Mid-Atlantic

March 29-31

2019 Regional Conference

Stepping Into Adventure Hosted By

AEE Mid-Atlantic WELCOME! The Mid-Atlantic Region encompasses the following U.S. States: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Our region unifies individuals from a variety of fields; school and colleges, museums, therapeutic recreation centers, camps and conference centers, outdoor recreation venues, etc. The 2019 “Stepping Into Adventure” conference theme is inspired by not only by the connection to nature found walking outdoors, but also by the footprints we leave in the world as we take “giant leaps for mankind” through our myriad of work in experiential education. Every day our members across the region are not just stepping into their own adventures, but facilitating adventure for countless others! We, as the Mid-Atlantic Region, strive to promote and support the vision of AEE. This vision connects a global community of educators and practitioners, and it expands their capacity to enrich lives through Experiential Education. AEE is currently leading the way in Experiential Education nationwide and they will need our continuous support and efforts in making a difference in the lives of many. We hope that you will join our AEE family in webinars, local events, and more. This is the valuable opportunity to create a wider network, grow as a professional, and to spread the word about AEE. We are so glad you’ve joined us for this event, and we look forward to seeing you as often as possible!

Mid-Atlantic

Friday, March 29th Pre-Conference Check-In 8am-9am Inspired Learner with Jen Stanchfield 9am-4pm Conference Check in 2pm-7pm Social 5:30pm Saturday, March 24th Check In 7:30am-9am Breakfast 8am Opening/Playnote 9am-10:30am #1 Workshop Session 10:50am-12:05pm Lunch/Keynote 12:30pm-1:30pm #2 Workshop Session 1:40pm-2:55pm #3 Workshop Session 3:15pm-4:30pm Dinner 5:30pm Social/ Talent Show 6pm-9pm Sunday, March 25th Breakfast 8am #4 Workshop Session 9am-10:15am #5 Workshop Session 10:35am-11:50am Auction Closes 12:30pm Lunch / Closing 12:30pm-1:30pm Departure 1:30pm

The Steps

Colleen Williams, M.Ed. AEE Mid-Atlantic Regional

Friday Night: Join us at 5:30 pm

at the Lake House Restaurant! Located along Cheat Lake and just minutes from the WVU Outdoor Education Center, the Lake House offers Italian specialties,

pizza, sandwiches and has a wide variety of seafood, beef and pork entrees. The

restaurant is equipped with indoor and outdoor seating and has a great selection of

beer and wine. Reserved seating will be available for AEE attendees. The social

begins at 5:30 p.m. Reservation under the name Colleen Williams. Address: 165 Sunset Beach, Cheat Lake, WV, 26508

The Art of Experiential Group Facilitation and Teaching Workshop with Jennifer Stanchfield, M.S Saturday, March 29 9am-4pm Location: Adventure WV Outdoor Education Center. Tuition includes lunch. We will explore: • Experiential, brain-based strategies to actively engage participants physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually in group development, academic, social-emotional learning, training, and team-development. • New research from the field of educational neuroscience that supports and informs experiential education, facilitation, group-building, instructional design, and social-emotional learning • Novel and dynamic techniques to teach, review and reinforce training and academic content that help learners apply material in meaningful, relevant ways • Strategies for increasing involvement, buy-in, and ownership of learning and group development experiences • Techniques to promote social and emotional learning and develop social awareness, relationship skills, social problem-solving, emotional expression and conflict resolution skills • Fundamentals of experiential group facilitation and teaching such as the importance of participant choice and control, sequencing, ongoing assessment, and meaningful reflection to create lasting lessons • Interactive activities to build community and promote social and emotional learning while enlivening lessons and differentiating instruction • A variety of rapport building strategies to develop respect, positive communication, collaboration, and creativity • Methods to help educators and facilitators design, sequence, facilitate and adapt activities to enhance learning outcomes and take advantage of “teachable moments” • Innovative reflection tools and techniques to increase relevancy, meaning, depth of understanding, and connection to future learning situations • The role of the facilitator as guide, and the importance of flexibility, attitude, adaptation, and awareness of group and individual needs and differences

These activities can be facilitated in any size space with simple materials. They can be adapted to varying ages, settings, and abilities. Participants will take away strategies that will help them build a positive environment for learning, develop social-emotional skills, actively engage learners, and promote a positive culture in their group sessions, school or workplace.

