use the activities modeled in this session when participating in field days and one-day events with students, teachers, and other audiences.

This session will model several PLT activities that are suitable for use on field days and other one-day events, such as Arbor Day events or museum trips. These activities work well for groups of students ranging from one to a dozen or even an entire class. Participants will experience effective ways to use extensions and adaptations of PLT activities to reach new audiences and promote PLT at the same time. Harold Anderson, Mississippi PLT

20

3:15—5:00 p.m General Session What’s up with PLT GreenSchools, and Why Should I Care? Wasatch Ballroom Outcomes: Participants take action to increase their engagement with the GreenSchools movement. Participants take steps to integrate the new PLT GreenSchools offerings into their state PLT programs as appropriate.

The Green Schools movement branches like a tree to provide many different offerings available at the local, state, and national level. This session will show how the PLT GreenSchools program is differentiated through our partnerships and our products and how to use the PLT GreenSchools program to reach more teachers and schools. We’ll highlight some of our newest PLT GreenSchools features, and you’ll get to try out some of the new GreenSchools for Early Childhood Investigations. You’ll also learn how our new partnership with the Green Schools Alliance is continuing to grow the PLT GreenSchools movement. We’ll then have smaller group sessions where you can join discussions based on where your state is in the Green Schools movement, from we don’t have one/don’t need one to we’re fully engaged/want to keep growing. James McGirt, National PLT Sharon Jaye, Green Schools Alliance

5:30—9:00 p.m. Off-Site Dinner: Tracy Aviary Tracy Aviary is America's oldest and largest bird park. It’s home to over 400 birds representing 135 species on 7.5 acres. Many of the birds at the aviary are found on the Western Hemispheric Flyway, a migratory pattern that includes Great Salt Lake. You will see emus, bald eagles, flamingos, parrots, and several types of waterfowl. We will be able to experience the newly completed tropical rainforest exhibit. Don't be startled by the wandering peacocks! Buses will depart the hotel starting at 5:30 p.m. and will continue to depart approximately every 15 minutes, running a continuous loop between the hotel and the Aviary until 9:00 p.m. Please note: Starting at 8:00 p.m., buses will be dropping participants who wish to go to our off-site gathering at Keys on Main before returning to the hotel.

8:00 p.m.—Midnight Off-Site Gathering Keys on Main We’ll head off-site this evening for informal networking and fun at Keys On Main, a Salt Lake City mainstay for evening entertainment. Tuesday is their Karaoke night, so get ready to also sing some of your favorite tunes. Keys on Main is within easy walking distance from the hotel or a quick TRAX (light rail) ride away. Cash/credit Bar.

21

Wednesday, May 25 7:00—8:00 a.m. Breakfast Wasatch Ballroom Enjoy a breakfast buffet, included as part of your registration.

8:00—10:30 a.m. Registration & Information Desk Open

8:00—9:00 a.m. Concurrent Sessions C Early Childhood and Intergenerational Approaches Red Butte Strand 3: Organizational Leadership and Management Outcomes: Participants will work with their Head Start programs to integrate PLT into their early childhood offerings. Participants will feel motivated to explore intergenerational approaches to engage new audiences in reaching early learners.

Evidence shows the importance of quality early childhood education in elementary level achievement. PLT’s early childhood program provides the curriculum resources that early childhood educators and volunteers need to build their early learners’ science, reading, and math skills. Head Start delivers early childhood education to underserved audiences. This session will focus on best practices and tips for engaging with your local Head Start agency. Participants will also learn how Salt Lake City Head Start and Utah PLT are providing foster grandparents with the tools and resources they need engage and mentor young learners. Carolyn Bollwerk, Utah Society for Environmental Education Will Bollwerk, Salt Lake Community Action Program Head Start Linda Daniels, Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services Andree’ Walker Bravo, Utah State University Salt Lake County Extension

22

Rethinking Professional Learning Experiences through Community Partners and Environmental Literacy Millcreek

Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will adapt their current workshop design to better address the national science standards and formal educator needs.

