The Professional Leadership Institute at Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin, DE is hosting a menu of activities and trainings tied to leadership, fund development, administration, birding and much more! Read on to see all opportunities…

Growing Healthy Schools Month celebrates the health of students in public schools throughout the District. During the annual celebration, public schools collaborate with local community based organizations, District government agencies, farmers, athletes, and chefs to coordinate inspiring activities aimed at engaging students with topics concerning nutrition, the environment, and being active.

From July 10-14 and from August 7-11, The Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve-Maryland (CBNERR) will be holding its annual Teen Paddles where teens will paddle the scenic Patuxent River, doing citizen science and building leadership skills through team activities.

Prepare your students to “Save the Future” by participating in a unique multi-disciplinary professional development course that uses history to provide a context for today’s environmental issues. This course, based on the award-winning Eco-Explorers: Colonial Time Warp school program at the National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, MD, will assist teachers in navigating the Maryland Environmental Literacy standards, MWEE requirements, and more.

Teachers on the Estuary-Data Edition, a professional development opportunity offered by the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve-MD and the NOAA Environmental Training Center, is a middle and high school level course designed to support teachers’ understanding of the environment using technology and scientific instrumentation to enhance local, participant-driven field experiences and authentic research.

Twenty-five community educators from Virginia Cooperative Extension and the VA Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts participated in a 3-day leadership program April 11-13, 2017. The workshop, Living in Your Watershed, was held on the James River at the Jamestown 4-H Center, and prepared agents and district educators to conduct meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) in their localities.

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) 13th annual National Environmental Education Week (EE Week), sponsored by Samsung, is taking place April 23-29, 2017. Nationwide, environmental education events and projects will take place across the country in classrooms, after-school clubs, parks, aquariums, museums, and other formal and informal educational settings. Join formal and informal educators to celebrate achievements and support ongoing progress.

Jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed recognize the importance of green, healthy, and sustainable schools to students, teachers, and the environment. The Green Schools National Network works with thought leaders to gather, synthesize, generate, and report evidence-based resources that include practical tools, news, and commentary for the green, healthy, and sustainable schools community. Their goals align with those in the Sustainable Schools Outcome under the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The outcome aims to continually increase the number of schools in the region that reduce the impact on their buildings and grounds on their local watershed, environment and human health through best practices, including student-led protection and restoration projects.

The 2015-2016 Bay Barometer, generated by the Chesapeake Bay Program, gives a snapshot of the monitoring that has taken place to indicate the health of the Watershed and intended best management practices for protection and restoration moving forward.

Are you interested in finding out more ways you can be a citizen scientist? Observe your favorite plants and animals while contributing to a global biodiversity index. It requires nothing more than a camera, internet, and willingness to go outside!