About Jennifer Stanchfield, M.S. Jen is known for her work helping school and community and outdoor education programs all over the world use experiential methods to develop a positive and supportive learning environment, increase engagement, enhance learning outcomes and develop social-emotional skills. In her 27

years as an educator, Jen has worked as a classroom teacher, a clinician in mental health treatment centers, and in professional training, adult education, and organizational teambuilding. Through these experiences, she has developed an extensive repertoire of experiential activities, tools, and strategies she brings to her engaging and informative workshops, publications, and teaching resources. Jen earned her master’s degree in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato and continues to pursue the latest research on the brain and learning, pedagogy and the emerging field of educational neuroscience. She is the author of Inspired Educator, Inspired Learner: Experiential, Brain-Based Activities and Strategies to Engage, Motivate, Build Community and Create Lasting Lessons and Tips and Tools for The Art of Experiential Group Facilitation. She is also the creator and a regular contributor to the Inspired Educator Blog at experientialtools.com. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase one of Jen Stanchfield's latest books: Tips & Tools for the Art of Experiential Group Facilitation or Inspired Educator, Inspired Learner: Experiential, Brain-Based Activities and Strategies to Engage, Motivate, Build Community and Create Lasting Lessons.

Evening Campfires!

Both Friday and Saturday evenings there will be a campfire at the Natural Resource Center. All

Welcome! There will be fire starters, firewood, & skewers available. S’mores basics available, BYO

specialties welcome.

Keynote:

Saturday March 30, 12:30 pm

Kelly S. Bricker PhD

Dr. Bricker is a Professor and Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah. She completed her Ph.D. research with the Pennsylvania State University, where she specialized in sustainable tourism and protected area management. She has research and teaching interests in

ecotourism, sense of place, community development, natural resource management, value of nature-based experiences, and the impacts of tourism. She has authored and edited books on sustainability, which highlight case studies in tourism meeting environmental and societal issues in Sustainable Tourism & the Millennium Development Goals: Effecting Positive Change; educational texts focused on adventure education in Adventure Programing and Travel for the 21st Century and Demystifying Theories in Tourism. Dr. Bricker serves the boards of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and the Tourism and Protected Area Specialist Group of the IUCN. With partners in OARS, Communities, and her husband, she developed an ecotourism operation called Rivers Fiji.

Playnote:

Saturday March 30, 9:00 am

Dave Tanis, D. Ed. Associate Professor of Adventure Education Messiah College

Dave Tanis has been working with col-lege students utilizing adventure activ-ities since the early nineties. He serves as Associate Professor of Ad-venture Education at Messiah College near Harrisburg, PA. He earned a Doc-toral degree in Adult Education, com-

bining his love of play and passion for teaching by re-searching the relationship of play/playfulness and learning among adults in a classroom setting. Dave loves to play and has a gift of enticing others to join him in play.

WITH

JJ Franke

My name is JJ Franke and I am a senior adventure education major at Messiah College. I have served as a facilitator for three years at the LOFT, a program that trains a team of students to deliver team building and various adventure experiences for

groups on campus. Additionally, I have served at Spruce Lake Wilderness camp for 5 years in both counselor and leadership positions.

While many of the students in my major find their passion through activities such as rock climbing and canoeing, my passion is in the art of play. I love all kinds of games, from board games to active silly games. In addition to playing games, I have also found a passion for leading and designing games. This has inspired me to design and host an elaborate, 12 week long, on campus version of the game Survivor for the past 4 semesters.

