Missouri Environmental Education News: September 2024
Welcome to the lastest edition of MEEA's Newsletter
Table of Contents
- Feature Article
- Lesson Resources
- Annual Conference & Professional Development
- Featured Events, Grants, Workshops & Webinars
- JEDIA: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
- Missouri Nature Phenomena
- Green Schools Corner
- News from the Field
Dear Friends,
Lesli and I are SUPER pumped to catch you up on all of the wonderful experiences we have planned for you in our upcoming MEEA Annual Conference in Springfield, Missouri!! A big thank you to our awesome and energetic Conference Planning Committee:
Kaylee Holt, Misty Mitchell and Brooke Widmar–MEEA Board Members; Joel McCormick–active member and professor from NW Missouri State University; and Hubert Heck, Audrey Moore, Nichole Mosley, and Sarah Sims–all active members and Springfield regional helpers for this year! We are so very grateful to all of you.
This edition of our Newsletter really is a focus on our conference, and what an important part it plays in MEEA’s mission to bring people together to care, understand and act for the environment. On Friday, Nov. 1, we will offer regional field sessions during the day, and a fun evening social at Wonders of Wildlife. Then on Saturday, we will gather at the Darr Agricultural Center for a jam-packed schedule of learning, sharing, and inspiring experiences.
Regenerative practices, including those expanding within the agriculture community, will be on center stage for much of our conference. Our Keynote Speakers, Cady Wolf and Alexa Poindexter, will share how Ozarks Food Harvest supports regeneration….of the land, community, and people’s health! Their message will kick off this year’s theme: Growing a New Era of Education for Water, Soil and Human Health through Regenerative Practices.
We sure hope you will join us in Springfield, November 1-2! Registration for the conference is open, so go ahead and Register HERE. Find out more conference details at meea.org/professional-development/annual-conference.
Fabulous Fall Equinox to all of you!
Jamin Bray, MEEA Co-Director
Feature Article: We Call This Day the Fall Equinox
The Fall Equinox
Article & Lesson Resources submitted by:
Erin Graves, MEEA Board Member/Treasurer
It’s September and soon the intense heat of summer will begin to dissipate and warm days will give way to cool crisp nights. Air conditioners can be turned off and windows open to the cooler breezes of autumn. As Fall approaches, we begin dreaming of pumpkin lattes, football games, the changing colors of the leaves, our favorite sweaters, planting chrysanthemums, and enjoying holidays like Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos and Thanksgiving. We welcome in the first day of autumn this month on September 22, 2024 at 7:44a.m. CDT; we call this day, the Fall Equinox.
So what exactly is the Fall Equinox? It’s a milestone in the Earth’s orbit around the sun. At the September equinox, the sun is directly above the Earth’s equator and crosses from north to south. On September 22, the days and nights are approximately equal in length for everyone across the globe, hence the word equinox comes from the Latin word aequus meaning equal and nox meaning night.
Early humans used the sun’s path, length of daylight and locations of the sunrise and sunset as a clock and calendar. They observed these events all shifted in a regular way throughout the year. What our early ancestors did not know was that these events were caused because of the Earth tilting on its axis. During the September equinox, the Earth tilts 23.5 degrees causing the two hemispheres of the Earth to receive the sun’s rays about equally. The day of the equinox is also a great day for finding directions as the sun rises due east and sets due west because the sun is directly above the equator..
Many ancient traditions surround the Fall equinox. Celtic peoples marked this day as a time of balance, equity and harmony, and celebration of the second harvest. In ancient Greece, they celebrated the equinox as the time when the goddess Persephone returned to the underworld to be with Hades, since the days were shorter and darkness came sooner. Mayan people built monuments like Kukulcan which showed a shadow of a snake only on the day of the equinox. Modern day celebrations of the equinox and the season still occur in Lithuania, Spain, Mexico, Stonehenge, Ireland, Vietnam and Japan.
At the Fall equinox, we will see signs all around that Summer is leaving and Winter is coming. Shorter days arrive as the dawn will come later and the sunset will be earlier. Birds and butterflies will begin their southern migration along the path of the sun. Trees and plants are ending this year’s cycle of growth, some responding to the cooler weather with a burst of beautiful autumn leaves. In the night sky, the Autumn Star, Fomalhaut can be seen as the only bright star in a wide stretch of the southern sky. The Harvest Moon occured just a few days before the equinox on September 17th.
So let’s celebrate the closure of the great summer season and welcome the first day of autumn this September 22nd. Go outdoors, enjoy the weather, the fall festivals, the fall colors and the astronomical Fall equinox event!
