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2026 Outstanding Government Agency: Lexington Parks & Recreation's Division of Natural Areas

Oct 8

3 min read

Updated: Oct 14

There’s a lot happening across Lexington Parks & Recreation’s Natural Areas Team. From caring for more than 1,100 acres of parks to creating new ways for people to experience and connect with nature, this Team is finding creative ways to make environmental education and outdoor experiences more accessible for their community.

That work is why Lexington Parks & Recreation's Division of Natural Areas was selected as the recipient of KAEE’s 2026 Outstanding Government Agency Award!

The Natural Areas Team oversees 1,100 acres across four parks and provides nature programming, volunteer opportunities, hikes, and other ways for the public to get involved. In 2025 alone, the Team welcomed more than 160,000 visitors to their parks and programs.

Over the past several years, the Team has continued to grow its programming while also taking on new acreage, including Lexington’s first public river access park. But what really stands out is the effort they put into making sure more people have the opportunity to enjoy and learn from these natural spaces.

At Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, staff members Christopher Poehner, Pony Meyer, and Callie Dickman work to create meaningful experiences for visitors while continuing to improve the health of the land.

Chris collaborates with statewide partners on controlled burns and an innovative meadow restoration project that includes creation of two new wetlands. The Team has also introduced programs like an annual Pride Hike, created in partnership with the Lexington Pride Center, and a track chair program that allows visitors to reserve a tracked wheelchair to help navigate the trails.

In addition, Pony secured funding from the State’s Native American Commission for new signage along the Discovery Trail highlighting Native American history and contributions to the land.

At McConnell Springs, a team led by Jason Thomas has increased efforts to remove invasive species, particularly wintercreeper. Staff are also working on creating reflection nooks throughout the park, giving visitors places to slow down, sit quietly, and observe nature.

And environmental education doesn’t always look like a traditional nature program. Constance Brown and Kaiya Schaffner have created new programs like “Weeds to Works of Art,” which explores creative ways to reuse invasive species, along with new nature journaling programs that bring art into environmental education.

One of the Team’s newest efforts is Nature in Your Neighborhood, an initiative led by Constance Brown and Haadi Rana to bring nature programming closer to where people live.

During June and July, they brought nature education to parks throughout the center of Lexington, rather than requiring participants to travel to parks on the outskirts of the county. By bringing these programs into the heart of the city, the initiative helps remove one of the barriers that can keep people from participating: transportation.

The Team is also working to make outdoor recreation more accessible. The Equestrian Program, led by Georgia Ockerman, offers low-cost beginner riding lessons to the public as well as participants in Lexington Parks and Recreation’s therapeutic recreation program.

Across Lexington’s four natural areas parks, the Natural Areas Team has also created TR Nature Explorers, a six-week series offered each spring and fall for adults with disabilities. Participants get outside, explore different parks, and take part in hands-on environmental education experiences.

And the opportunities extend to younger community members, too. Jonathan Boone, who oversees outdoor programs, hosts about 80 kids each week at Camp Kearney, where participants can learn activities like archery, paddling, and fishing.

Most recently, Lexington Parks & Recreation added the Nature Bus, providing free transportation from downtown to Kelley’s Landing River Park so community members can explore and connect with nature without transportation being a barrier.

The Natural Areas Team is doing all of this with just seven full-time staff members, supported by about 20 part-time seasonal employees.

Their work is a great example of how environmental education can take many different forms. It can look like restoring a meadow, teaching someone how to fish, creating a nature journal, learning about the history of a place, removing an invasive species, or simply giving someone a quiet place to sit outside.

What makes Lexington Parks & Recreation’s Natural Areas Team especially deserving of this award is their commitment to inclusion, equity, and trying new things. They continue to look for ways to reach people where they are, work with community partners, and create opportunities for people of different backgrounds, abilities, and experiences to connect with the outdoors.

KAEE is proud to recognize Lexington Parks & Recreation's Division of Natural Areas as the 2026 Outstanding Government Agency Award recipient and celebrate their work at the 2026 KAEE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The 2026 Excellence in Environmental Education Awards will be presented during the awards dinner on Thursday, November 12, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream.

Russell High School Named 2025–2026 Kentucky Green School of the Year

Sep 22

2 min read

Updated: Sep 25

Russell High School has a lot to celebrate! For its outstanding commitment to environmental

stewardship, student leadership, and community engagement, Russell High School has been named the 2025–2026 Kentucky Green School of the Year.

The school will be honored at the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education’s (KAEE) 50th Annual Conference in November, where students and Green Team coach Olivia Matney will receive the award recognizing their accomplishments throughout the 2025–2026 school year.

Russell High’s journey began with a 2025-2026 goal of completing all five Kentucky Green Schools thematic investigations: Energy, School Environment, School Site, Waste & Recycling, and Water. By completing all five, the school earned Gold-level status as a Kentucky Green School in just one year. But the real achievement lies in what students did with their investigations—turning questions about their school and environment into projects that are creating lasting change.