Do YOU have suggestions or ideas for pre-

cons or events for the 2020 AEE Mid-Atlantic

Conference? Join the Convening Committee,

or let members of the Regional Team know!

Your input is key to our growth!

GREEN YURT RED YURT YELLOW YURT NATURAL RESOUCE CENTER

10:50 AM—

12:05 PM

Helping Educators

Connect Curriculum to

the Challenge Course

Student Roundtable

Elegant Finishing

Touches for Any

Outdoor Program Site

or Challenge Course

Writing a Proposal:

Turning Your Visions

Into Reality

1:40 PM—

2:55 PM

Bringing Your SuperSelf

to the Game

Know Play: How Play

theory can enhance

your facilitation of

games and challenge

course activities

Assessing Your

Program: How to Get

Where You Want to Go

Meaningful Reflection

Brings Learning to Life

3:15 PM–

4:30 PM

College Faculty

Roundtable

Back Pocket Games

When You Need a Pick

Me Up

WVU High Ropes

Demo and Climb

The Synergy Between

Psychotherapy and

Experiential Therapy:

A Resident's

Perspective

9:00 AM—

10:15 AM

Challenging the Senses:

Neurodiversity &

Sensory Processing

Creating a Semester

Long Version of the

Show "Survivor" on a

College Campus

Play more, learn more:

Why and how to

include more play in

your adventure

activities

The Science Behind

the Sport – Teaching

STEM Based

Curriculum Related to

Adventure Activities

10:35 AM—

11:50 AM

Development of

Competency

Assessment for

Facilitators

WV DIY Outdoors - 1

Year Later

What It Looks Like

When Students Take

Over

Hairy Toe Escape Box

Workshop Schedule

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Where do we eat? All meals and Featured

Guests will be at the Natural Resources Center.

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Helping Educators Connect Curriculum to the Challenge Course Emily Lebaron Location: GREEN Yurt

This workshop will focus on the importance of providing learners multiple ways of accessing information. This information could range from academic content in the classroom curriculum to concepts like social understanding and emotional development that are found more in the hidden curriculum. Discussion will focus on ways to incorporate curriculum topics with low-prop, and low challenge course elements.

Student Roundtable Alice Morgan Location: RED Yurt Description: Calling all students! If you're an

undergraduate or graduate student, this is the session for you. Come meet other students and talk about your programs and classes. We'll also discuss common student challenges and learn from each others experiences. You'll leave with new friends from across the Mid-Atlantic region

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Elegant Finishing Touches for Any Outdoor Program Site or Challenge Course Daniel Nellis

Location: YELLOW Yurt If you have basic woodworking skills you can build details that will be attractive, look more professional, and lower maintenance costs. Included will be dozens of ideas Dan has tried and incorporated at the GMU challenge course. We will share dozens of ways to add quality touches to any challenge course or outdoor program site, without spending much money.

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As you visit the Natural Resource Center

for meals, be sure to check out the

vendors sharing their time. Their

participation helps to enable this event.

Check out the awesome stuff in the Silent Auction and the

AEE MA Book Store! Hand painted bowl, gently loved gear,

professional resources, and more!

Writing a Proposal: Turning Your Visions Into Reality Greg Corio Location: NATURAL Resource Center

Learn the key components in turning your vision into a reality. We'll discuss how to get your ideas onto paper as well as the other key components to getting your ideas funded. You'll walk away with a solid foundation to start writing your own proposal. The idea and design of Adventure WV at West Virginia University came from a graduate project in 2003. Fourteen years later it is a stand-alone department with 12 full time staff, six graduate students, and subsidies for many of its programs. Adventure WV also includes an Outdoor Education Center with a Challenge Course, a Canopy Tour, nine yurts and a bathroom/shower house, a total investment of about $2 million. Each step along the way a proposal was written to move the department forward. Learn from these successes to take ideas back to your program. A thumb drive will be provided with proposal examples and a workable budget sheet.