Are you looking for new ways to deliver professional development while teaching standards? This session will feature a new approach using partnerships between community educators and classroom teachers. Kentucky PLT will share how it has worked with Kentucky State University and the state Department of Education to adapt PLT to meet the Next Generation Science Standards, using content- and grade band-specific workshop models and units of study. Participants will examine these workshop models, the standards, and formal educators requirements, as well as strategize how to replicate this approach in their own state. Ashley Hoffman, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez, State Specialist for Sustainable Programs, Kentucky

State University Meeting Teachers’ Needs in Partnership with Your State Department of Education Parleys 1 & 2 Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcome: Participants will explore opportunities to deliver high-quality, standards-based PD in partnership with their state Department of Education or other key stakeholders.

Faced with a new approval process for teacher professional development in their state, Illinois PLT partnered with five regional offices of education to design STEM-based and CCSS-aligned workshops worthy of approval. This session will outline the steps taken, from identifying the needs of formal teachers to delivering a consistent high-quality PD experience with a team of specially trained facilitators, to meeting the needs of customers. Participants will consider how they can replicate this approach in their states. Sarah Livesay, Environmental Education Association of Illinois

Getting Started with Online PD: How to Set Up an Online PLT Workshop for Your State Wasatch 4 Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcomes: Participants will to set up an online workshop to support their state’s PLT program. Participants will use the resources and ideas provided during the session to get their online workshop(s) up and running.

Are you ready to expand your state’s PLT workshop offerings and take it to the next level? Join us in learning the how-to’s of setting up an online PLT workshop for your state. We discuss the tasks needed to get started, the basics of using the online platform to manage your users, ideas for making your online workshop unique, and resources available to support you in engaging with these educators. Bring your computer to follow along! (To get the most out of this session, be sure to create an account at http://shop.plt.org beforehand.) Libby Backman, National PLT Kathy Fischer, Michigan State University Jennifer Pic, National PLT

23

9:15—10:30 a.m. Sharing Sessions: By State Sponsorship Type Room assignments on page 11 This session provides an opportunity for you to connect with PLT State Coordinators, steering committee members, and other leaders from states with similar sponsor types. We encourage you to use this time to share, problem-solve, and collaborate on common needs in small groups. Suggested guiding questions will be provided.

11:00 a.m.—5:30 p.m. Field Trip: Antelope Island and Head Start Garden Rich in scenic beauty and natural features, Antelope Island provides spectacular views of the Great Salt Lake, the Wasatch Mountains, the Salt Lake skyline, and beaches of ancient Lake Bonneville. Our field trip to the island will allow you to get a taste of the vast open country found in the Great Basin. Don‘t forget to bring your hat! The island is over 28,022 acres and harbors an astonishing variety of flora and fauna native to the Great Basin. Antelope Island is home to free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn (antelope), and many desert animals. Millions of birds congregate along the shores surrounding the island, offering unparalleled opportunities for birding. You will have the opportunity to learn about the amazing history of this island by stepping back in time when we visit the historic Fielding Garr Ranch. You will then choose to take either a guided hike along the Buffalo Point Trail (a 0.4 mile hike with incredible panoramic views of the Great Salt Lake) or a guided tour of the Antelope Island beach to learn more about the lake’s unique ecosystem and perhaps dip your toes in the lake. We’ll finish up the tour back at the VIsitors Center where the group can tour exhibits, explore the gift shop, and take in a short movie that captures the history and highlights of the island. On our way back to Salt Lake City, we will stop for a visit at a Salt Lake City Head Start garden and outdoor classroom for you to learn how PLT has been integrated into early childhood learning through an outdoor classroom that incorporates art and environmental education.

6:00—9:00 p.m. Dinner on Your Own in Salt Lake City

9:00 p.m.—Midnight Hospitality Suite Open Blue Spruce (3rd Floor)

24

Thursday, May 26 7:00—8:00 a.m. Breakfast Wasatch Ballroom Enjoy a breakfast buffet, included as part of your registration.

8:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Registration & Information Desk Open Wasatch Foyer

8:00—9:30 a.m. General Session Improving Our Online Tools and Resources Wasatch Ballroom Outcomes: Participants will recognize the many enhancements to the new PLT website. Participants will contribute to the redesign of the Coordinators’ Corner.

As the needs of PLT’s network change and grow, so do the online tools and resources provided by National PLT to support state coordinators, facilitators, educators, and others! We will give a sneak peak of PLT’s new website (coming later in 2016) and then discuss your needs and priorities for improving the Coordinators’ Corner. Please come to this session with your ideas for how these resources can better meet your needs. Vanessa Bullwinkle, National PLT Esther Cowles, National PLT Consultant Jennifer Pic, National PLT

9:45—11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions D Stepping Our PLT Facilitators into Outcome-Based Professional Development Red Butte Strand 2: Best Practices in Professional Development Outcome: Participants will design and deliver one or more professional development events for their facilitators. The events will introduce outcome-based programming and engage them in writing and sharing outcomes related to a PLT event (workshop, institute, course, etc.).

This session will examine methods and strategies for building the capacity and confidence of facilitators to design and implement outcome-based events. For many of our facilitators, PLT’s heightened attention to outcomes is new and unfamiliar territory. In order for them to adopt this more intentional approach, we need to offer them sequenced and extended experiences for learning, practicing, reflecting, refining, and implementing outcome-based PD together with colleagues. In addition to examining strategies and methods used in Oregon (supported by a 2014 MPI grant), participants will share their own experiences, examine challenges, and develop an action plan for their state. Susan Sahnow, Oregon National Resources Education Program

25

Growing Fundraising Confidence and Success Millcreek Strand 3: Organizational Leadership and Management Outcome: Participants will use the resources and ideas provided to support or enhance their ongoing fundraising efforts.

In this workshop, we explore strategies and tactics for creating a comprehensive fundraising plan, examine how to use technology to find and engage donors, and learn how to best work with National PLT to grow your fundraising capacity. Participants join in this interactive workshop to brainstorm with one another, share best practices, and emerge with an action plan and more confidence for fundraising success. If you are ready to jump start your fundraising strategies, implement prospect research tools and fundraising tactics ranging from grants to planned giving, or revolutionize your working relationship with National PLT, this workshop is for you! Beth Riley, American Forest Foundation

Digital Metrics: What to Measure, How, and Why Parleys 1 & 2 Strand 4: Outreach and Communications Outcome: Participants will know where to collect data to effectively measure and sustain their online engagement strategy.

So you have a website, e-newsletter, or maybe a blog; you use social media and other digital platforms. But how do you know if your efforts are worthwhile? We’ve all heard we should be measuring our digital communications, but what do the metrics mean and how can we most easily collect and analyze the data? This session will explore which digital metrics matter most for your program, key metrics (almost) every organization should be capturing, and tools and processes for collecting and reporting data and putting the results into action. Vanessa Bullwinkle, National PLT Haley Herbst, National PLT

Tree Trails: A Program Connecting Trees and Technology Wasatch 4 Strand 1: Innovation in Education Outcome: Participants will be able to demonstrate Tree Trails with educators in their PD events.

Texas A&M Forest Service created an online application called Tree Trails (http://texasforestinfo.tamu.edu/treetrails/) to map groups of trees on the Texas Forest Information Portal. Tree Trails enhances outdoor teaching sites, gets kids active and excited about their environment, and offers a high-tech extension for formal and non-formal educators. In this interactive session, learn how to use Tree Trails, connect PLT activities and curriculum materials with selected urban forestry education goals, and facilitate a discussion of how to overlay Tree Trails with your state’s PLT program. Bring your mobile device and walking shoes! Misty Bowie, Texas Forestry Association John Boyette, Texas A&M Forest Service Leslie Kessner, Texas A&M Forest Service

26

12:00—1:30 p.m. Gold Star Awards Luncheon Wasatch Ballroom The Gold Star award acknowledges a recipient’s enduring dedication to the mission and goals of the PLT program, as demonstrated by years of exemplary service.

