2026 CAEE Advancing EE Conference: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

9:00am MDT

Helping Every Teen See Themselves in Green Careers

Friday September 18, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MDT

Imagine if every teen understood how their interests, talents, and passions could lead to a meaningful career with opportunities to care for the environment. Explore the newly expanded and redesigned Green Pathways website and brand new classroom ready tools to help you integrate career exploration and workforce readiness into your instruction.

Presenters

Lisa Eadens

Program Coordinator, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

Lisa grew up in a small mountain town on Colorado’s Western Slope where she developed a love for outdoor recreation and a respect for our natural world. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Davidson College and an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida... Read More →

Friday September 18, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Rock Creek | Hydro Building CSU Spur Campus | 4777 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216

Youth Development

12:45pm MDT

What's the Dirt on DIGS?

Friday September 18, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT

Rock Creek | Hydro Building

During this session, you’ll learn about DIGS (Developing Individuals, Growing Stewards) an interactive, agricultural literacy and environmental education curriculum designed for the 3rd through 5th grade audience. Get moving with our hands-on activities, then take home the materials to share what you’ve learned with your students.

Presenters

Toby Swaford

4-H Youth Development State Specialist, STEM & K-12 Outreach, Colorado State University Extension

Toby Swaford has specialized in informal educational programming for over 30-years. He has designed interactive, hands-on experiences for a variety of zoos, aquariums, and museums; as well as serving as the STEAM program manager for the Denver Comic Con. He currently works for Colorado... Read More →

Friday September 18, 2026 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Rock Creek | Hydro Building CSU Spur Campus | 4777 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216

Youth Development

2:00pm MDT

What Comes Next? - Teen Engagement Programs

Friday September 18, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Rock Creek | Hydro Building

From storytimes to summer camps, kids love being at The Gardens. As the years go by, they start to wonder...what comes next when they get to middle or high school? This session explores stewardship focused programs that bridge the gap and keep teens engaged in their passion for the outdoors.

Presenters

Hannah Krikorian

Britt Mowen

Youth and Teen Programs Coordinator, The Gardens on Spring Creek, City of Fort Collins

Britt Mowen is the Youth and Teen Programs Coordinator at The Gardens on Spring Creek botanic garden in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has been through many roles during her time at The Gardens including volunteer, education intern, seasonal teen mentor, and now coordinator. Her primary... Read More →

Friday September 18, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Rock Creek | Hydro Building CSU Spur Campus | 4777 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216

Youth Development

3:15pm MDT

The Bridge: Using Environmental Education to Connect Intergenerational Leaders Across Communities

Friday September 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Black Bear | Vida Building

This panel presentation will feature three speakers from three different areas of Colorado, focusing on the development of youth for future civic leadership using environmental education. Our speakers will cover different communities in Colorado, the challenges facing those communities, and the kind of environmental education they find works in connecting young minds to community leaders and leadership.

Presenters

Kara Lamb

Program Manager, Community Visioning, Climate Democracy Initiative

Kara Lamb is the Community Visioning Program Manager for the Climate Democracy Initiative where she leads strategic engagement to help communities shape equitable, resilient, and locally grounded climate futures. She specializes in building trust across diverse stakeholders, managing... Read More →

Friday September 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Black Bear | Vida Building CSU Spur Campus | 4777 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216

Youth Development

3:15pm MDT

Water Education Exemplars Explained

Friday September 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT

Bear Creek | Hydro Building

Today’s children will be adults in 2050, when the Colorado Water Plan will be fully implemented. In support of the plan and water literacy, we’ve built an external evaluation system, using the Guidelines for Excellence in EE. We’re identifying 100 "Water Education Exemplars" with a team of 35 youth evaluators.

Presenters

Alexia Lor

Youth Reviewer/Colorado Water Fellow, Colorado Watershed Assembly/Metropolitan State University of Denver

Environmental science student passionate about applying classroom knowledge on water resources, sustainability, and ecological systems in real-world environmental challenges through hands on experience. Eager to expand and deepen understanding of environmental issues through collaborative... Read More →

Donny Roush

Friday September 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm MDT
Bear Creek | Hydro Building CSU Spur Campus | 4777 National Western Drive, Denver, CO 80216

Youth Development

9:00am MDT

12:45pm MDT

2:00pm MDT

3:15pm MDT

3:15pm MDT

Get help with the event