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Know Play: How Play theory can enhance your facilitation of games and challenge course activities Dave Tanis Location: RED Yurt

In this workshop we will explore several theories of play and identify some of the key constructs of games and play. Workshop participants will be guided in applying these concepts to enhance the games and problem solving activities used in challenge course experiences. This workshop will be beneficial for those just getting started in challenge course facilitation as well as for the seasoned facilitator.

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Assessing Your Program: How to Get Where You Want to Go Alice Morgan

Location: YELLOW Yurt When assessing a program, it can be difficult to know where to start to the information you need to improve your performance. In this workshop, we’ll cover the basics by looking at the whys, whos, whats, and whens of assessment. Participants will have a chance to draft a an assessment for some aspect of their program, collaborate with peers, and receive feedback on their plan. You will walk away with a draft assessment plan and a better sense of where you can assess you program.

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Meaningful Reflection Brings Learning to Life Jennifer Stanchfield Location: NATURAL Resource Center Reflective practice helps learners make

connections between educational experiences and real life situations, increases insight, and creates pathways to future learning. Educators recognize the value of reflection and processing, but often find that facilitating it is one of the most challenging aspects of teaching and group work. Take advantage of teachable moments and bring learning to life with engaging reflection techniques. Enliven the traditional sharing circle with active, brain-based strategies to increase participant buy-in and ownership. Use multiple methods including movement, metaphor, reflective games, art, and interactive dialogue to increase relevancy, depth of understanding, and connection to real life and future learning. Create lasting lessons learners will carry forward. Join in this interactive session and take away inspiration, new perspectives, and practical tools for weaving meaningful reflection and dialogue throughout your program.

Bringing Your SuperSelf to the Game Jen Coleman & Lorilei Dreibelbis Location: GREEN Yurt Gryffindor or Hufflepuff? Jedi Guardian or Jedi

Consular? Superman, Ironman, or Wonder Woman? Ariel or Elsa? What's your Girl Scout Cookie flavor match? What do your pizza toppings say about you? This workshop will test a program in development for adults in a play-filled environment. There's a Fan, a Super, a Flavor in all of us that helps us bring our Best Self to the team! We'll look at fandoms & popular personality quizzes to develop a personal profile full of metaphors and use games to help us isolate our strengths, as individuals and teams. Help test this new program!

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AEE MA Talent Show! Saturday, March 30, 6-9 pm

STARRING: WVU’s The Puppet Mobile

Magician Kevin Owens YOU

Comedy? Yodeling? Interpretive Dance? Didgeridoo? Doo Wop? Folk Dancing? We are looking forward to celebrating

your talents and skills!

Don’t forget to sign up in the Dining Area.

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The Synergy Between Psychotherapy and Experiential Therapy: A Resident's Perspective Teresa Marvel & Resident Location: NATURAL Resource Center

This workshop is geared to understanding the collaboration of psychotherapy and experiential therapy at a mental health facility. It will highlight a resident's treatment experience using experiential therapy activities that enhance the therapeutic process in psychotherapy. Through this workshop it will allow the learner to develop a similar model into their practice or hospital environment.

Back Pocket Games When You Need a Pick Me Up Taylor Cope and Katie Pompili Location: RED Yurt Do you love working with groups, but find

yourself sticking to the same energizers, games, and initiatives? Well then, do we have a workshop for you! Join Katy and Taylor for their Back-Pocket Games When You Need a Pick Me Up workshop to spice up your facilitator tool box. During this workshop expect to be actively participating, belly laughing, and engaging with others as you learn new and exciting games that we use at the Outdoor Education Center. Skills learned can translate to groups of any size in any environment. No experience is necessary. All are welcome! We look forward to sharing our spicy facilitator tool box with you!

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College Faculty Roundtable Matthew Cummisky Location: GREEN Yurt Come join this informal roundtable for college

faculty offering adventure and outdoor programming. Participants will discuss their program (history, groups served, facilities), challenges and opportunities, possible collaborations on research, sources of financing, the Mid-Atlantic Current, implications of new regulations and future directions. The session will also be an excellent chance to meet one another and connect in a collegial and supportive way. All are welcome.

