The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) hosted its most popular conference in more than a decade in Port Huron in early October. Outgoing President Cindy Fitzwilliams-Heck noted, “Our participation was terrific, and all our sessions very well attended. The evaluations are a joy to read.” Perhaps most surprising was the large number of first-time participants. Port Huron was a magnificent host city and the field trip ventures into Canada were extremely popular. Incoming President Brittany Burgess added, “The networking among professional educators at this conference is an incredible draw, a must for anyone in our field.” Mark your calendar now for next year’s conference Sept. 27-29, 2019, at the Kettunen Center near Cadillac.

Eleven aspiring candidates presented their capstone projects at the state environmental education conference in October, and all were confirmed with their EE Certifications. The eleven included Eileen Boekestein, Becky Durling, Natalie Elkins, Zakiya Jackson, Christine Kelly, Misty Klotz, Mackenzie Maxwell, Amy Morrell, Rashmi Overbeek, Tracy Page and Lauren Westerman. The state Environmental Educator Certification (EEC), administrated by MAEOE, now has more than 100 educators in the pipeline. Each is designing his or her pathway along the five strands needed for completion. For more information about the EEC go to MAEOE.com.

The DNR’s popular teachers' academy has posted its schedule for the summer of 2019. Last year, 70 educators from Michigan and the Midwest, participated in either the Lower Peninsula’s Academy of Natural Resources Classic or the Upper Peninsula’s ANR North.  Next July, 14-19, 2019, at the RAM Center near Roscommon, three courses will be available. Courses include a new one called, “The Environmental Education Project,” which will feature certification in America’s most popular EE curricula with Projects WET, WILD, Learning TREE and more. ANR North will once again offer Fish and Wildlife Management Week which will include traveling with DNR fish biologists on a Lake Superior research vessel and exploring a bat hibernaculum in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

Registrations are already coming in. For more information go to michigan.gov/ANR

While programs like ANR cater primarily to K-12 classroom teachers, the DNR is building a winter workshop for nonformal educators. This will be a special opportunity to interact and learn from DNR professionals about topics like chronic wasting disease and other wildlife health issues, invasive carp, large predator management, forest health and more. This inaugural workshop targets staff and faculty from nature centers, zoos, camps, colleges and universities. If you are teaching in one of these settings and want the latest science-based information to improve your knowledge base, be sure to register for the Nature Center Summit, Feb. 15, 2019, at the RAM Center. For more information go to Nature Center Summit Registration.

This fall, the DNR welcomes 29 new schools into Michigan’s popular Salmon in the Classroom (SIC) program. These teachers soon will receive training and eggs for the 2018-2019 school year. The fall database shows 229 Michigan schools now participating in SIC. If you are a SIC teacher, please take note of the DNR’s SIC Summit, Jan. 11-13, 2019, at the RAM Center on the north shore of Higgins Lake. The weekend is an opportunity to celebrate more than two decades of Salmon in the Classroom programs in Michigan schools. A major focus will be bringing SIC teachers up to date on the latest science in Great Lakes ecosystem management. Expert speakers, including several from out of state, will be on hand. Learning what other SIC teachers are doing in their classrooms is also a large component of the weekend workshop. For more information, contact Tracy Page at paget3@michigan.gov  If your class is not yet participating in this remarkable program, go to michigan.gov/sic to find out more.

Waldon Middle School teacher Jon Gray was presented with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Partners in Conservation Award by DNR Director Keith Creagh in Lansing at the Oct. 11 Natural Resources Commission meeting. Through his work with Safari Club – Novi, Jon has raised more than $100,000 over the past nine years for DNR professional development programs like the Academy of Natural Resources and youth development programs like Nature Ventures with Wayne Memorial High School.

The Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) also presented its annual awards at its Port Huron conference in early October. MAEOE’s Julian W. Smith Outdoor Education Award went to Wil Reding who has a long history of contributions to interpretation and outdoor education. The William B. Stapp Environmental Education Award went to Kevin Frailey, Education Services Manager for the Michigan DNR.

Mike Reed, curator of Informal Education at the Detroit Zoological Society, and Alan Heavner, owner/operator of Heavner Canoe Livery in Oakland County, received Recognition Awards for their significant contributions. Heather Rawlings, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Department of Interior, won an Appreciation Award as well.

The President’s Award is given by the outgoing alliance president to the person deemed instrumental to the president’s success. Cindy Fitzwilliam-Heck chose incoming president Brittany Burgess, program manager at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History.

Volunteer awards also were presented to Greg and Michele Petrosky, Mike Mencotti and Larry Arbanas.

For anyone wanting to become a weekend expert on a bevy of Michigan nature topics, the Wildlife Weekend may be just what you are looking for. This February, you can choose from either Mammal Mania or Michigan My Michigan for a long weekend of fun instruction, participation and discussion at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center. Mammal Mania takes a closer look at Michigan’s furriest creatures, and the wide variety we have in our state, from large predators to small rodents. Michigan My Michigan is the consummate collection of our state's natural features and phenomenon including lakes, rivers, forests wildlife, fish and more. A weekend getaway of great food, education and fun in a winter retreat setting. For more information go to maeoe.com