The year got off to a strong start with Waste & Recycling, one of the Conservation Club’s primary goals. Under the leadership of Club Vice President Kate Gervais, students revitalized the school’s recycling program by fundraising to provide recycling bins in every classroom. They also established a student-managed weekly collection system, making recycling more accessible while reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.

For the Water investigation, students developed “Mussel Monday” as part of their annual Earth Week programming. The schoolwide campaign highlighted Kentucky’s native freshwater mussels and their important role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems. Students shared information from Kentucky Wild, organized a “Flex Your Muscles for the Mussels” competition, and used social media to extend their message into the broader community.

The School Site investigation led to a colorful new addition to the school grounds: a large conservation-themed mural. Students took the lead in engaging local organizations, businesses, and community members as sponsors, strengthening community partnerships while raising awareness of regional conservation.

For the School Environment investigation, students focused on expanding opportunities for learning outdoors. Through student-led fundraising and community sponsorships, they secured funding for seven wooden picnic tables to create a dedicated outdoor classroom. The space will provide new opportunities for place-based, experiential learning and help students connect more deeply with the natural environment.

The Energy investigation presented a few extra challenges, as ongoing renovations made data collection difficult. Students persevered, however, and launched an energy conservation campaign under the leadership of Conservation Club President Zee Ryan. Zee created and distributed a brochure encouraging faculty to be more mindful of classroom technology use and to take advantage of natural and ambient lighting whenever possible.

Behind all of these accomplishments is the leadership of Olivia Matney, whose work has helped Russell High’s Conservation Club grow each year. As colleague David Caniff shared, “Mrs. Matney has brought environmental awareness to our school that we previously didn't have.” He points to the club’s growth, the outdoor classroom and conservation mural, and the students’ increasing awareness of local plants and animals as examples of her impact.

Russell High School’s 2025–2026 Green School of the Year award celebrates more than a collection of projects. It celebrates students who investigated their school, identified opportunities for change, and worked together to make a difference. KAEE looks forward to celebrating Olivia, the Conservation Club, and the entire Russell High School community at our 50th Annual Conference in November!

2026 Outstanding Business: Blues End Farm

Sep 17

2 min read

Updated: Sep 22

There’s something extra magical about learning that happens outdoors and involves getting your hands dirty! That’s exactly what Blues End Farm brings to environmental education.

As the recipient of KAEE’s 2026 Outstanding Business Award, Blues End Farm is creating meaningful opportunities for young people to connect with nature, learn about the environment, and see themselves as part of the communities and places around them.

Through programs like Discovery Days, students get the chance to step outside the classroom and learn through hands-on experiences. They explore sustainable agriculture, spend time outdoors, garden, and learn about the natural systems around them. Instead of simply talking about environmental stewardship, students get to experience it firsthand.

That impact can be seen in the students who visit the farm. Tanyeka Percentie, Director of the Marnel C. Moorman Family Life Center and Blues End Farm nominator, has seen this firsthand through a partnership that brought youth to the farm for day camps over the past two summers.

At the beginning of the week, some students were hesitant to step into a new environment, especially those who had not had many opportunities to spend time outside of their own neighborhoods. But by the end of the week, Tanyeka saw those same students asking questions about plants, confidently exploring the farm, and even encouraging each other to participate.

For Tanyeka, it wasn’t just the activities that stood out. It was the sense of belonging that Blues End Farm created. Students weren’t simply visitors. They were given the opportunity to participate, have a voice, and feel like they were part of the experience.

That welcoming environment is an important part of what makes Blues End Farm’s work so meaningful. Many of the students they serve come from communities where access to green space and outdoor learning opportunities can be limited. By opening its space and sharing its knowledge, Blues End Farm helps make these experiences more accessible and creates a place where students can feel comfortable exploring, asking questions, and learning.

And the learning doesn’t stop when students leave the farm. Blues End Farm connects environmental education with other areas of youth development, including literacy, social-emotional learning, and career exploration. These experiences give students the opportunity to build knowledge while also developing confidence, curiosity, and a better understanding of the world around them.

As Tanyeka shared in her nomination, the partnership has changed how students view nature, learning, and even themselves. Students who were once more reserved have become more curious and willing to engage. Those are the kinds of experiences that can stay with young people long after they leave the farm.

Blues End Farm shows what can happen when a community partner opens its doors and creates opportunities for young people to learn by doing. Their work is helping students build a stronger connection to nature while making environmental education more accessible to the communities that need it most.

KAEE is proud to recognize Blues End Farm as the 2026 Outstanding Business and looks forward to celebrating their work at the 2026 KAEE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky. The 2026 Excellence in Environmental Education Awards will be presented during the awards dinner on Thursday, November 12, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream.