Deep Park Roots: Guest Interview Featuring KAEE Member, Moria Painter, Mammoth Cave National Park7/23/2021
 Our member interview today features Moria Painter, a long time KAEE member, supporter, and Mammoth Cave park guide and educator. From rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world’s longest known cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life. But this member also has PERSONAL roots in this park. Read on to find out more!
KAEE: Where do you work and what is your current role? Moria: Mammoth Cave National Park, Park Guide Interpretation and Environmental Education KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you? Moria: I am currently doing research on my family that worked at Mammoth Cave and lived in the park area before it was a park. My great grandmother worked in the photography booth at the park, back when they took group photos of tours before they went in the cave. My great grandfather was a guide and explorer in the 1930's. I follow in a rich family history at this park with lots of ties to the area and the park. KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field? Moria: I hope to get back into in person programs this fall and to be able to assist with and offer project Wet, Wild, and other curriculum trainings. KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators?Moria: I think this year coming back from a year of almost total shut-in, we need to take things slow and steady. I could use support in new ways to interact with kids once we get back to in person programs. I think we are going to experience a new normal for kids, educators, and ourselves and we need new tools for how to interact with people again. KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network? Moria: I love KAEE and all they do and all that they stand for. I just want to continue to share my support and belief in this network’s abilities to spread the good work of EE in Kentucky. KAEE: Share one fun fact or random tidbit about you with the group! Moria: I once met a pet alligator in the middle of Missouri! He was traveling with a guy that looked like Santa Claus and they visited the park where I was a Park Ranger; Ozark National Scenic Riverways.  Did you know? KAEE offers a variety of free resources easily accessible from our website at kaee.org/the-tree! The KAEE Teaching Resources for Environmental Educators (TREE) was developed to serve as a means for connecting formal educators with professionals who can assist with the integration of environmental concepts into all content areas.
Within this portal you'll find Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) resources, KAS correlated units of study based on environmental education, connections to environmental educators across the state, a database of funders focused on environmental education for teachers, and more. Some of the resources you’ll find within this portal are EE Units that have been designed by environmental educators and broken out into grade level categories (K-12th grade). In 2016, KAEE began the work of developing workshops that were correlated to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for science. We quickly realized the value environmental education offers teachers when it comes to KAS, and we wanted to do more. KAEE invited environmental educators across the Commonwealth to collaborate on this project, building EE units entrenched in the KAS for classroom teachers. We worked with formal and non-formal educators, training them to read and understand KAS for Science, and giving them the tools they needed to develop these EE Units of Study. Under the EE Resources section, you can find Correlating Resources, Three-Dimensional Tasks, and Workshop Agendas. Environmental education experiences are highly suited to support NGSS and utilize the three dimensions of science. Our team has put together presentations and resources outlining this connection. These resources provide background knowledge on NGSS, our process for correlating, and past presentations supporting the connection between EE experiences and the three dimensions. KAEE also specializes in training facilitators to deliver EE workshops that are correlated to KAS for science. If you're wondering what a KAS EE workshop might look like, take a look at the past agendas in the TREE. KAEE is here to connect you with a facilitator that will work with you to design a workshop to meet the needs of your school or district. Contact brittany@kaee.org for more information. You can also find an interactive facilitator location map for our state and a database of EE funding opportunities in the EE Connections section. We hope you glean great ideas and useful tools from the resources you find within the KAEE TREE!  You may not have heard of Debbie Howes and all the work she does for her Morehead community, but her impact reaches far and wide. From volunteering to save natural areas in her city to hosting environmental day camps for local fifth graders, Debbie puts her passions into practice and we’re so glad to welcome her to the KAEE network of educators!
