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’s Outdoor Education Reception at the Capitol

On February 27th, KAEE hosted its first reception at the State Capitol in Frankfort, KY, organized in partnership with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL). The event brought together approximately 30-50 attendees, including members from various organizations and institutions dedicated to environmental education and conservation.

Among the attendees were members of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE), including representatives from Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest, Centre College, Louisville Nature Center, Woodford County Conservation District, Canoe Kentucky, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife, ORSANCO, Red Oaks Forest School, Community Montessori School in Lexington, and Thrive Forest School.

The event provided an opportunity for attendees to meet with key legislators, including House Representatives Jared Bauman, Robert Duvall, Derek Lewis, Beverly Chester-Burton, Al Gentry, Nima Kulkarni, Josie Raymond, and Senator Donald Douglas. Notably, KAEE worked in partnership with Representative Josie Raymond to introduce House Bill 423 aimed at addressing nature preschool licensing.

Representative Nima Kulkarni played a pivotal role in coordinating the event, demonstrating her dedication to environmental education and facilitating valuable connections between legislators and advocates. Several legislators expressed enthusiasm for the event, with one referring to it as "the highlight of his month."

Looking ahead, there are plans to make this event an annual occurrence, with discussions already underway for February 2025. This event served as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration between environmental educators and legislators, furthering the cause of environmental education and conservation in Kentucky.

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KAEE Member Feature: Passionist Earth and Spirit Center

KAEE would like to welcome our newest Green Leaf Member, Earth and Spirit Center! Read on to learn more about the mission and opportunities at this Kentucky organization.

What is the mission or vision of your organization?

We cultivate transformative learning and service opportunities dedicated to mindful awakening, compassionate justice, and care for the Earth.

How does your organization connect to the mission of KAEE?

We have a strong commitment to modeling sustainable, regenerative, environmental practices on our 27-acre nature sanctuary of woods, wetlands, fields, and gardens. We educate community members and school groups through projects that improve our wetlands, remove invasive species, cultivate food gardens, and more. All our work is done in connection to the bigger picture of environmental sustainability and how each of our visitors can implement new insights into their own lives and work.

We host field trips centered on environmental education as well as our summer camp, Camp Odyssey, where we educate students K-6 on the wonders of the natural world. Our environmental educator, Olivia Delano, is certified in Project WET, Project WILD, and Project Learning Tree to integrate high-level environmental education standards into all our EE curricula.

Are there any special opportunities or events you would like to share?

Field Trips—these can be customized to meet curriculum goals and education standards. Each experience includes a guided discussion of the impact humans have on the natural world and how we can alleviate harmful effects. Field trip topics include Habitat Exploration Hike; Humans in Harmony; Garbology; Erosion Immersion; and Compost Dive.

On-Site Speakers—our trained environmental educators address science classes or environmental club members on subjects that might include: Where Does Our Garbage Go?; Environment, Racism, and Immigration; The Science of Climate Change; Impacts of Erosion; and EarthCare Empowerment Workshops for high-school juniors and above.

Educational Bus Tours—your group joins our environmental educators on two types of bus trips. One examines Environmental Justice as we tour Louisville’s West End and the impact of pollution on residents. The Sustainable Solutions tour showcases what’s happening to protect watersheds, manage waste, grow local food, generate renewable electricity, and promote a safe, sustainable city.

Environmental Internships—Interns work as a cohort on projects that include invasive species identification and removal, wetlands and trail maintenance, planting trees, working on the food forest, composting, growing food for the hungry, and other environmental management projects on our 27-acre site. The expectation is 30 hours work hours total for the semester on projects and trainings. We are now accepting applications for our spring and summer 2024 semesters.

If someone is interested in learning more about your organization, who should they contact?

For more information or to schedule any of these opportunities, please visit our website or email olivia@earthandspiritcenter.org.