References:
Earth Sky: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-september-equinox/
Lesson Resources
Annual Conference & Professional Development
MEEA Annual Conference 2024
Join us in Springfield/Southwest Missouri
Conference Theme:
Growing a New Era of Education for Water, Soil and Human Health through Regenerative Practices
Saturday Venue: Darr Agricultural Center, Springfield, MO
- Registration open!! go ahead and Register HERE.
- Mark your calendars–it’s the First Weekend of November (Friday & Saturday Nov 1-2).
- Several exciting pre-conference field trips and workshops are confirmed for Friday during the day.
- Friday evening will include a social with networking opportunities at Wonders of Wildlife.
- The conference planning committee is meeting regularly to plan your event.
Young Environmental Leaders (YEL) from across the state will be super involved throughout the entire event!
for more details, go to the conference webpage: meea.org/professional-development/annual-conference
email us with questions, comments and feedback.
Schedule–Sneak Peak
Friday, Nov. 1
Pre-Conference Field Day (limited to 30 registrations)
Schedule
8:00 am Shuttle leaves Wonders of Wildlife
8:20 am Springfield Waste Water Treatment Plant Tour
9:30 am Fantastic Caverns Tour
11:00 am Vital Farms Tour
12:30 pm Lunch Pizza Buffet with freshly harvested foods at Millsap Farms
1:15 pm Tour of Millsap Farms
2:45 pm Return to Wonders of Wildlife Parking Lot
Evening Social at Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium
Time: Social from 7-9 pm / Optional Tour with Ticket, arrive anytime after 12 pm (try to allow at least 2 hours to get through the museum before the social!)
Address: 500 W Sunshine St, Springfield, MO 65807
Check them out!
Sat. Nov. 2
All-Day Conference at the Darr Agricultural Center (DAC) @ MSU
Time: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Address: 2401 S Kansas Expy, Springfield, MO 65807
The schedule is almost ready…stay tuned for updates!
The Bond Learning Center (located just inside the DAC entrance) is LEED Silver certified and features a system to filter storm water runoff before it reaches nearby streams; occupancy sensors for the lighting and temperature control system; and a ground-source heat-pump mechanical system to take advantage of the earth’s constant temperature 200 feet below the surface. The building also maximizes the use of natural light and has a light-colored roof that minimizes solar heat gain.
Featured…
Events
Featured Event Opportunity:
2024 MEEA Annual Conference – Springfield, MO
Growing a New Era of Education for Water, Soil and Human Health through Regenerative Practices
November 1-2, 2024
Grants
Featured Grant:
MEEA Fall Mini-Grants
Fall 2024 Grant Timeline (2 $250 awards now available)
Proposal Due: October 15, 2024
Grant applications may be found at the following link: MEEA Fall Mini-Grants Apply Here
Workshops & Webinars
Featured Workshops:
MDC “Discover Nature Schools” Workshops
Statewide Calendar for upcoming workshops:
JEDIA: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility
Note: One of the best resources for JEDIA content is posted on the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Website. Dive in to find resources you need in this amazing, relevant and forward-leaning organization that reflects on the EE aspirations of our entire continent! JB
These articles, videos, and toolkits offer valuable resources and insights on how to prioritize accessible practices, address individual needs, and create equitable opportunities for learning and participation. Topics include designing accessible outdoor play spaces, digital accessibility, disability rights, impacts of nature-based learning for students with disabilities, outdoor education and programs, diverse perspectives, and more. Please share feedback, questions, and additional resources with us by writing to eePRO@naaee.org. Like all of the resource lists in our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion pages, this list is fluid and will be updated often, so please check back for updates.
lonelyplanet.com/articles/new-york-state-park-creates-first-trail-for-children-with-autism
To explore more content on this subject: eepro.naaee.org/resource/accessibility
Nature Phenomena This Month
Green Schools Corner
EPA Announces Winners of 11th Campus RainWorks Challenge
WASHINGTON (September 18, 2024) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the winners of its 11th annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national competition that engages college students in the design of green infrastructure solutions that address stormwater pollution at their schools and in their communities. This year’s winning projects showcase the benefits of green infrastructure for environmental and public health protection, economic and business development, and resiliency to climate change.
“Stormwater runoff is one of the biggest sources of pollution affecting our waterways, and EPA’s Campus RainWorks program inspires students to assess local challenges and develop creative and comprehensive solutions using green infrastructure,” said Bruno Pigott, Acting EPA Assistant Administrator for Water. “Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all of the participants who developed innovative solutions to protect the environment and support stronger communities.”