KAEE: Where do you volunteer and what is your current role? Debbie: In 2017, 10-15 community members formed a group to befriend a local park. This park was originally owned by the Daniel Boone National Forest. It was conveyed to the Kentucky Division of Forestry in the 1990s and continued as a recreational facility until 2003. Ownership was transferred to the City of Morehead in 2003. The fate of the park has remained largely in limbo since that time, resulting in a gradual decline of the facility. The group which befriended the park had memories of the park from its days as part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. They hoped to contribute to its revival as the only natural park in the city, and promote it as an outdoor classroom for the community. The group was soon recognized officially by the City of Morehead as a helper arm to the park in 2018. It now has nonprofit status and membership has doubled. The official mission of the Friends of Rodburn Hollow Park (FOR) is to protect, promote, and preserve the park. FOR has held at least two cleanups each year (other than during the COVID year of 2020). FOR has collaborated with community partners to install a variety of signage: informational, interactive educational, trail signs, and tags for ephemeral wildflowers. They have rebuilt a bridge, upgraded the kiosk, and developed new trails, as well as reopened old ones. In June 2019, PRIDE of Southern and Eastern Kentucky recognized Fred Howes, FOR’s Chair, for extensive volunteer hours at the park. In August 2019, FOR received the Commonwealth Award for Beautifying the Bluegrass. My original role with FOR was as Chair for the first two years, and then as Vice-Chair. As Vice-Chair, my focus was on education projects and developing collaborative partnerships. In the upcoming year, I will be part of the Education Committee. I am also a volunteer with the Rowan County School system. Prior to 2020, I often taught science classes for various classrooms. This summer, I will be teaching science classes for K-5 summer school. I will also be teaching classes in an art camp at the Rowan County Art Center for K-5 students, where I will integrate art with science. KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you? Debbie: FOR recognized early on that the best way to gain a positive perspective for the community regarding the value of Rodburn Hollow Park was to include opportunities for Environmental Education for the children of Rowan County. We collaborated with 4H, and 7 other community organizations to pilot an Environmental Day Camp at the park for the 5th graders from the three smallest public elementary schools in our county. The camp served 300 students in 2018. In 2019, FOR expanded the pilot to include all 550 fifth-grade students in the county. We were unable to continue the camp during 2020, but are hoping to try again in 2022. KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field? Debbie: My hope is to add various environmental education classes via FOR in the upcoming year. Personally, I would like to offer field trips and learning opportunities for individual classrooms which would take place at Rodburn Hollow Park. KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators? Debbie: I would like to learn about ways in which I can become involved in additional learning and teaching opportunities in EE. I would especially appreciate hearing about ideas and experiences in Environmental Day Camps. KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network? Debbie: As a retired educator and volunteer, I only have the benefit of my past experiences in education to share. My background includes 25 years of teaching in the areas of Basic Math, Earth Science, General Science, Biology, and AP Biology. I have worked with many science camps over the years, and I have taught science to students from preschool to college Freshmen. For many years, I taught in the Upward Bound Program at MSU. I served as a middle school assistant principal for one year, an elementary principal for 4 years, and then as a high school principal for 4 years. After retirement, I served as an elementary science curriculum specialist for a year and a half. However, I retired in 2013, and it is very easy to quickly become obsolete in the field of science. KAEE: Share one fun fact or random tidbit you would like to share with the group! Debbie: I attended Hindman Settlement School for my senior year of high school. It was there that I learned to weave on floor looms. After I retired, I learned to weave Nantucket style baskets.  “An essential challenge for all of us is creating just, sustainable, and culturally thriving communities in order to address the challenges and the really great opportunities of the 21st century.” -Dr. Carrie Tzou Dr. Carrie Tzou and Dr. Leah Bricker from Learning in Places kicked off The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education’s (KAEE) annual Outdoor Learning Symposium in 2021. The Kentucky Division of water sponsored the virtual event held on June 8th and 10th. With a symposium that emphasized place as not just a location, but a collaborator in learning, over 60 classroom teachers, school administrators and nonformal educators gathered online over the course of the two days to learn about the benefits of outdoor education and how to enhance their own spaces and places. With the challenge from the keynote to consider how science and ecological education contributes to conversations about ethics, and sociological change, the event’s sessions looked at various conversations about outdoor learning. J.D. Bussell, Lester Diaz, and Tresine Logsdon discussed teaching outdoors from an administrative perspective. Dr. Melinda Wilder presented about integrating the new science assessment with outdoor learning. And Dr. Kim Yates, Dr. Becky Krall, and Sagan Goodpaster taught educators about planning tools. Dr. Yates introduced the idea of planning a garden using seed mats. And Dr. Becky Krall and Sagan Goodpaster introduced virtual tools to enable educators to bring the outdoors into the classroom when necessary. “Just being outside in nature does so much good for the body, and because it does so much good for the body, it helps to clear the mind which opens up for learning.” -Rae McEntyre The second day of the symposium started with the question “How can we effectively use the outdoors for learning?” from the plenary session by Rae McEntyre, the Science consultant at the Kentucky Department of Education.
