KAEE Member Feature: Christine Smith

This month we feature a member and environmental educator from central Kentucky who has a passion for making EE accessible for all. Christine Smith has been the Executive Director of Seedleaf since 2019, and prior to this position she was in charge of their amazing array of programming. Under her leadership, Seedleaf supports local schools and neighborhoods to make food research, gardening, and environmental science available for all ages and backgrounds. Read on to get to know Christine a bit better!

KAEE: Can you tell us a little more about your work in the field of EE and what particularly inspires you?

Christine: Seedleaf is a community gardening organization nourishing communities in Lexington, Kentucky. We manage 11 community garden spaces in addition to a two-acre community farm. I (obviously) love everything about Seedleaf but my favorite thing is being out in the gardens and getting a chance to meet neighbors–including inquisitive children who want to know what I am doing.

KAEE: What goals do you have for your organization or programs within the EE field?

Christine:Right now we are in year two of developing our FRESH program, Food Research and Environment Science for Highschool. We want this eight-week program to support school curriculum that the students are seeing while fostering a deep love of being outside and sustainable environmental stewardship of urban environments. We also hope that youth leave this program wanting to pursue environmental education in higher ed.

KAEE: What is an area you feel you could use support in from this network of fellow educators?

Christine: It would be great if there was an easier way of sharing quality resources–especially on mental and physical well-being of youth and how outdoor programming can help generate positive outcomes for still developing minds.

KAEE: Share a fun fact or random tidbit about yourself with the group!

Christine: I LOVE flowers but I am not a fan of sunflowers. I only plant them to attract goldfinches.

Preferred pronouns: She/Her/Hers

EE Funders Briefing: Environmental Education and Connections to Nature in the Southeast

Calling all EE funders! You are invited to an upcoming funders’ briefing hosted by the Blue Sky Funders Forum, the Pisces Foundation, and the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance on September 26, 2022 from 3-5 pm ET. At this virtual convening, you’ll learn about the findings from a landscape analysis of environmental education in the southeast, the gaps in programs and services identified, the latest in the field, and how you can use the data.

The southeast region receives only 8% of the $116 million in philanthropic investments for environmental literacy, outdoor experiences, and connections to nature. This disparity of funding in the region, unfortunately, mirrors inequities in access to green spaces, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. Join peer-funders and experts to explore findings from a recent landscape analysis of environmental literacy in the Southeast. With insights into the assets and barriers to furthering environmental literacy in the eight states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, this funders briefing will provide space to connect with peer-funders to explore opportunities for collaboration.

To be clear: this event is not an ask. Rather, it’s an opportunity to learn more about the current needs and trends in environmental education and to network with your peer-funders who support our field.

The event is free and open to funders. Registration is required. The session will be recorded.

Funders can register online here. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Ashley Hoffman (director@kaee.org) or Lauren Pyle (director@eenc.org).

KAEE Conference: A Change in Plans

Dear friends, I am writing to give you an update on the KAEE Conference. Due to the devastating flooding, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park is now housing flood victims for the foreseeable future. We are so grateful that this option is available to house the many families who are now without homes. So, we’re going to pivot, and we have a new plan for conference this year. We have found a new venue, and the conference will now be held at the Historic Boone Tavern and Berea College on Wednesday, November 30, and Thursday, December 1, with pre-conference tours and workshops on Tuesday, November 29. While we realize this change in dates and location might be an inconvenience, we are thankful to have such a caring community who we know will understand this necessity. We will be in touch with our current presenters over the next week to determine if you will still be available to present, and we anticipate releasing a mini call for proposals to fill any gaps in the updated schedule. We will also need to shift a number of our pre-conference and Friday morning workshops. As we work on scheduling updates, registration will be temporarily paused. For those who have already registered for the conference, please contact me if you would like a full refund. Otherwise, we will follow up with you in the coming weeks to assist you in selecting a new pre-conference tour or workshop if necessary. Again, we very much appreciate your understanding. Our hearts are with those of you in eastern Kentucky. As we face another overwhelming natural disaster in our state, I feel endlessly inspired by our community, who continue to come together time and again to support one another. With much appreciation and admiration, Ashley Hoffman Executive Director