2:00—3:00 p.m. Sharing Session: By Region Room assignments on page 11 This session provides an opportunity to connect with PLT State Coordinators and leaders from states in your region. We encourage you to use this time to share, problem solve, and collaborate on common needs in small groups.

3:15—4:15 p.m. Closing Session Wasatch Ballroom Join us for closing remarks as we reflect on the 2016 PLT Conference events and plan for the year ahead. We will formally thank our Utah hosts and receive a warm welcome from our Kentucky partners for next year’s 31st PLT International Coordinators’ Conference!

Thom Benedict, Utah Society for Environmental Education Carolyn Bollwerk, Utah Society for Environmental Education Ashley Hoffman, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Kathy McGlauflin, National PLT

4:30 p.m. Silent Auction Closes Wasatch Ballroom

4:30—5:30 p.m. Pick Up Silent Auction Items Wasatch Ballroom

5:30—8:30 p.m. Closing Banquet: PLT’s Birthday Party! Wasatch Ballroom Happy Birthday PLT! Come boogie and celebrate PLT turning 40 at our very own birthday party. We’ll toast to PLT‘s latest milestone, enjoy some wild entertainment with Scales and Tails, who will show off some amazing reptiles (including a baby alligator), and then get down and boogie to some 70‘s music. And of course we‘ll also have birthday cake! Bell bottoms, go-go boots, and all other 70‘s attire are welcome!

8:30 p.m.—Midnight Hospitality Suite Open Blue Spruce (3rd Floor)

27

Notes

28

A Look Back at PLT Conferences Past

1987 Menlo, California – California Dreamin’

1988 Callaway Gardens, Georgia – Georgia on My Mind

1989 Squam Lake, New Hampshire – New Hampshire Naturally

1990 Santa Fe, New Mexico – Viva PLT!

1991 Mammoth Cave, Kentucky – Come Home to Kentucky

1992 Keystone, Colorado – A View from the Top

1993 New Orleans, Louisiana – Cookin’ Up a New Curriculum

1994 Oconomowoc, Wisconsin – Moovin’ to a New Beat

1995 St. Louis, Missouri – Celebrating Excellence in EE

1996 Post Falls, Idaho – Branching Out in Idaho

1997 Bar Harbor, Maine – PLT by the Sea

1998 Clearwater, Florida – Catch the PLT Wave!

1999 Snowbird, Utah – Reaching New Heights

2000 Hendersonville, North Carolina – Nothin’ Could Be Finer Than PLT in Carolina

2001 Fish Camp, California – Energize for the Future

2002 Charleston, South Carolina – From the Mountains to the Sea – PLT in SC

2003 Huron, Ohio – PLT in the Heartland

2004 Bismarck, North Dakota – Relive the Discovery

2005 Welches, Oregon – Oregon’s Forests: The Place to Be!

2006 Virginia Beach, Virginia - Grains of Sand, Pearls of Wisdom

2007 Wichita, Kansas - There’s No Place Like Home

2008 Jackson, Mississippi - An Historic Event

2009 Indianapolis, Indiana - Race to the Future

2010 Lake Tahoe, Nevada - PLT, You Can Bet on It!

2011 Montgomery, Texas - Deep in the Heart of Texas!

2012 Deadwood, South Dakota - A Natural Treasure

2013 Point Clear, Alabama - Sweet Home Alabama

2014 Traverse City, Michigan - Great Forests, Great Lakes

2015 Saratoga Springs, New York - Maples and Mountains

29

Utah Planning Committee and USEE Board Thanks for All Your Hard Work and Support!