In a breakout session, Aukrum Burton presented “Ripple Effects: Exploring Water in Louisville”, a collaboration between the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, Kentucky Division of Water, Louisville Free Public Library, River City Paddle Sports, and University of Louisville College of Education & Human Development. He showed an example of how they used a photography contest to get students into nature and how it fit into their larger Louisville/Ohio River Visioning Project. The rest of the sessions looked at water education outdoor learning experiences with Danny Woolums demonstrating a Project WET session, Dale Booth discussing Division of Water tools for water education, and Vivian Bowles digging into the practicalities of managing a class when you’re teaching outside. Inserted throughout the event were opportunities for participants to meet with community partners and take part in networking and planning sessions. KAEE recorded all sessions, so participants have the chance to go back and re-watch their favorite sessions, or see the ones they didn’t get to attend live. For those that didn’t register, there’s still a chance to receive the training from the Outdoor Learning Symposium. Contact Brittany Wray at brittany@kaee.org to learn how you can still take part and gain access to the recordings.  Organizational Member Feature - Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery Although Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery in Jamestown, Kentucky has been a long time organizational member of KAEE, we are pleased to have recently welcomed two of their newest staff members to the EE community! Marsha Hart and Meg Redmon form a dynamic education duo with a lot to share with our network of educators. Read on to learn more about the hatchery and what inspires these new staff educators.
Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery was constructed in 1975 in response to the disruption of species and habitats along the Cumberland River. The Cumberland River is a major waterway which covers most of southern Kentucky and dips into Tennessee. When Wolf Creek Dam was built, there was a vast ecological transformation. The whole ecosystem above and below the dam were damaged and habitats were destroyed. The Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery was built as a mitigation tool for some of the species that Wolf Creek Dam disrupted. Working alongside the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, the hatchery’s goal is to replenish damaged waterways and stock a million trout at around 100 stocking sites each year. Marsha and Meg both serve as Environmental Education / Outreach Specialists at the hatchery and they are tasked with educating the public about the hatchery’s work, native fish populations and habitats, as well as related environmental issues. They work with numerous volunteers and school groups to inform and inspire Kentuckians. KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you? Marsha: We have recently reopened our Visitor’s Center and are currently scheduling group tours and activities. We are excited to be reopening, and welcoming visitors to our hatchery. We are currently replenishing our displays/aquariums since the Visitor’s Center was closed during the pandemic. We are also planting seeds and planning on starting a pollinator garden, as well as sprucing up a rain garden that we have inherited. KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field? Marsha: Our main goal is to increase the environmental literacy of our visitors. When groups come to the hatchery, we want them to enjoy all the displays, the raceways full of fish, the nature trail, and hatchery creek. We want to be able to educate them about what we do here, and foster a deep appreciation for the Earth. KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators? Marsha: Support is essential when increasing environmental literacy, because there are so many avenues to take when trying to educate the public. We could use support in ideas for getting the community excited and involved in environmental issues and events, and also with the planning of new events. KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network? Marsha: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has many programs to foster conservation. They have an informative website and Facebook page that would be a great resource to anyone in environmental education. KAEE: Share one fun fact or random tidbit about you would you like to share with the group! Marsha: Meg and I both started work at the hatchery on the same day. Although we live in a small town, we had actually never met before. We have learned so much about the hatchery together, but we have also become close friends!  