KACEE is vital organization for environmental education efforts in Kansas, promoting and conducting high quality, non-biased educational programming for our state. The organization continues to be leaders in this field nationwide, with many other states following the example set by KACEE. The staff is extraordinarily professional and passionate about the work they do and it is inspiring to see what great role models they are for others in environmental education. It is a pleasure to be a partner agency with them and they serve as a beacon of hope for the future for these efforts for Kansas. It is one of the finest organizations that I am a member of.
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KACEE is one the front-runners in the nation for environmental education efforts by a non-profit. The organization is composed of a wide variety of players having crucial roles in developing and implementing quality environmental and outdoor education. They are a small, but dedicated staff that really cares about the work they are accomplishing and always look to the future to determine how to be better at it. The programs (i.e. Project WILD, Project WET, Project Learning Tree and the Leopold Education Project) they promote are tried and true and have proven to be instrumental in incorporating our environment into both formal and non-formal education practices. I have been fortunate enough to be involved with this organization for over two decades and still marvel at the work they have been able to accomplish with limited staff and funding. Any support they can receive would be used wisely and is a great investment to the education of the citizens of Kansas.
Mike Rader, Wildlife Education Supervisor, KDWPT
The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education is a fantastic organization, with a thoughtful, hard-working and professional staff, tasked with helping provide quality, non-biased environmental education to the citizens of the state. It is one of the nations leaders in these efforts and continues to make a positive difference in our world. It's an honor to be able to work with them.
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KACEE is a fantastic organization that plays a vital role in our state in the promotion and implementation of environmental education and teacher trainings. As a partner for administration of the Project WILD program, they are top-notch and have far exceeded expectations in providing valuable trainings and other opportunities for formal and non-formal educators alike. The staff are the utmost professionals and their expertise shines through. It has been a pleasure and privilege to be associated with the group and hope that the relationship will continue to prosper for years to come
KACEE is the organization in Kansas to provide professional development for educators in conservation and teaching about our environment. Without them, it wouldn't exist. Keep up the great work!!
As an educator I was able to get help professionally and grants to pursue projects at my school. Some of the projects were: school garden with raised beds, irrigation, and all weather paths; equipment for environmental monitoring, student camping trips to get inner city kids into the outdoors. Without the help of KACEE the professional development and materials to implement the things that I learned would not have happened. KACEE also provided a state and national network for help in my teaching.
I can't say enough great things about KACEE. This organization is on the leading edge of Environmental Education. KACEE has amazing, knowledgeable staff that work hard to make sure not only Kansans, but EVERYONE gets a well-rounded education. They understand how important it is to spend time outdoors and the true value of our natural resources. I am a better educator thanks to their workshops and support. A truly wonderful nonprofit organization!
I have been a part of KACEE for over 10 years and am proud to say I am serving in my first year as a board member. I can't say enough about how being involved in KACEE has made me a better professional on all levels. The staff is completely wonderful, dedicated to the field, and easy to work with. If you are looking for excellent resources and a network for quality environmental education, this is it!
I first got hired at the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation in 2015 as the Environmental/GIS Technician. The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education was the first training that I completed. It made an impact on how I conducted education/outreach both on and off the Reservation. Through my KACEE training, I was able to meet someone from the Grasslands Heritage Foundation and conduct an educational booth at one of their events. This allowed me to utilize my KACEE training to demonstrate the complex system of a watershed in a very accessible way. Earlier this year, our tribe held our annual Earth Day celebration and the tribal daycare came to visit our environmental office. I was able to further utilize my KACEE training to preschool age kids teaching them about clean water and a clean environment in a way that they could understand and have fun learning. Connecting with and completing KACEE training early in my career shaped the way I approach education/outreach as an environmental technician. Educating is key in reaching out to community members and encouraging better environmental practices. Rather than being bogged down with scientific information, KACEE enabled me to reach out to various aged tribal community members in a fun and informative way that better communicates the importance of a healthy environment.
I started working in EE about 23 years ago. Totally new to education, especially Environmental issues, and it was a KACEE workshop that taught me how to approach issues, how to engage the students, how to make it relevant to their world and how to empower them to action. I now work with teachers to help them the way KACEE helped, and continues to help, me!
When I go to National EE conferences, I constantly see KACEE stamped in EE efforts being presented. KACEE is one of the first and continues to be one of the leading EE organizations.