Green infrastructure practices for stormwater management include green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and buildings, trees, habitat conservation, rain gardens and rain harvesting systems. Utilizing these practices protects local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. Communities are increasingly using innovative green infrastructure to supplement or replace “gray” infrastructure such as pipes, tunnels and concrete channels. Green infrastructure reduces water pollution while increasing economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy savings and open space.
This year, 13 teams from across 10 states and 12 academic institutions competed in the Campus RainWorks Challenge with green infrastructure designs that not only treated and managed stormwater but also addressed problems like flood protection and improving pedestrian and bicycle connectivity.
This year’s winners are:
- University of Oregon (First Place Winner), Eugene, Oregon— The team’s entry, “Rainy Days, Nature’s Way: Embracing Stormwater and Play at the Village School,” integrated stormwater management and nature play into at a K-8 school through a co-design process with students and other state and local partners. The design included rain gardens, bioswales, a dry-creek infiltration trench and permeable material in play areas, and a school yard forest. The team effectively employed stormwater modeling tools and a design that adhered to local stormwater codes and policies. Watch the team’s video about their design.
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Second Place Winner), Geneva, New York — The team’s entry, “Creating a Sustainable, Walkable Community for Odell’s Village and the HWS Campus,” emphasized reducing stormwater flow into Odell’s Pond, a campus stormwater retention pond, and preventing localized flooding of the Odell’s Village while improving the pedestrian experience. The team used the campus’s long-term master plan to meet other goals, such as utilizing space on campus more efficiently; restoring native plants; and providing more outdoor recreation and education opportunities. The master plan also addressed stormwater permitting requirements, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, and maintenance and implementation funding. Watch the team’s video about their design.
EPA is also pleased to recognize the University of California-Berkeley for honorable mention for “Green Gateways,” offering innovative flood management strategies for Strawberry Creek.
The first-place teams will receive a $30,000 student prize to be split among team members and a $5,000 faculty prize to support green infrastructure research and training. The second-place team will receive a $12,000 student prize and a $3,000 faculty prize.
See How to Apply for NEXT YEAR!
News from the Field
Community Conversations about EE
Q&A with MEEA Annual Conference Sponsor: Springfield Environmental Services Education Coordinator, Laurie Davis
Please tell us a little bit about your professional background as it relates to environmental education. Where does your passion for this topic come from?
I have always loved the wonder of nature—from patterns in rocks, to changes in cloud formations, to the beauty of sunrises and sunsets, and the seemingly magical appearance of a rainbow spanning the sky! As a former classroom teacher, and with a master’s degree in literacy, sharing my joy of the world around me has always been a benefit to considering myself to be a life long learner. When in the classroom, I was always on the lookout for teachable moments to expose students to the wonders of nature in action. And bringing both fiction and non-fiction literacy experiences to the study of the environment was an added benefit! It justified my forages into bookstores to purchase the latest children’s book related to the environment! (For example, Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor, Welcome to the Sea of Sand by Jane Yolen, ANY of Jerry Pallotta’s alphabet books, and the Lorax by Dr. Seuss…)
What factors here in Missouri and nationwide/globally make environmental education more important than ever before?
In the immortal words of Dr. Seuss’s Once-ler—“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” It is easy to take the wealth of natural resources we have here in MO for granted…caring about those resources now, and doing our best to appreciate and protect them will make sure they are here for future generations to enjoy.
Could you touch on the significance of MEEA and its role in bolstering environmental education efforts?
MEEA supports both formal and informal educators, and their efforts to help future citizens be thoughtful caretakers of our environment. I’m thrilled the Springfield region is able to host the conference this year to showcase the wealth of environmental education resources we have in our region, and that our educator Sarah Sims will be there as a presenter representing our organization.
What emerging trends and/or shifts in environmental education are you following most closely, and why? How is your organization adapting to these trends?
Plastics! What started out as a material designed to make life easier, the long term impacts of this “never-ending” material are still being discovered. Microplastics and PFAS are of particular interest. Currently our organization is participating in training and options for minimizing these emerging contaminants.
How have you personally seen the impact of environmental education on young minds?
Yes—I am fortunate to have a number of students who have stayed in touch with me and occasionally share memories of a favorite learning experience. These memories always involve something that caused them to notice and observe the world around them in a new way—and made an impact and personal connection.
Missouri News
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