Utah Conference Planning Committee

Nat Frazer President USU Dept. of Environment & Society Alexandra Porpora Vice President WildWorks Roslyn Brain Utah State University-Moab Jill Collette Columbus Community Center Liz Galloway Lotus Effects Greg Libecci Salt Lake City School District

Annie Richman

Jeff Streba Hillside Middle School Robert Volker Raytheon Oakley Systems Patti White Granite School District Wendy Wilson Antelope Island State Park

Thom Benedict Utah Society for Environmental Education Carolyn Bollwerk Utah Society for Environmental Education

Jackie Lowry Utah Society for Environmental Education

Andree’ Walker Bravo Utah State University Salt Lake City County Extension

Utah Society for Environmental Education Board of Trustees Members

30

Nicole Ardoin, Ph.D. Stanford University California Wanda Barrs Due South Investment Georgia Andrew Burnett U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Washington, D.C. Peter Church MA Department of Conservation and Recreation Massachusetts *Laura Downey, Ph.D., Co-Chair Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education Kansas Robert Farris Georgia Forestry Commission Georgia Mary Ford National Geographic Society Washington, D.C. *Nat Frazer, Ph.D. Utah State University College of Natural Resources Utah Mike Irvin Oil City Elementary Magnet School Louisiana Beth Marchand Columbia Care New Hampshire

Michiko Martin USDA Forest Service Washington, D.C. Karen Ostlund, Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin Texas Rober Raze, Ph.D. St. Petersburg College Florida Scott Richardson Bureau of Land Management Washington, D.C. Rafael Salgado, Co-Chair Cal-Wood Education Center Colorado Susan Schultz SMS Consulting Indiana Rahul Singh Anant Corporation Washington, D.C. Renee Strnad North Carolina State University North Carolina Meta Williams, J.D. Thurgood Marshall College Fund Washington, D.C.

PLT Education Operating Committee

*Serves on AFF’s Board of Trustees

31

American Forest Foundation Staff American Forest Foundation Tom Martin President & CEO DeAnn Gradington Wallace Executive Assistant Avinash Jhalani Manager of Finance & Administration Aravind Sampath Database Manager Scott Smiley Vice President of Finance & Administration Project Learning Tree Kathy McGlauflin Senior Vice President, Education Libby Backman Program Coordinator Rachel Bayer Director of Programs Vanessa Bullwinkle Director of Communications Haley Herbst Program Coordinator James McGirt Manager of Education Programs Jennifer Pic Manager of Instructional Design and Technology Jaclyn Stallard Senior Manager of Education Programs

Development Nate Truitt Vice President, Development Melissa Moeller Manager, Individual Giving Beth Riley Manager, Institutional Giving Woodlands Rita Hite Executive Vice President, ATFS, Woodlands, and Policy Sara Anrrich Manager, Volunteer Capacity, American Tree Farm System Christine Cadigan Manager, Woodland Conservation Nephtali Chavez Coordinator, American Tree Farm System Boyd Christenberry Southern Associate Sarah Crow Senior Director, Certification, American Tree Farm System Kelley Dennings Director, Behavior Change Strategies Kristina Duff Manager, Certification, American Tree Farm System Chris Erwin Director, Woodland Conservation

Tom Fry Director, Woodland Conservation Jerry Greenberg Senior Vice President, Woodland Conservation Elizabeth Greener Director, Communications and Policy Daphanie Iglehart Coordinator, Woodland Marketing Caroline Kuebler Senior Manager of Woodland Owner Engagement Vicki Leigh Director, Network, American Tree Farm System Kristina MacKenzie Senior Director, Woodland Owner Marketing Erin Miller Coordinator, Digital Communications Genevieve Saltzman Coordinator, Woodlands Liz Weber Associate, Western Forest Conservation

32

ALASKA *Meg Burgett University of Alaska Fairbanks Palmer, AK 907-746-9472 asburgett@alaska.edu

ARKANSAS *Rob Beadel Arkansas Project Learning Tree Little Rock, AR 501-374-2441 rbeadel@arkforests.org

CALIFORNIA Kay Antunez California Community Forests Foundation Eagleville, CA 650-773-4866 kayantunez@gmail.com *Sandy Derby California Project Learning Tree San Jose, CA 408-761-9865 stderby@ucanr.edu *Shayna Foreman University of California Agricultural & Natural Resources 949-653-1801 sforeman@ucanr.edu

COLORADO Rose Banzhaf Colorado State Forest Service Woodland Park, CO rose.banzhaf@gmail.com

