ee360+ Ripple Effect

Welcome to the ee360+ Blog Series, Ripple Effect

This blog series, Ripple Effect, highlights stories of collaboration and impact among partners in the ee360+ Leadership and Training Collaborative. ee360+ is an ambitious multi-year initiative that connects, trains, and promotes innovative leaders dedicated to using the power of education to create a more just and sustainable future for everyone, everywhere. Led by NAAEE, ee360+ is made possible through funding and support from U.S. EPA and twenty-six partner organizations representing universities and nonprofits across the country, as well as five federal agencies. Through this partnership, ee360+ brings together more than five decades of expertise to grow, strengthen, and diversify the environmental education field.

an image of the NAAEE Climate Action & Justice Guidelines cover

"Behind the Scenes: How the New Climate Education Guidelines Were Developed" by Bora Simmons, director of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (September 2024)

Read about the newest addition to the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence Series: Educating for Climate Action and Justice. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how a team of climate education and climate justice professionals created resources to assist educators as they prepare effective programs that focus on climate change, address injustice, and ignite action.

A group of people participate in a Project Learning Tree training.

"Creating a Welcoming Learning Environment for Educators" by Megan Annis, director of sales and marketing, and Ana Leirner, senior director of professional learning and education products, at Sustainable Forest Initiative/Project Learning Tree (PLT) (September 2024)  

As a longtime training partner on the ee360+ initiative,  PLT is a community of people passionate about educating the next generation about environmental issues. Read about two PLT Coordinators who are engaging with educators in their communities to bring nature-based learning to more students. 

colorful mosaic

"Growing a Network of Environmental Educators Through Community Engagement" by Misty Klotz, community outreach coordinator for the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station and Luciana Ranelli, ee360+ community engagement outreach coordinator, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve; Antioch University New England (July 2024)

AUNE and the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE MI) put NAAEE's Community Engagement Guidelines into practice through relationship building, trust, and inclusive facilitation to improve environmental education practices and increase environmental literacy in their region. Read more about their story.

A group photo of FAMU preservice teachers holding up books

"FAMU and PLT Promote Literacy and Connection to Nature for HBCU Students" a Q&A with Joe Heimlich. Director of Research at COSI Center for Research and Evaluation and Dr. Cheron H. Davis, Associate Professor of Reading Education at Florida A&M University (June 2024)

How do you integrate environmental education with literacy education? Read more to find out how FAMU and PLT successfully collaborated to train teachers on implementing and cultivating environmental literacy through reading. Read more about their collaboration.

Map of continental U.S. in grey with pink dots scattered across the states

"How Program Evaluators Track the Ripple Effect" by Joe Heimlich and Justin Meyer of COSI Center for Research and Evaluation (CRE) (March 2024)

Using zip codes and mapping, COSI Center for Research and Evaluation is demonstrating ee360+'s progress towards equity, diversity, and justice goals. Read more in our latest Ripple Effects blog post.

 

A group photo of the NAAEE Affiliate Group at the NAAEE Conference in 2022

"Building Bridges (and Capacity) Through ee360+ Affiliate Grants" by Bruce Young, Affiliate Relations Specialist, NAAEE (March 2024)

This blog showcases the work from the NAAEE Affiliate Network and their work to build capacity for environmental education at the local level and centering JEDIA in the field with funding from ee360+. The Affiliate capacity-building grants awarded 14 Bridge Building grants and Community Catalyst grants to Affiliates across the U.S. Read more about their work.

watercolor image with blue and white waves

"Building Indigenous Inclusion in Our EE Program: Deleting the "Just" Button" by Julia Beck, vice president of Networks at Project WET (December 2023)

This Project WET vlog highlights their lessons learned work while training on Indigenous inclusion with Native educators through the ee360+ program. Learn their six major takeaways on Indigenous inclusion.

A graphic with blue sky, orange and yellow flowers announcing the ee360+ Partners blog

"Together We Thrive - ee360+ Partners at the NAAEE Conference" (December 2023)

The NAAEE conference showcased the dedication of our ee360+ partners working towards a more sustainable and equitable future, and it’s not too late to learn from their expertise and insights. View their sessions through March 2024. 

A group of people with white hard hats posing for a photo next to a large solar panel

"Providing Educators and Students with a Toolkit for Green Careers" by Alexis Fineman, Associate Program Director at SEI: Building Leaders for a Resilient World (November 2023)

This Career Connections Toolkit, created by SEI, helps meet SEI's mission to build leaders for a resilient world. Job seekers interested in green careers can use this toolkit to job search and explore sustainability professions. 

A graphic image of a person with long blonde hair with natural elements in the background

"Tips for Addressing Climate Anxiety in Youth" by Austen Needleman, associate program manager at SEI: Building Leaders for a Resilient World (December 2023)

SEI recognizes the importance and difficulty of discussing the impacts of climate change with young people. Check out this list of tips on addressing climate anxiety in youth and learn about solutions and strategies that can lead to action.

Colorful, abstract leaves

"Learning from Each Other, Dreaming the Future" by The Center for Diversity & The Environment (September 2023)

NAAEE’s ee360+ Leadership and Training Collaborative and the Center for Diversity & the Environment brought together environmental educators from across the country to discuss what happens when EE centers in and emerges from equity, diversity, inclusion, and culture change.

High water sign blocks part of a flooded roadway

"Amplifying Youth Voices for Community Action" by Vince Meldrum, executive director and CEO of Earth Force (July 2023)

Learn how Earth Force’s partnership with ee360+ merges civic engagement and environmental education to empower young individuals to drive positive change at St. Francis de Sales High School in Illinois. 

A group of people stand in a forest

"A Catalyst for Impact: How Collaboration on ee360+ Sparks a Joint Conference" by Rocco Saracina, senior manager for partnerships and development at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (August 2023)

This blog highlights the collaboration of three national and long-standing environmental education nonprofits and ee360+ partners—Project Learning Tree (PLT), Project WILD (WILD), and Project WET (WET)—set to host a joint annual conference planned for 2024.

Student stands at a podium in a local government meeting setting

"Youth Taking Action for Their Communities" by Dr. Martha Monroe, associate director and professor of environmental education at the University of Florida, and Dr. Megan Ennes, assistant curator (Professor) of museum education at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida and the director of the Thompson Earth Systems Institute (August 2023)

4-H Leader Sarah Wolking and University of Florida (UF) master’s student Cayla Romano discuss a recent, successful youth-driven 4-H Community Action Projects for the Environment (CAPE) in Alachua County.

ee360+ Quarterly Impact Newsletters

Learn more about the impact of ee360+ partner activities in our quarterly newsletter for ee360+ partners and anyone interested in following along. View publicly in the links below.