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WVU High Ropes Demo and Climb C.J. Belknap & WVU Staff Location: Alpine Tower & Giant Swing (Meet at YELLOW Yurt) Come out and play! This workshop will allow participants to participate in both the Alpine Tower and Giant Swing of the WVU Outdoor Education Center. Framing and facilitation technique will be demonstrated, with plenty of time dedicated to on course play. Time permitting – processing and post-activity discussion methods will also be demonstrated. This workshop will be held rain or shine, but is subject to cancellation with adverse weather conditions. Participants must meet essential eligibility criteria in order to participate, and must complete an Adventure WV participant waiver. This workshop will also have limited capacity, and will operate on a first come – first serve basis. The Alpine Tower and Giant Swing are two dynamic activities that allow participants to choose their own adventure level. Our tower is a dynamic climbing structure that has multiple routes, difficulty levels and specialty elements. Our Swing is a unique element that allows participants to choose their preferred height before being released and swinging back and forth.

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Dinner, Talent Show, and Campfire

leave you revved for more? Ask the

Service Crew about the Late Gathering

Yurt to find the place for continuing

board games & fellowship after 10 pm!

Challenging the Senses: Neurodiversity & Sensory Processing John Dreibelbis & Lorilei Dreibelbis Location: GREEN Yurt

1 in 59. Chances are you already have seen participants on the autism spectrum whether you know it or not. What's even more important is that the strategies that welcome this population enrich the experience of all participants - because the Autism experience is not separate from the Human experience. Join us to look at specific behaviors, ideas, and strategies from the lenses of facilitator and autistic participant.

G Creating a Semester Long Version of the Show "Survivor" on a College Campus JJ Franke Location: RED Yurt

For 4 semesters, I have designed and lead a semester long version of the game Survivor for other Messiah students to play on campus. This on campus game of Survivor runs for an entire semester, as 16-20 college students compete against one another to outwit, outplay and outlast each other, as only one of them will earn the title of Sole Survivor at the end of the semester! Come find out how Survivor works on a college campus, what the process of running Survivor is like, as well as how this elaborate game has created many new friendships and has provided some students with one of the highlights of their college experience. You will also get a taste of what it is like to compete in a Survivor immunity challenge!

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Play more, learn more: Why and how to include more play in your adventure activities Dave Tanis

Location: YELLOW Yurt In this workshop we will examine the benefit of

play/playfulness for learning and explore how we can incorporate play/playfulness into our teaching and facilitation. Games and play have a well-established place in some area of adventure programming such as challenge course experiences. However, for many of us, we engage with students on backpacking experiences, canoe trips, interpretive hikes, rock climbing adventures, or perhaps in simulations in the classroom. Furthermore, the significance of play in learning is well documented for early childhood education, but as students age, play quickly disappears as an accepted pedagogy for learning. The benefits of play and playfulness for learning among adults, will be presented in this workshop. Additionally, a significant portion of this workshop will be spent exploring ways to incorporate play into our teaching and facilitation. This will occur as we share ideas, brainstorm, and try out various games, activities, puzzles, and riddles.

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The Science Behind the Sport – Teaching STEM Based Curriculum Related to Adventure Activities Andrew Hoover Location: NATURAL Resource Center The significance of science and engineering

careers in an ever-growing technological world is irrefutable; yet encouraging today’s youth to pursue STEM education is a challenge. On a related note, health and wellness is of increasing concern as childhood obesity rates continue to have an upward trend. WVU has created the Science Behind the Sport initiative to address these contemporary issues. Using the excitement of outdoor adventure sports like cycling, zip-lining and rock climbing, this workshop will explore practical applications of STEM and how these concepts apply to each respective adventure activity. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in learning experiences that will help translate these activities into real, relevant and hands-on experiential activities for students. In this workshop, you will learn how to make FUNdamental principles of math and science FUN!