I have so many great memories. I look forward to making many more!
KACEE is not only a great state-wide organization, but also a leader among EE organizations in the US and beyond. I have worked with KACEE for many years and have very impressed with the professionalism and leadership they have shown, both regionally and nationally. I would say that KACEE is one of the top 5 environmental organizations in the Nation!
The support and professional development I have received from the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education group has been outstanding!! They are on the cutting edge of helping our high school graduates become environmentally literate citizens. This is evidenced by our state having hundreds of certified Kansas Green Schools, two Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Education teacher award winners and several schools winners of the Green Ribbon Schools award from the national dept of education which could not have been possible had they not been the outstanding organization it is.
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I have had the privilege of working with members of KACEE over the years via a national educators organization. I have also worked first hand with KACEE through a educational partnership creating a new program specifically designed for school group in Kansas. The KACEE organizational program made the partnership run smoothly and initial contacts from working throughout the stet were instrumental in seeing the program develop and to the eventual success of the project. Their professional approach and willingness to work with other to attain the final goal of quality education for students is what I will remember most. A great organization known statewide and beyond for their professional expertise and willingness to work and cooperate with others.
KACEE is an invaluable part of environmental education in the state of Kansas. Their professionalism, expertise, and enthusiasm go above and beyond any other organization of their kind. KACEE's impact on EE is seen not only in this state, but nationwide. They strive and succeed to provide the most up-to-date and relevant conservation and environmental education available. I would recommend this organization to anyone looking to better their teaching skills.
KACEE's trainings and programs have been instrumental in my training as an environmental educator. In fact, they not only offered the first training I attended as a novice naturalist back in 1997, but they were the most recent training I attended - fall of 2012 - as well. This ability to stay relevant and fresh to even seasoned environmental educators is commendable.
During 2004, KACEE empowered my Eco-Futurist facilitator role during USEPA Region 7 Four-State Enviro-Educator Leadership Conference. That experience led me into a KDHE-KWO funded Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (KELP Class 6-2005).
Both TravelKS Frontier Military Historic Byway (AGR-iTourism) watershed orientation kits and Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area (FFNHA) resulted from TRUST-based relationships.
Kansas University Alum & Author-Speaker Richard Louv continues advocating "No Child Left Inside" themes that enhance or expand scope of KACEE's inter-regional reach ...
KACEE is not only a great state-wide organization, but also a leader among EE organizations in the US and beyond. I have personally learned so many amazing things from to apply in my own organization and know that many others have as well. Kudos to KACEE for doing high quality work that improves EE in Kansas and also serves as a model for others.
At a time when everything is politicized, KACEE breaks through with non-biased, science-based environmental education resources for educators and other professionals. Their staff are some of the best in their field, their board is committed and ready, and their members are engaged.
It is not just Kansas that benefits from the work of this organization, but the nation. KACEE is recognized nationally for their efforts and successes. They are leaders among leaders - great job!
KACEE is the go to organization for conservation and environmental education in Kansas. The programming and professional development offered through KACEE generally exceeds participants expectations and is always a great opportunity for the price (when registration fees apply). I have been fortunate to be involved with KACEE for 12 years and have truly enjoyed every event they have hosted.
KACEE is a great organization promoting enrivonmental knowledge and legacy to children by educating them and their teachers. Not only are classroom teachers provided with materials and help for their classrooms but others at nature centers and in various organizations use KACEE programs and information to instill environmental steward ship and understanding to Kansans young and old. With more stress on our schools to provide more with less. Supporting KACEE is essential to the understanding of our natural resources, as our children become decision makers in that future.
Kacee brings professionals and lay people from a diverse array of fields together to work as one towards a more environmentally literate Kansas. Their workshops, conferences, and cutting edge work on educational standards and legislation benefits students, educators, and other residents of the state. The dedication of KACEE's staff, board and volunteers makes this organization a leader in the field of environmental education. I am proud to be associated with such a great organization and have benefited both personally and professionally from my involvement with KACEE.
I'm a new member of KACEE and went to my first conference in Jul. In the past few years our school had cut conferences for teachers and I couldn't have afforded to go on my own. KACEE awarded a scholarship to my district and I was a lucky recipient.
