KAEE ANNOUNCES UPDATES TO MEMBERSHIP MODEL

At the July 10 meeting of the KAEE Board of Directors, the board passed two motions to update the membership model and benefits for KAEE members. And we couldn’t be more excited about them!

The new model simplifies our previous model and reduces the number of organizational member levels. It also adds new benefits, including more significant discounts, to individuals and organizational members.

Under the new model, individual membership is still available on the student level (with dues being $25 annually) and general level (with dues of $50 annually). New benefits to the individual general level include a 20% discount on KAEE conference registration, significant discounts for participation in our eeCredentials or individual courses, and (when we are able to host them safely!) an increased number of all-member and regional member meet-ups.

For organizations wishing to become members, two levels are now available. One level, with dues of $250 annually, offers one free conference registration and up to two members listed in the member directory and who are able to receive discounts on conference, eeCredentials and other member offerings. A $500 organizational membership level is also available, which offers two free conference registrations and an unlimited number of members listed in the directory and able to receive member discounts for conference, eeCredentials, and other offerings.

Several membership benefits will stay the same under the new model, including national and state recognition, exclusive networking opportunities, voting rights within KAEE, merchandise discounts, publicity through stories written and shared by KAEE, and coaching and consulting services.

And, of course, membership in KAEE connects you with fellow environmental education practitioners and enthusiasts from all over the state, giving you the chance to learn from, support, and be an integral part of the movement to advance environmental knowledge across Kentucky and beyond.

Host Your Own eeOpenSpace!

HOST YOUR OWN EE OPEN SPACE! 5/29/2020

KAEE is excited to announce a new summer eeOpenSpace program—one that YOU can make your own! The program allows our members and wider audience to host their own virtual Open Space or round table conversation around a topic of their choosing. What sparks your interest most these days? What would you like to chat about with others in our community? What ways would you like to connect during this unprecedented time? If you're looking for a couple of ideas, we’re happy to offer a few: ​

• Social: coffee hour, trivia, group outdoor activity (ex: group evening moth-watching, live outdoor scavenger hunt), happy hours, bingo

• Topic-specific: fundraising/sustaining operations, citizen/community science, equity and inclusion (including how to engage those without internet access!), summer camp alternatives, volunteers, social media/online communications, ideas for families to engage in local nature, educator self-care

We anticipate that these calls are likely to truly be engaging conversations, not formal presentations. If you’d like to lead a session, please do! We’ll be here to help you set up the time, online space, and more. ​Ready to get started? Email katherine@kaee.org with your idea for a topic or activity, a few times and dates that would work best for you, and any other details you’d like to share. And, of course, let us know if you have any questions!

HOW IS THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IMPACTING EE ORGANIZATIONS?

We know that this is a challenging time for everyone as we navigate the impact of the coronavirus and do all we can to prevent it from spreading further. We recognize that many of our more vulnerable populations stand to be the most affected due to lost wages, lack of childcare, job layoffs, and so forth. We also understand that in addition to impacting each of us on a personal level, the pandemic is having significant impacts on our organizations, our communities, and our programs that will likely affect us for quite some time. Knowing we are all navigating similar challenges, and being aware of the current need for social distancing, we would like to provide a couple of opportunities for you to stay engaged and benefit from the EE network you are a part of, connecting with others in the environmental education community and discussing how you or your organization is responding to the coronavirus outbreak.

Monday, March 16, from 2-3:30pm - Nonprofits, Agencies, and Community Organization Leaders: Join us to share your questions and suggestions about issues related to event and program cancelations, how you are communicating with the public, how to address lost sponsorships or revenue, disinfecting public spaces, how to handle staffing issues, etc. We will also discuss opportunities participants see as being available for serving our communities, serving our more vulnerable populations, and offering alternate engagement options.

Tuesday, March 17, from 3-4:30pm - Environmental Educators, Professors, and Classroom Teachers: Join us to discuss how/if you are transitioning to virtual or non-traditional instruction, how you are handling your EE programs, opportunities for encouraging outdoor time for families during the school closures, how to communicate with the public, and so on.

These will be open space forums for us to share and learn from one another. To join either or both sessions, click on the links available on our event calendar.