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Mid-Atlantic

Development of Competency Assessment for Facilitators Matthew Cumminsky Location: GREEN Yurt

This session will present a new comprehensive assessment of facilitator expertise designed to be administered by a challenge course manager. The assessment uses an objective rubric divided into the essential skills needed to plan, execute and process an adventure experience. It is suitable for both experienced and novice facilitators and includes hard to measure facets such as dispositions, rescues, maintenance and documentation. The assessment is still under development and your feedback is essential to creating an instrument that is clear, customizable, comprehensive and real-world driven. Participants will be sent a final copy of the assessment once complete.

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WV DIY Outdoors - 1 Year Later Brett Hagerty Location: RED Yurt WV DIY Outdoors has changed over the last

year to become a whole state resource. We will look at the history of the site, the collaboration to update it, the new site and the vision for the future. https://diyoutdoors.wvu.edu/

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What It Looks Like When Students Take Over Elizabeth Cornelius Location: YELLOW Yurt

It’s really hard to gain work force experience while in school and even harder to get into a job if you don’t have time spent working in your field. Using Radford University Adventure Based Learning Experience as a model to show young students taking on the role of planning and implementing programs we will go over the importance of letting students play a role in running programs and organizations. We will discuss multiple advantages that students get from this experience, touch on a few employer benefits, and dive into the professional benefits.

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Hairy Toe Escape Box Michael Stump & Maggie Brown Location: NATURAL Resource Center Breakout Escape Box (Portable Escape Room Experience) by breakoutedu.com brings a new

element of team building to the table. This team building experience splits you up and brings you together, allows you to step up into a leadership role, and assist other leaders all in one overall task. Starting with a creepy campsite story and envelopes with scattered information, you'll have to not only solve the first puzzle, but put the first puzzle together. Once you have accomplished this task, you'll have four more puzzles to map out and solve to unlock the box and unveil what is inside. Do you have what it takes to unravel various clues through solving riddle-like puzzles? Do you have what it takes to step up and use your strengths? Do you have what it takes to find out what really happened to the old lady, the giant, and his missing hairy toe? Join Maggie and I in the Break Out Escape Box and find out! More information about Breakout EDU will be provided after the activity.

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Join us today for lunch

and DEEbrief this

weekend of learning !

Elizabeth Cornelius An undergraduate from Radford University who enjoys long walks off of short zipline platforms. Her favorite activity is attending festivals and counting how many dogs she can pet within the first hour being at the festival. If the outdoors career path goes south you could most likely find Elizabeth attempting to be the next coach for the New England Patriots.

Matthew Cummiskey Dr. Cummiskey is the director of the West Chester University Adventure Education Program. He currently teaches two adventure-based classes for the university and facilitates groups year-round for in-house and community groups. He has written several adventure education articles and presented at the national, regional and state levels.

John Dreibelbis John is a young male autistic citizen trying to help people as much as he can. He is growing in his advocacy skills as he masters knowledge of the world.

Jennifer Coleman Jen Coleman has been an educator since she could prop her stuffed animals up so they could learn new things, but officially became a teacher in 2005. Jen spent 10 years as a public educator in a classroom setting before moving to the informal instruction of the museum world. Currently working as an educator and event creator extraordinaire at the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, she uses her knowledge of hands-on learning strategies and various learning styles to engage visitors and enhance their museum experience. She’s always looking for a new way to play and make learning fun!

Mid-Atlantic

Greg Corio Greg Corio is the Assistant Dean for Strategic Youth Development Initiatives for WVU.He developed Adventure WV, an outdoor program at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. The program developed from Corio’s graduate work. Corio’s creativity also gave way to an earlier development. In 1999 he invented an artificial ice-climbing wall. He sold the product to Entre Prises. He's written many proposals that have grown the outdoor program at WVU to be one of the largest programs in the country.

Maggie Brown Maggie Brown is a student at Radford University majoring in Outdoor Recreation. She currently works for Radford University Adventure Based Learning Experience as a lead facilitator. Has worked for Sandy River Outdoor Adventures over the summer as their team building facilitator. Fun fact, she loves dinosaurs and long hikes!

