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.

The Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership relaunches their Policy Playbook

The Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership has relaunched its Outdoor Policy Playbook. 

NCEL hosted a panel to discuss the relaunch and benefits of the Policy Playbook. In the webinar below, you’ll learn about the latest state-level policy updates, winning coalition-building strategies, and exciting new success stories with a panel of youth outdoor policy leaders.

Panel participants included Ashley Hoffman, KAEE Executive Director, and KY State Representative Josie Raymond discussing the work of the partnership that has taken place this year.

The Playbook is a tool to help legislators and community leaders advance state policies that expand outdoor opportunities for young people. New features of the playbook include policy trends, community organization spotlights, and current bill tracking. 

On the new bill tracking page, you can see current environmental bills by state or issue area. When you click on Kentucky, you can learn about House Bill 423, the nature-based childcare bill discussed in the webinar, and other environmental bills currently in the legislature.

The Playbook also offers an annual trend report and a resource center.

About the Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership

The Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership is a partnership of four organizations: 

The National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

A nationwide network of lawmakers that is a resource of all things environmental. The NCEL works to connect lawmakers with peers across the country and connect with subject-matter experts. 

Children and Nature Network

A global movement of leaders working to turn the trend of an indoor childhood back out to the benefits of nature—and to make sure that all children have equitable access to outdoor spaces where they can learn, play and grow.

North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)

For more than five decades, NAAEE has promoted excellence in environmental education throughout North America and the world. They are dedicated to strengthening the field of environmental education and increasing the visibility and efficacy of the profession.

Nuestra Tierra

Their mission is to ensure that historically and deliberately excluded communities have access to the outdoors and that their history, values, and people are authentically reflected in public land and water management decisions.

You can learn more about the Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership and team on their website.

Two of KAEE's Kentucky Green Schools named U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools

Two of KAEE's Kentucky Green Schools, Robert D. Johnson Elementary in Ft. Thomas and Arlington Elementary in Fayette County, were recognized as 2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools. Robert D. Johnson Elementary also won the 2023 KAEE Outstanding PreK-12 School Award.  

The Green Ribbon Schools award goes to schools that focus on three pillars:

• Reducing environmental impact and cost

• Improving the health and wellness of students and staff; and

• Providing effective environmental and sustainability education, which incorporates STEM, civic skills and green career pathways.

The Kentucky Environmental Education Council nominated both schools. KEEC’s announcement listed among the schools’ accomplishments:

• Johnson Elementary is committed to providing project-based learning opportunities focused on environmental education for students at every grade level, including motivating and educating the school population about recycling and composting, using biomimicry to solve environmental problems, and creating structures that provide shade for animals. Watch a video about their recycling efforts.

• Arlington Elementary uses its school garden as a living laboratory for students to gain a hands-on environmental education. Students explore seeds, animal habitats, and the butterfly life cycle through hands-on work in the garden. The garden is fertilized by one of the only school-wide, student-run composting programs in Fayette County Public Schools.

Both schools also participate in KAEE’s Kentucky Green Schools Program, which is designed to inspire students to develop environmentally friendly behavior and to feel empowered to take active steps toward creating a greener and healthier world—starting with their local environment at school.

You can find a list of all Green Ribbon schools on the U.S. Department of Education website. Visit KEEC’s website to learn more about the program and how to nominate a Green Ribbon school for next year. 

Know a person or organization who is making a difference in environmental education in Kentucky? The KAEE Excellence in EE Awards recognizes the outstanding achievements of individuals, organizations, agencies, community efforts, schools, and businesses in the field of environmental education (EE). KAEE is now accepting award nominations for 2024.