*Shawna Crocker Colorado State Forest Service Golden, CO 303-278-8822 shawna.crocker@colostate.edu Kyle Koyle Colorado Project Learning Tree Golden, CO 303-718-0815 kakoyle@gmail.com Laura Olsen Colorado Project Learning Tree Longmont, CO 303-278-8822 laura.olsen@colostate.edu

CONNECTICUT

*Teresa Gagnon Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection Shelton, CT 860-424-3680 Teresa.gagnon@ct.gov

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Libby Backman National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3641 ebackman@plt.org Rachel Bayer National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3725 rbayer@plt.org

Conference Participant List * Project Learning Tree State Coordinator

33

Vanessa Bullwinkle National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3726 vbullwinkle@plt.org Haley Herbst National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-751-2440 hherbst@plt.org Sharon Jaye Green Schools Alliance Washington, DC 240-888-5683 sjaye@greenschoolsalliance.org Tom Martin American Forest Foundation Washington, D.C. 202-765-3470 tmartin@forestfoundation.org James McGirt National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3531 jmcgirt@plt.org Kathy McGlauflin National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3545 kmcglauflin@plt.org Katy Perry Green Schools Alliance Washington, DC kperry@greenschoolsalliance.org

Jennifer Pic National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3657 jpic@plt.org Beth Riley American Forest Foundation Washington, D.C. 202-765-3563 briley@forestfoundation.org Jaclyn Stallard National Project Learning Tree Washington, D.C. 202-765-3609 jstallard@plt.org

DELAWARE

*Ashley Peebles Delaware Forest Service Dover, DE 302-698-4551 ashley.peebles@state.de.us

FLORIDA Bryce Forrester Avante Garde Orlando, FL bdf1972@bellsouth.net Karen Johnson Folsom Nature’s Classroom EE Center Thonotosassa, FL 813-987-6969 kfolsom65@gmail.com *Nancy Peterson University of Florida Gainesville, FL 352-846-0848 njp@ufl.edu

34

Robert Raze St. Petersburg College Tarpon Springs, FL 727-712-5882 Raze.robert@spcollege.edu Debra Wagner St. Paul Lutheran School Lakeland, FL 863-644-7710 dwagner@stpaullakeland.org

GEORGIA

*Carla Rapp Georgia Project Learning Tree Forsyth, GA 478-992-8110 Carla@gfagrow.org

HAWAII Michelle Gorham West Oahu Soil and Water Conservation District Honolulu, HI michelle@oahuswcd.org *Makana Kaha’ulelio Hawaii Project Learning Tree Kaaawa, HI 808-255-5149 hawaiiplt@gmail.com

IDAHO

*Michelle Youngquist Idaho Forest Products Commission Boise, ID 208-334-4061 plt@idahoforests.org

ILLINOIS *Sarah Livesay Environmental Education Association of Illinois Urbana, IL 217-469-0289 S.livesay@comcast.net

INDIANA *Donna Rogler Indiana Project Learning Tree Indianapolis, IN 317-234-5143 drogler@dnr.in.gov Dave Shafer Skiles Test School of STEM Fishers, IN davidshafer@msdlt.k12.in.us

KANSAS *Laura Downey Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education Manhattan, KS 785-532-3322 ldowney@kacee.org

KENTUCKY *Ashley Hoffman Kentucky Association For Environmental Education Upton, KY 270-214-0587 director@kaee.org Jennifer Hubbard-Sánchez Kentucky State University Lexington, KY 502-597-5813 jennifer.sanchez@kysu.edu

35

LOUISIANA *Cindy Kilpatrick Louisiana Project Learning Tree Shreveport, LA 318-929-9108 cindykil4@gmail.com Corri Kilpatrick Shreveport, LA *Ricky Kilpatrick Louisiana State University AgCenter Benton, LA 318-965-2326 rkilpatrick@agcenter.lsu.edu

MAINE *Patricia Maloney Maine Tree Foundation Augusta, ME 207-626-7990 meprojectlearn-ingtree@gmail.com