Taylor Cope Hello Fine Folks! My name is Taylor and I am a graduate assistant with Adventure West Virginia who devotes her time to the Outdoor Education Center. I am pursuing a master's degree in Social Work and love to spend my time outside. I have been associated with Adventure WV since 2011 leading trips, facilitating groups, and guiding people through the trees on the WVU zip line course. When I’m not in the classroom you can find me hiking in the woods, riding my bike, or searching for a field of alpaca who long to be pet.

Coy J. Belknap Coy Belknap, a native of Burnsville WV, has been working in the field of experiential and adventure programming since 2007. Growing up, Coy spent much of his time exploring rolling hills of central West Virginia. After obtaining his first degree in Recreational, Parks and Tourism Resources from WVU in 2009, Coy completed his graduate work in 2011. Hired in 2011, Coy began his tenure with Adventure WV as Program Manager for all logistical operations. He currently holds the title of Assistant Director, and oversees all facility and programmatic operations of the WVU Outdoor Education Center. Coy and wife currently reside in Morgantown with their two cats, Sherlock and Charlotte. He is a life-long Mountaineers fan and enjoys being outside.

Andrew Hoover Andrew Hoover has served as the Instructional Coordinator for the Science Behind the Sport program at West Virginia University since August of 2014. Andrew received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration from WVU. Andrew started working with the Science Behind the Sport program as a Graduate Assistant; he is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. Andrew uses his appreciation of STEM and his passion for outdoor recreation to develop and deliver innovative curricula that emphasize real world applications and actively engage youth in learning. Andrew’s favorite outdoor activity is cycling.

Emily LeBaron Emily LeBaron works for Inner Quest Inc. and Vestals Gap Ventures, a challenge course and outdoor education company based in Northern Virginia. She facilitates, trains and plans experiential programs for a diverse range of participants. Before entering the challenge course industry Emily was a special education teacher who supported students with social, communication and physical needs. It is what she learned from her students that continues to fuel her interest in increasing access to places, content and opportunity, understanding and supporting individual learning needs, and creating a environment of meaningfulness and respect, on and off the challenge course.

Teresa Marvel Teresa Marvel M.S CTRS works as a recreational therapist at the Retreat, an adult sixteen bed private pay mental health facility. Teresa created the recreational therapy program 13 years ago at the Retreat. The program includes experiential therapy groups as well as therapeutic outings. She has collaborated with organizations around the Baltimore area to provide therapeutic activities for the residents. She provides individual recreational therapy sessions for residents that need support in building meaningful recreational activities into their lives.

Alice Morgan Alice has been working as an outdoor educator since her freshman year of college at Berry College. After earning a Masters degree from the University of Edinburgh, she worked for Shenandoah University directing their outdoor and sustainability program. She is currently a PhD student in WVU's Recreation Parks & Tourism program. When she's not studying or working as a graduate assistance for Adventure WVU, Alice enjoys spending time outdoors and gardening.

Daniel Nellis Dan is a 46 year experiential education practitioner and lifelong woodworker. He is always looking for ways to build things stronger, better, less expensively, or sometimes just to see if he can. Dan enjoys travel by foot, bicycle, canoe, dog sled, zip wire, and stilts.

Lorilei Dreibelbis With 25 years of classroom, challenge course, environmental education, day camps, scout leadership, and aquatics instruction experience, as well as 15 years parenting, homeschooling, and finding the blessings in autism, dyslexia and giftedness, Lorilei shares from wide experience.

Brett Hagerty Brett has been in the field of environmental education, adventure recreation & experiential education since 1988. He has worked as a wilderness ranger in West Virginia and Washington State, a teacher in Tennessee and Georgia, a trip leader/guide in West Virginia and an instructor for Outward Bound in North Carolina. Brett has worked for WVU since 2001 and has put his passion and effort into the Climbing Wall, Outdoor Recreation Center, Adventure WV and the Student Rec. Center over the past sixteen years.