This summer, KAEE is pleased to launch a brand new eeCourse developed through a partnership between the Center for Diversity and the Environment, EcoInclusive, Environmental Educators of North Carolina, Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education, KAEE, and Youth Outside. This Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in Environmental Education course has been designed to provide a strong foundation in the language, concepts and principles of equity work. It is meant to be an introductory course and spark interest in further learning around justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.The overarching goal of this course is to inspire grassroots change in organizational cultures by getting more and more people engaged in equity work. Piloted by a group of participants made up of KAEE staff, board, and action team members, this course has prompted eye-opening dialogues, engaging discussions, and the development of specific action steps toward promoting equity in the field. The course will be moderated by Reverend Leonard Curry. Leonard is a sought-after thought leader, intellectual, public speaker, preacher, teacher, and writer. He is the proud Pastor of St. James AME Church in Ashland, KY, a PhD Candidate at Vanderbilt University, and the owner and founder of Leonard Curry Consulting, LLC, a company that focuses on antiracism, diversity, and inclusion consulting. He brings a wealth of knowledge from the education, non-profit, and ecclesial sectors to his consulting. A trained researcher and facilitator, Leonard combines what he has learned from education, pastoral care, chaplaincy, and church leadership to name resistances, to identify the values at the root of them, and to push beyond those resistances towards personal, social, and professional equity and inclusion goals. Leonard has a BA from Rhodes College, an MDiv and STM from Yale Divinity School, and an MA from Vanderbilt University. Leonard is excited to help strengthen communities and their commitment to Antiracism, Inclusion, and Belonging. This course can be taken individually or as a team. Scholarships are also available for JEDI101. We do not want cost to be a barrier in any way for those looking to grow in this area. Please fill out the application form here to for scholarship info. "I learned so much in the JEDI course! The course helped me identify and address my own biases, and I feel much more comfortable communicating about the inequities that prevent so many from full participation in society. I am more hopeful that I can be an agent of positive change." - Roberta Burnes, Environmental Education Specialist, Division for Air Quality  Have you heard? In April, KAEE launched a dynamic monthly webinar series geared toward formal and non-formal environmental educators and enthusiasts. Featuring a wide variety of presenters and topics, the aim of this series is to educate, inspire, and help connect KAEE members and friends with available and relevant environmental education resources and ideas. The programs will typically be hosted on the third Thursday of each month and registration is required. Webinars are free for KAEE members and only $10 for non-members. Sessions are also recorded so members and paid registrants can view at a later date if desired. Last month, the series was off to a great start with a session featuring the important connections between nature and mental health. The presentation was given by one of KAEE’s long time members and supporters, Amanda Patrick, MA. We looked at research and innovative ideas around the value of connecting individuals and communities with the outdoors. On May 20th at 3:00 pm EST, we will host an exciting presentation all about global research and university partnerships that can be useful right here at home! We hope you can join us. Click here to register.  Did you know? Many scientific research groups at universities are in need of organizations like nature centers and schools to help them fulfill their missions of having broader impacts and meaningful outreach opportunities.
Join Nicholas Teets with the University of Kentucky's Department of Entomology, and Deborah Harner, science educator and National Science Foundation grant team member as they guide us on a journey into experiential-based funding opportunities. Take an incredible voyage to the south pole as these educators share examples of how to expand your audience's understanding of environmental science through global exploration and research projects. They will share information about their research abroad and how to make local connections and impact through associated outreach programs. Learn how to inspire your audiences by delving into the possibilities of partnerships between university research groups and your environmental education programs! Free for KAEE members // $10 for non-members REGISTER HERE  Today we celebrate Earth Day and the history of the environmental movement that has empowered citizens to respect, enjoy, and take care of the planet for decades. Since the first Earth Day in 1970 much progress has been made. From changes in policies to development of environmental organizations and advocacy groups. Many sustaining endeavors have taken place as a result of dedicated educators and advocates of our shared environment.