MICHIGAN

Kathy Fischer Michigan Project Learning Tree Marshall, MI 269-781-0784 fisch226@anr.msu.edu Alice Garcia Pontiac School District Holly, MI 248-451-7850 alice.garcia@pontiacschools.org

Michael Mansour Hawk Woods Nature Center Lake Orion, MI 248-370-9353 mmansour001@comcast.net

MINNESOTA

*Laura Duffey Minnesota Department of Natural Resources St. Paul, MN 651-259-5263 laura.duffey@state.mn.us

MISSISSIPPI

*Harold Anderson Mississippi Project Learning Tree Philadelphia, MS 601-63-5567 handerson212@gmail.com Paula Anderson Philadelphia, MS 601-613-5567 puanderson@gmail.com

MISSOURI

*Erica Cox Missouri State University Springfield, MO 417-836-4337 ericacox@missouristate.edu MONTANA

*Cindy Peterson Montana State University Extension Forestry Missoula, MT 406-243-4706 cindy.peterson@cfc.umt.edu

36

NEW HAMPSHIRE Esther Cowles Fernwood Consulting, LLC Hopkinton, NH 603-724-1400 ecowles@tds.net Susan Cox USDA Forest Service Durham, NH 603-868-7706 smcox@fs.fed.us *Judy Silverberg New Hampshire Project Learning Tree Concord, NH 603-226-0160 Judy.silverberg@gmail.com

NEW JERSEY

*Gina Provenzano New Jersey Project Learning Tree Clinton, NJ 908-638-4958 NewJerseyPLT@gmail.com

NEW MEXICO

*Eileen Everett Environmental Education Association of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 505-859-3366 director@eeanm.org Deb Thrall Albert I. Pierce Foundation Albuquerque, NM 505-883-3114 dthrall@swcp.com

NEVADA *Sean Hill Nevada Project Learning Tree/ Sierra Nevada Journeys Reno, NV 916-616-3842 sean@sierranevadajourneys.org

NEW YORK *Betsy Ukeritis New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Syracuse, NY 315-426-7532 betsy.ukeritis@dec.ny.gov

NORTH CAROLINA Rachel Szczytko North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC Rachel.szczytko@gmail.com *Renee Strnad North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 919-515-5518 renee_strnad@ncsu.edu

NORTH DAKOTA *Glenda Fauske NDSU-ND Forest Service Bottineau, ND 701-228-5446 glenda.fauske@ndsu.edu

OHIO

Debby Todd Ohio Project Learning Tree Columbus, Ohio 614-404-7651 dktodd@columbus.rr.com

37

*Sue Wintering Ohio Project Learning Tree Columbus, OH 614-265-6657 sue.wintering@dnr.state.oh.us

OKLAHOMA

*Jerí Irby Oklahoma Forestry Services Oklahoma City, OK 405-522-6160 jeri.irby@ag.ok.gov Sara Ivey Oklahoma Green Schools Program Oklahoma City, OK sara.ivey@deq.ok.gov

OREGON *Susan Sahnow Oregon Natural Resources Education Program Corvallis, OR 541-737-3005 susan.sahnow@oregonstate.edu

PENNSYLVANIA

*Jean Devlin Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Harrisburg, PA 717-783-0392 jedevlin@pa.gov Jeffrey Woleslagle Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Harrisburg, PA 717-783-0392

RHODE ISLAND *Jeanine Silversmith Rhode Island Environmental Education Association Wakefield, RI 401-569-8758 jeaninesilversmith@gmail.com

SOUTH CAROLINA Jim Bland International Paper Georgetown, SC 843-344-3178 jim.bland@ipaper.com Russell Hubright South Carolina Forestry Commission Columbia DC 803-896-8892 rhubright@scfc.gov Victoria Pasco Catawba Trail Elementary School Elgin, SC 803-714-0424 vpasco@richland2.org Matt Schnabel South Carolina Forestry Commission Columbia, SC 803-896-8892 mschnabel@scfc.gov

