Inspiration, Place, and Possibility: 2025 Outdoor Learning Symposium Recap

On July 31, 2025, educators from across Kentucky gathered in Whitesburg for the Outdoor Learning Symposium (OLS). It was a full-day professional learning event designed for K–12 teachers and administrators eager to take learning outside the walls of the classroom. Hosted at Cowan Elementary School, the day offered more than just professional development—it was a celebration of place-based, outdoor learning rooted in the unique landscapes and communities of eastern Kentucky.

With a packed schedule of hands-on workshops, networking opportunities, and inspiring dialogue, OLS empowered educators with fresh strategies, tools, and connections to support outdoor and environmental learning in their schools.

Ronny Goins, Director of Assessment at Letcher County Public Schools, and a vital partner in hosting the event, shared this reflection:

"It was a great day of collaboration and learning. I truly believe our teachers came away inspired, and with an ample supply of resources and network partners to allow them to bring their ideas to life. I can't wait to see the vibrant learning experiences the students of Letcher County participate in as a result of this symposium!"

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Digging Into the Day: Sessions That Sparked Curiosity

After morning coffee and welcome remarks, participants jumped into their first session of the day:

Taking Learning Outside. For many teachers, getting students outdoors feels intimidating, and this session tackled that hesitation head-on. Participants explored practical tools for managing time, behavior, materials, and content during outdoor learning experiences. They took part in an outdoor lesson themselves and reviewed real examples of Kentucky students engaging in standards-based outdoor learning. Discussions allowed teams to brainstorm how to adapt their own curriculum for the outdoors.

Kentucky Green Schools: In this energizing session, educators explored how to launch a Green Schools program on their campus, which was complete with hands-on investigations, student-led initiatives, and a roadmap for forming a “green team” of student changemakers. With easy-to-access resources and plenty of support, teachers were ready to jumpstart sustainability efforts at their schools.

Flood Preparedness: Using Local Data to Inform Active Learning: This interactive workshop showed how stream monitoring and  local data can help students understand and respond to both drought and high water events in their own communities. Teachers learned how to engage students in hands-on, science-driven investigations that connect water systems, resilience, and action.

Integrating English/Language Arts with Place-Based Learning: This session explored how outdoor experiences can deepen reading comprehension and content knowledge, especially through programs like Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), recently adopted by Letcher County Schools. Teachers spent time getting in Cowan Creek, connecting ELA standards with real-world, nature-based contexts.

River Cowboys Film & Water Education: This workshop featured a screening of the short film River Cowboys: Keepin’ It Wild, which highlights themes of river conservation, community, and resilience. Educators explored a companion discussion guide designed to spark powerful classroom conversations, helping students engage with local waterways, diverse community voices, and the challenges facing Kentucky’s rivers and the people who rely on them.

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George Ella Lyon

The Power of Place

One of the most powerful moments of the day came at noon, when participants gathered to hear from George Ella Lyon, Kentucky’s beloved writer, poet, and educator. Raised near the Cumberland River in Harlan County, Lyon spoke about the power of place, story, and imagination in education. Her keynote wove together personal reflection, poetry, and a celebration of vibrant, outdoor learning rooted in the land and culture of eastern Kentucky.

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Community Partners

The day of learning ended with an opportunity for teachers to connect with partners who can help support them along their outdoor learning journey. Many thanks to the partners who joined us to help round out this inspirational day!

• Kentucky Environmental Education Council

• Kentucky Department of Education

• Kentucky Division of Water

• Kentucky Mesonet

• Kentucky Waterways Alliance

• Pine Mountain Settlement School

• SOURCE Cowan Interns

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The event was hosted by KAEE in partnership with a deeply engaged local planning team and generous sponsors. Many thanks to: Cowan Elementary School and Letcher County Public Schools, The Cooperative Consortium for Transdisciplinary Social Justice Research, Double Kwik, Cowan Community Center, and The Berry Center Farm & Forest Institute.

And a special shoutout to our OLS Action Team:

• Mary Brydon-Miller, University of Louisville

• Valerie Horn, Cowan Community Center

• Vanessa Vanover, Cowan Elementary School

• Ronny Goins, Letcher County Public Schools

• Vivian Bowles, KAEE Board Member & Facilitator

• The KAEE Team

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Looking Ahead

From creekside reading to real-world data, every session offered something meaningful, and the shared commitment to taking learning outside was evident in every conversation.

KAEE is grateful to the educators who joined us and to the partners who helped make it happen. Here’s to more outdoor learning, more collaboration, and a future where every Kentucky student has the chance to learn from the world around them!

Keynote Spotlight: Jordan Lubetkin to Speak at 2025 KAEE Conference

We are excited to announce that Jordan Lubetkin will be the keynote speaker for the 2025 Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) Conference this fall in Owensboro, Kentucky. This year's conference will include environmental educators from around the state and beyond, for an incredible few days of learning, connecting with others, and finding inspiration. 

Jordan Lubetkin serves as the Ohio River Basin Director for the National Wildlife Federation, and brings perspective, experience, and passion to this year's keynote. In this position, he leads the work to restore and protect the interrelated waters of the Ohio River Basin.

This is a critical and impactful area that covers parts of 14 states and two federally recognized Tribal Nations. The Basin is home to more than 30 million people, whose drinking water, jobs, and overall quality of life depend on the waters of this Basin.

Over the past few years, Jordan has helped lead a planning process to develop a plan for a regional restoration plan that addresses the environmental challenges and threats facing the Basin. He organized and facilitated 31 community listening sessions across the Basin in 2022 and 2023 with the Ohio River Basin Alliance. These sessions shaped a 2024 report titled Community Priorities for Ohio River Basin Restoration and Protection. This work will help make sure future investments in the Ohio River Basin are supported and guided by community knowledge and the lived experience of people most affected by these issues. 

Jordan was involved with not only the regional planning work but he has also spent time developing relationships with Tribal Nations that reside in or historically have a connection to the Basin, with an emphasis on making sure the restoration process will both protect natural resources and guide programs that will improve economic opportunities that better sustains and honors tribal nations' historical and ancestral ties to the land and water.

Before his current role, Jordan worked as the communications director for the Healing Our Waters - Great Lakes Coalition. Jordan's professional history includes being a journalist and editor for community newspapers, a marketing and development leader for the Toledo Jazz Society, and overseeing media relations for a nonpartisan public engagement effort based in Washington, D.C. Jordan obtained a degree in English from Case Western Reserve University and engages in the craft of storytelling and community-engagement through everything he does.

Join us in Owensboro for the 2025 KAEE Conference and be part of a growing movement to advance environmental education across Kentucky and beyond. Registration opens soon!

Learn more at kaee.org/conference.

A Look Back at KAEE’s 2025 Outdoor Education Reception at the Capitol

On March 4, 2025, the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) teamed up with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) for the second annual Outdoor Education Day at the Capitol. This important event brought together environmental educators, outdoor policy experts, and Kentucky legislators to explore the growing impact of outdoor education and advocate for vital policy changes that support our state’s future.

A Day of Advocacy and Collaboration

This year’s event focused on advancing outdoor education initiatives and fostering strong partnerships with Kentucky’s lawmakers. One of the key topics of discussion was outdoor preschool licensing, and the effort to identify a new legislative champion for this important cause. We continue to advocate for policies that give young children the opportunity to learn in nature-filled environments from an early age.

Representative Nima Kulkarni was instrumental in helping to organize this year’s event. Her commitment to supporting outdoor education and environmental issues made a lasting impact on attendees.

The day began with a lively and engaging lunch in the Capitol Annex, where outdoor educators and legislators had the opportunity to connect and discuss potential policies that could positively impact outdoor education in Kentucky. This was followed by a fun and informative tabling session on the Annex lawn, where KAEE and its partners showcased their work and shared information about their programs with lawmakers.

Our Partners and Participants

This year’s event was made possible by the collaboration of many outstanding organizations. Some of the groups that participated in the reception included:

• Foundation for the Ohio River Education

• Mercy Academy

• Asbury University’s Kentucky Outdoor Institute & KAEE

• Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves

  
  

Each of these organizations plays a vital role in advancing outdoor education and fostering a deeper connection with nature. Their contributions to the event helped to make it a success, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue with legislators.

The Importance of Outdoor Education

Outdoor education offers a wide range of benefits, from improving childhood health by increasing physical activity and reducing nearsightedness to enhancing academic performance by boosting school readiness and reducing disruptive behavior. Additionally, it fosters a deeper appreciation for Kentucky’s rich natural resources and outdoor heritage. These advantages highlight the need for policies that expand outdoor learning opportunities, helping nurture a generation that values the environment and is better equipped to face future challenges.

To get involved with our advocacy efforts, contact Ashley Hoffman at director@kaee.org.