KAEE and Kentucky State University co-host the first Green Career Summit

The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) and Kentucky State University co-hosted the first Green Career Summit at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm on Kentucky State University's campus in Frankfort, KY on May 2, 2024.

The Summit welcomed over 150 local high school students from Eminence Independent Schools in Henry County, Frankfort High School in Franklin County, and Frederick Douglass High School and Carter G. Woodson Academy, both in Fayette County.

During this one-day event, students had the opportunity to move through different stations showcasing various green career pathways related to forestry, water, education, sustainability, climate, and environmental stewardship. The summit provided a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and showcasing accomplishments.

Seventeen mentors from eleven diverse sectors and backgrounds provided information and interactive field opportunities that allowed students to solve problems and learn about green job opportunities.

Participating schools each received the Project Learning Tree’s Green Jobs curriculum and the Black Faces in Green Spaces: The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers career resource guide to use with their students. Schools will also receive a $500 subgrant to use for a project that extends the learning experience around green careers in their school or community.

KAEE would like to thank Kentucky State University president Dr. Koffi C. Akakpo for his support of the event, KSU faculty and staff for their collaboration and contributions, and a special thank you to the members of the Kentucky State University football team for volunteering during the event.

We’d also like to thank the administrators, teachers, and bus drivers who worked to organize, supervise, and transport the students to enable them to participate in the event.

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the career mentors and the planning team. We’d like to thank them for all their work they put into making the first Green Career Summit a success.

Career Mentors

Bob Bauer, Kentucky Forest Industries Association	Colin Duncan, Kentucky Division of Water	David Gomez, Daily Green Power
Kaitlynn Gootee, Kentucky State University	Lauren Hendrickson, Olmsted Parks Conservancy	Michaela Lambert, Kentucky Division of Water
Laura Lhotka, UK Forestry	Andy McDonald, Apogee – Climate & Energy Transitions	Sheila Medina, UK Center for Applied Energy Research
Evan Moser, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet	Jason Nally, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves	Oakes Rhoutt, Stantec
Ian Ries, Kentucky State University	Byron Roberts, Frankfort Division of Solid Waste	Pam Snyder, Kentucky Division of Forestry
Brittany Woodward, Keep Kentucky Beautiful	Michael Zachary, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Green Career Summit Planning Team Members

Bob Bauer, Kentucky Forest Industries Association	Alethea Bernard, Kentucky State University	Kasia Bradley, Kentucky State University	Wesley Bullock, Kentucky Environmental Education Council
Kaitlynn Gootee, Kentucky State University	Ashley Hoffman, KAEE	Jason Nally, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves	Ian Ries, Kentucky State University
Louis Ross, Kentucky State University	Perry Thomas, KAEE	Jody Thompson, Kentucky State University	Melinda Wilder, KAEE
Michelle Wilson, KAEE	Brittany Wray, KAEE

Funding for the event was provided by NAAEE’s ee360+ Year 3 State Capacity Building Grants.

KAEE hopes to expand the Green Career Summit into an annual event in order to increase student engagement in green career exploration through workshops, mentorship programs, and events and increase student interest in pursuing higher education and careers in the environmental sector.

If you are interested in supporting educators to expand awareness of the field of EE and other green jobs and career pathways for Kentucky middle, high school, and college students, you can join KAEE’s Green Jobs action team. You can also get involved with KAEE by becoming a member or volunteering.

Author and past KY Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson as keynote speaker at KAEE Conference

Join us in celebrating; Crystal Wilkinson will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Environmental Education Conference, set for November 13-15 at Morehead State University in Morehead, KY.

Crystal Wilkinson, a recent fellowship recipient of the Academy of American Poets, is the award-winning author of Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts, a culinary memoir; Perfect Black; a collection of poems; and three works of fiction—The Birds of Opulence, Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries.

She is the recipient of an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Poetry, an O. Henry Prize, a USA Artists Fellowship, and an Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. Named Kentucky’s Poet Laureate from 2021 to 2023, she has received recognition from the Yaddo Foundation, Hedgebrook, The Vermont Studio Center for the Arts, The Hermitage Foundation and others. Her short stories, poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including most recently in The Atlantic, The Kenyon Review, STORY, Agni Literary Journal, Emergence, Oxford American and Southern Cultures. She currently teaches at the University of Kentucky where she is Bush-Holbrook Professor in Creative Writing.

“We are so excited about the opportunity to hear and learn from Eastern Kentucky Native, Crystal Wilkinson,” said Ashley Hoffman, KAEE Executive Director. “Her beautiful writing blends nature, culture, and a sense of place in a way that can inspire all of us as educators to better connect our students with the world around them.”

We are currently accepting session proposals for the conference. Learn more about the event and how to become part of this dynamic program at kaee.org/conference. To learn more about Crystal Wilkinson and her incredible works, visit crystalewilkinson.net.

KAEE to host 2023 Conference in Cave City

Elizabethtown, Ky., July 18, 2023 – Registration is now open for the 47th Annual Environmental Education Conference hosted by the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE), set for Sept. 13 through 15 at the Cave Area Conference Center in Cave City.

Now in its 47th year, the conference will include a variety of informational sessions, roundtables and workshops led by experts and leaders in environmental education, covering topics including equity and inclusion, education in practice, community engagement and capacity building. Some of the many conference event topics include “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Environmental Educators: From Awareness to Action,” “Enriching Your EE Programming with a Walk Through the Arts” and “Climate Change: Educating the Public on Mitigation, Adaptation and Practices Adoption.”

In addition, the conference will also include networking opportunities, entertainment events and off-site activities for attendees to explore Cave City’s natural attractions and experiences.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Exploring New Depths in EE: Enrichment, Collaboration & Partnership.”

“Our theme for this year underscores our commitment to fostering a rich and collaborative environment for educators of all disciplines throughout the commonwealth and beyond to come together for the purpose of promoting environmental education,” said Ashley Hoffman, Executive Director of KAEE. “From K-12 teachers to state agency personnel, university professors to camp counselors, this conference is a gathering ground for anyone passionate about environmental education.”

As a tribute to the remarkable accomplishments made by Kentucky-based individuals, organizations, community initiatives, schools and businesses in the realm of environmental education, the conference will also feature the annual Excellence in EE Awards presentation. The event will recognize six recipients who exemplify dedication, commitment and influence in the field of environmental education, and will feature a roundtable discussion with the recipients.

“This conference seeks to educate, inspire and energize this region’s exceptional network of environmental educators,” Hoffman said. “With a large variety of engaging activities, it is a major undertaking that would not be possible without the efforts of our staff, board members, presenters and sponsors.”

For more information about the 2023 Environmental Education Conference, including the full schedule and how to register, visit www.kaee.org/conference.

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About the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education: Since 1976, the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) has been at the forefront of environmental education in Kentucky, promoting and advocating for environmental education at the national and state levels. KAEE's membership includes individuals from diverse backgrounds, including teachers, administrators, government and agency personnel, business and industry representatives, and private citizens. In 2022, KAEE reached 1,268 educators and impacted over 31,000 students through its programs, events, workshops, webinars, and other educational offerings.