JJ Franke My name is JJ Franke and I am a senior adventure education major at Messiah College. While many of the students in my major find their passion through activities such as rock climbing and canoeing, my passion is in the art of play. I love all kinds of games, from board games to active silly games. In addition to playing games, I have also found a passion for leading and designing games. This has inspired me to design and host an elaborate, 12 week long, on campus version of the game Survivor for the past 4 semesters.

Jennifer Stanchfield Jen is known for her work helping school and community and outdoor education programs all over the world use experiential methods to develop a positive and supportive learning environment, increase engagement, enhance learning outcomes and develop social-emotional skills. In her 27 years as an educator, Jen has worked as a classroom teacher, a clinician in mental health treatment centers, and in professional training, adult education, and organizational teambuilding.

Michael Stump Michael Stump is currently an employee at Radford University under Radford University Adventure Based Learning Experience. He graduated from Radford University in 2017 with a magna cum laude degree in Outdoor Recreation. He worked at Camp Roanoke for six years finding his love for the outdoors and is still gaining new experiences with RU ABLE and Roanoke County Parks and Recreation every day.

CALL FOR 2021

CONFERENCE HOST

Interest and suggestions for the

host site of the 2021 AEE MA

conference should be

submitted to Colleen Miller at

colleen.miller154@gmail.com

by January 2020.

Katy Pompili Growing up in West Virginia, Katy spent most of her childhood outside with her family where her love for the outdoors grew. She is currently a Senior at West Virginia University studying Public Health. Throughout her college career, Katy has worked as a First-Year Trip leader for Adventure WV. She has also worked as a Program Support Specialist at WVU’s Outdoor Recreation Center and as a Canopy Tour Guide at the Outdoor Education Center. When not working or studying, you can find her outside adventuring with her dog, pretending she can paint, or looking for a great cup of coffee.

Dave Tanis Dave Tanis has been working with college students utilizing adventure activities since the early nineties. He serves as Associate Professor of Adventure Education at Messiah College near Harrisburg, PA. He earned a Doctoral degree in Adult Education, combining his love of play and passion for teaching by researching the relationship of play/playfulness and learning among adults in a classroom setting. Dave loves to play and has a gift of enticing others to join him in play.

Special thanks to the RUABLE program for funding

the costs of printing this Conference Program.

AEE Mid-Atlantic Regional Committee

Chair

Colleen Williams, M.Ed.

colleen.miller154@gmail.com

Past Chair

Fred Pierson, MS

jkpierson@radford.edu

Secretary

Lorilei Dreibelbis

DEE.lorilei@gmail.com

Treasurer

Jess Rothe

jrothe1@email.radford.edu

Regional Newsletter Editor

Matthew Cummisky

MCummiskey@wcupa.edu

Membership / Schools & Colleges

Vacant

Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group

Vacant

Member at Large

Vacant

Conference Brochure

Lorilei Dreibelbis

2018 AEE Mid-Atlantic Conference Committee

C.J. Belknap, WVU

Colleen Williams, M.Ed. , Old Orchard Beach

Fred Pierson, MS, RU

Lorilei Dreibelbis, Dreibelbis Experiential Education

Alice Morgan, WVU

David Heath, GMU

Special Thanks to WVU Adventure for providing the Service Crew for the 2019 conference! The hard work that goes on before, during, and after the

event is not unnoticed—and deeply appreciated! Please share your gratitude with the Service Crew as

you see them throughout the weekend.

Please note the vacancies in our regional team. Volunteers are always welcome! If you are interested in

serving as a leader in the advocacy and growth of experiential education,

please contact a Regional Committee member.

AEE is Your Professional Home. Here you find others like you,

people who share your values.

Join Now! www.aee.org

Don’t miss the International Conference!

Mid-Atlantic

2020 Regional Conference Stay Tuned!

Location and date TBD

Early Bird Registration Open: August 1, 2019