From the conference I learned of many resources for teachers and have taken over the Kansas Green Schools project in our school. The staff at KACEE have helped me get it all started.
Also at the conference I broke out of my "comfort" zone and went to a physics break out session that my students will benefit from and perhaps future automobiles will benefit from getting them interested at this younger age. Through the networking with other people in the state from the KACEE I have been able to get innovative ideas to teach students in different ways.
I have a renewed excitement to teach science this year and in the next several years. We will be working on an OWL site and a community garden.
KACEE serves an essential role in the state of Kansas to keep the energy and enthusiasm of environmental educators going. In a state as large and rural as Kansas, a networking group like this does truly crucial work. Beyond conferences, their use of social media helps inform members of opportunities and important conversations.
This has been a very rewarding and interesting experience working with KACEE. Their environmental education reaches across the State of Kansas for traditional and nontraditional environmental educators. I am taking a vast storage of information back to my students, as well as parents, that we can spread in our community.
Fantastic! The conferences are fun and educational, and affordable. The staff is dedicated and knowledgeable. The is great opportunity to network.
Many rural schools benefit the environmental programs offered by KACEE. Teachers in these schools can use the materials in their classrooms to meet state science and math standards. The lesson plans are easy to use and understand.
Shortly after moving back to Kansas 21 years ago, I’ve been involved in KACEE. For the past 16 years I have had the pleasure of serving on the KACEE Board of Directors, which includes a term as President. I have personally and professionally benefited from participating in the various workshops offered by KACEE. As an occasional nonformal educator, I have used the interdisciplinary curriculum, ideas, and teaching techniques generated from KACEE with school children, church associated activities with children, and even adults. What is really heartwarming and exciting to me is to see all the creative and beneficial conservation and environmental education activities across the state of Kansas that KACEE had a direct or indirect role in. However, I’m always amazed when I hear someone who recently found out about KACEE, who was “singing its praises,” and commenting that they can’t believe they never heard of it before. So, we, KACEE still has its work cut out in promoting conservation and environmental education opportunities to those who care about protecting our Earth and who want to teach our young people not what to think, but how to think.
KACEE is a non-profit that takes the idea of non-baised and science based environmental education to heart. Having this resource in our state puts Kansas ahead of the rest!
I have been involved with KACEE since I first moved to Kansas in 1993. It has been such a great resource for me throughout my career. What sets it apart from many other environmental education organizations is its one-stop-shopping opportunities throughout the state. If an educator needs information of any kind KACEE is the place to go. It facilitates all the main stream environmental education curricula in the state and is very innovative in creating new programs for underserved populations. Being a part of KACEE is like being a part of a large family you want to visit as much as possible!
I am a retired forester with over 50 years of experience in the natural resources field. I became involved with the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) shortly after it was organized over 40 years ago. KACEE was created as an association of diverse organizations dedicated to promotion of effective, science-based, non-biased environmental and conservation education throughout Kansas. Over my career, I have served as the head of the state forestry agency and the state wildlife and parks agency as well as two years on the Governor's staff. In these positions, I have been involved in a range of controversial natural resource issues. Throughout the time I held these positions, I continued to be actively involved with KACEE, because I recognized that long-term solutions to our environmental problems were dependent upon an educated citizenry who could weigh various sides of complex environmental issues and make and support informed, balanced decisions. KACEE's programs with training in hands-on problem solving and critical thinking skills seemed the approach that was needed. KACEE is somewhat unique in that it started as an association of organizations rather than individuals and its membership has grown to over 200 agencies, non-profits, educational institutions at various levels, and business and industry. These organizations hold widely divergent views on environmental issues, but can agree that balanced, non-biased environmental education that presents various sides on the issues is where they can agree and support a common cause. For many years, KACEE was an all volunteer organization, but through its success, now has a small dedicated professional staff supported by a wide network of volunteers and partners. I have found my association with KACEE and its network of partners to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I started working with KACEE over 8 years ago when I began my environmental education career. The KACEE staff and organizational members came alongside me and encouraged me to get involved and take on leadership roles. I have grown as an educator, a professional, an earth-conscience human through my KACEE experiences.
I've been recycling for over 15 years. I work for the Kansas Forest Service and thru them have learned and promote the importance of planting trees to provide oxygen and cleaner air. I've been able to teach my grandchild, children and relatives the importance of recycling for the future of Mother Nature