SOUTH DAKOTA Thomas Berry South Dakota Project Learning Tree Rapid City, SD 605-721-0091 tberry@forpd.com *Tracy Sigdestad South Dakota Project Learning Tree Rapid City, SD 605-484-2330 southdakotaplt@gmail.com

38

TENNESSEE Bonnie Ervin Discovery Center at Murfree Spring Murfreesboro, TN bervindisccenter@comcast.net

TEXAS *Misty Bowie Texas Forestry Association Lufkin, TX 936-632-8733 plttexas@texasforestry.org *John Boyette Texas A&M Forest Service Nacogdoches, TX 936-564-9276 jboyette@tfs.tamu.edu Leslie Kessner Texas A&M Forest Service College Station, TX 979-458-6600 lkessner@tfs.tamu.edu Karen Ostlund NSTA & The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 512-419-1449 klostlund@utexas.edu Brenda Weiser University of Houston - Clear Lake Webster, TX 281-283-2522 weiser@uhcl.edu

UTAH Thom Benedict Utah Society for Environmental Education Salt Lake City, UT 801-328-1549 director@usee.org

Carolyn Bollwerk Utah Society for Environmental Education Sandy, UT carolyn@usee.org William Bollwerk SLCAP Head Start Sandy, UT sirvilliam@gmail.com Tracy Lewis Utah Society for Environmental Education Salt Lake City, UT 801-328-1549 tracy@usee.org *Jackie Lowry Utah Society for Environmental Education Salt Lake City, UT 801-328-1549 programs@usee.org Susan Snyder Ogden Nature Center Ogden, UT 801-621-7595 ssnyder@ogdennaturecenter.org Andree’ Walker-Bravo Utah State University Extension Urban Director Sandy, UT 385-468-4825 Andree.walker@usu.edu

VIRGINIA

Drew Burnett U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Falls Church, VA 703-358-2606 drew_burnett@fws.gov

39

*Page Hutchinson Virginia Department of Forestry Providence Forge, VA 804-966-2201 page.hutchinson@dof.virginia.gov Anne Mannarino Regent University- School of Education Virginia Beach, VA 757-352-4143 amannarino@regent.edu Deb Moler Ivy Hill Associates Purcellville, VA 540-270-6255 dmoler@ivyhillassociates.com Charlotte Van Duser Ivy Hill Associates Winchester, VA 703-431-8542 cvanduser@ivyhillassociates.com

WASHINGTON

Denise Buck Pacific Education Institute Olympia, WA 360-705-9286 dbuck@pacificeducationinsti tute.org

*Patricia Otto Pacific Education Institute Burien, WA 206-431-8177 tootieotto@comcast.net

WEST VIRGINIA

*Linda Carnell West Virginia Division of Forestry Romney, WV 304-822-4512 linda.o.carnell@wv.gov

WISCONSIN

*Nicole Filizetti LEAF at Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education Stevens Point, WI 715-346-2014 nicole.filizetti@uwsp.edu

WYOMING Jacelyn Downey Wyoming Project Learning Tree Moorcroft, WY 307-756-3941 jdowney@audubon.org

*Jessie Halverson Wyoming Project Learning Tree Beulah, WY 307-283-2954 jessica.halverson1@gmail.com

INTERNATIONAL MEXICO

*Cecilia Ochoa Proteccion de la Fauna Mexicana A.C. Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico 844-412-5404 ada@profauna.org.mx

JAPAN Keiichi Sato Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Uenohara, Yamanashi, Japan keisato@cc.tuat.ac.jp Satoru Shimizu Nishinomiya, Hyougo-ken, Japan lenoxtranslations@yahoo.co.jp

See you next year at PLT’s 31st

International Coordinators’ Conference in

Louisville, Kentucky

Project Learning Tree® (PLT) uses forests as a window on the world and provides educators with environmental education materials and resources that can be integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas. PLT teaches students how to think, not what to think, about complex environmental issues,

and helps them acquire the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment. Developed in 1976, PLT’s 50-state network includes more than 600,000 trained educators using PLT materials

that cover the total environment. PLT is a program of the American Forest Foundation.