Kansas Association For Conservation And Environmental Education

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO KANSAS ASSOCIATION FOR CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (KACEE) TO DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES WITHIN KANSAS, MISSOURI AND NEBRASKA. THE GRANTEE WILL COLLABORATE WITH THE NEBRASKA ALLIANCE FOR CONSERVATION AND AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (NACEE) AND THE MISSOURI ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (MEEA) TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM WHICH EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY DELIVERS AND SUSTAINS COMPREHENSIVE EE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, KACEE AIMS TO PREPARE FORMAL AND NON-FORMAL EDUCATORS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND WASTE WITH THEIR LEARNERS. THIS PROJECT WILL INITIALLY TARGET 100 EDUCATORS. ACTIVITIES: ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: (1) CREATE A PROJECT LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THE PROJECT TO DESIGN AND FACILITATE A NEEDS ASSESSMENT WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF THE REGION AND EACH INDIVIDUAL STATE AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY EDUCATION. (2) DEVELOP CONTENT FOR TWO NEW SHARED ONLINE COURSES THAT WILL SUPPORT EDUCATORS IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVING AIR QUALITY, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. (3) ESTABLISH A SHARED ONLINE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS) PLATFORM FOR THE REGION. (4) TEN COURSE PARTICIPANTS WILL COMPLETE A CAPSTONE PROJECT TO IMPLEMENT SKILLS LEARNED IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND A SECOND COURSE ADDRESSING WASTE REDUCTION. (5) COMPILE AND SHARE THE RESULTS OF THE CAPSTONE PROJECTS OF PILOT TO ENCOURAGE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY OR REVITALIZE LAND AND PREVENT CONTAMINATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND REGION. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: IMPLEMENTING EECREDENTIAL COURSES IN MISSOURI AND NEBRASKA, MARKETING, LOGISTIC MANAGEMENT, ENROLLING EDUCATORS, FACILITATING, MODERATING AND EVALUATING COURSES. OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: BUILDING CAPACITY FOR STATE EE ORGANIZATIONS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY DELIVER HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, BUILDING THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO PRE K-12 STUDENTS. ALSO INCREASE THE MASTERY AND PROFESSIONALIZATION OF EDUCATORS TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGH EECREDENTIALS.

DESCRIPTION:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO KANSAS ASSOCIATION FOR CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (KACEE) TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT, WHICH WILL DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT. THE PROJECT GOAL IS TO CO-CREATE WITH YOUTH, EDUCATORS, AND GREEN CAREER PROFESSIONALS A SUSTAINABLE GREEN CLIMATE CAREERS PROGRAM IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHO WILL ACQUIRE THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THE GROWING FIELD OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, RENEWABLE ENERGY, AND CLIMATE-RELATED PROFESSIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN GARDEN CITY (67846) AND EMPORIA (66801) IN KANSAS, AS WELL AS SALEM (65560) AND ARCADIA (63621) IN MISSOURI AND PROVIDE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: EDUCATING TEACHERS ABOUT CLIMATE LITERACY AND GREEN JOBS; ENGAGING STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO COME TOGETHER, DIALOGUE, AND TAKE ACTION TO ADDRESS THESE BARRIERS TO THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST IN GREEN CAREERS; CREATING A GREEN CAREER PATHWAYS WEBSITE; DEVELOPING A GREEN CAREERS CURRICULUM, ORGANIZING AND PROVIDING A VIRTUAL YOUTH GREEN CAREERS SUMMIT; ENGAGING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL-BASED ACTION PROJECTS, AND CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH MENTORS TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL CAREERS. SUBRECIPIENT:SUBAWARDS WILL SUPPORT GREEN SCHOOL INITIATIVES THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE LITERACY, AIR QUALITY, CLEAN WATER, WASTE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN SCHOOLS AS WELL AS STUDENT-LED SCHOOL PROJECTS THAT EXTEND THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AROUND GREEN CAREERS AND GIVE STUDENTS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE SOLVING IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS IN THEIR SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY. OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: A DEDICATED CAREER PATHWAYS WEBSITE FOR STUDENTS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, A COMPLETED GREEN CAREERS CURRICULUM; HOSTING A VIRTUAL GREEN CAREER EVENT; AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN IMPLEMENTING LOCAL GREEN SCHOOLS AND STUDENT-LED GREEN CAREER RELATED PROJECTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: INCREASED STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN GREEN CAREER EXPLORATION; EDUCATORS WITH ENHANCED SKILLS TO TEACH ABOUT CLIMATE; ELIMINATION OF BARRIERS FOR YOUTH IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ENTERING GREEN CAREERS. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE 30 EDUCATORS AND 1000 MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON UNDERSERVED RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES INCLUDING GARDEN CITY (67846) AND EMPORIA (66801) AREAS IN KANSAS, AS WELL AS SALEM (65560) AND ARCADIA (63621) IN MISSOURI.

GREENING THE CURRICULUM/ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROJECT SEEKS TO PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GEARED TOWARD GREEN SCHO

THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE THE REGION 7 STATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT TEAM AND PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED KEY STAKEHOLDERS