Forty-six years ago, one of the groups of dedicated people that came together was a special group of Kentuckians who shared a passion for environmental education and started KAEE. Since that time KAEE has become one of the most viable state/provincial EE organizations in North America. In fact, it was the first such organization to officially become an affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), which promotes EE throughout the continent, and has members from over 55 countries worldwide. A lot has been accomplished in those 45 years, but there is still so much to do. As we face the environmental issues of this century, more and more people are seeing education as a key to addressing those issues. We also know that our efforts need to broaden to include not just more individuals and groups, but to include a much broader, diverse, and inclusive network. As we celebrate this special Earth focused day, week, and month, it is imperative that we realize and understand the importance of long term commitment to our environmental goals. At KAEE we believe that an environmentally literate community is an engaged community that takes ownership of and responsibility for the health and well being of our habitat. Our members work to advocate for EE in Kentucky in various ways. Because we have seen how significant advances in EE can be achieved through policies at both the state and federal levels, KAEE stays alert to opportunities to shape EE policy, develop strategies for advancing key initiatives, and build capacity for advocacy within the EE community. KAEE and its members work closely with state government employees; local, regional, and statewide elected officials; and communities around Kentucky to bolster EE around the state. We believe we can expand our impact in the EE field by advocating for policies, legislation, and government resources that affect our members and the greater EE community. Learn how you can get involved in very specific ways on our Advocacy page here!  KAEE recently welcomed new member, Ellen Prusinski. Ellen is the coordinator of engaged and experiential learning and assistant professor of education at Centre College in Danville. Read on to learn more about her interest in integrating EE and community learning and to find a really fun fact at the end!
KAEE: What projects or programs are you working on that particularly inspire you? Ellen: This semester, I’m teaching Global Perspectives on Education, which is one of my favorite classes to teach in part because it is a great excuse for me to engage with new material. KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field? Ellen: I hope that we can find new ways of helping Centre students integrate learning about the environment into whatever discipline or field they are studying, whether that is English or Anthropology or Physics. KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators? Ellen: I am still really new to this field, so I could probably use support in a lot of different areas! Right now, I am prioritizing a focus on how to help encourage students who feel discouraged and fearful about climate change. KAEE: What is something you feel could be beneficial to share with this network? Ellen: I lived in Asia for four years after college and love to think about how the U.S. could learn from the experiences of other countries that approach issues of environmental education from different angles. If this is of interest to anyone, I’d be glad to chat. KAEE: Share a fun fact or random tidbit about yourself with the group! Ellen: My 4 year old and I learned to ride a tandem bike last spring. If you see us tooling around Lexington, please say hi!  THE GOODS Now is your chance to bid and win an authentic Maker's Mark Bourbon Barrel that has been thoughtfully and purposely converted into a rain barrel. Once used to age bourbon, this white oak barrel has been repurposed into a rain barrel by KAEE Board Member Jason Nally at Maker's Mark. The barrelhead remains intact, therefore providing flexibility in installing the rain barrel and configuring it to any downspout. The barrels have been donated by Maker's Mark and we are so grateful for their support and the opportunity to raise funds for the field of environmental education in Kentucky.  THE AUCTION For this fundraiser, we will be using a sealed-bid style auction. We have 10 bourbon rain barrels available. Minimum bid for each barrel is $75. Bidders may submit one bid using this form. Submitting more than one bid indicates bids for more than one barrel. Bidders will not be able to see the amounts submitted by others. In this style of auction, it is suggested that bidders submit the highest price they'd be willing to pay for an individual barrel. If you want more than one barrel, submit more than one bid. The top 10 bidders will be the winners! KAEE staff will view the bids on closing day and announce the winners thereafter. Bidding closes on Earth Day, April 22nd. Winners will be contacted the week of April 26th. Pick up at Maker's Mark by May 23rd is required (weekdays preferred). THE CAUSE Funds raised in this auction support the work and mission of KAEE. We are thrilled to be able reuse and re-purpose items from one of Kentucky's greatest industries. To learn more about KAEE and the work that we do, click here. Thanks for your support!
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