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2026 LEEF Conference Wakulla Wild has ended
Subject: Elementary (K-5) clear filter
Friday, March 27
 

3:00pm EDT

2 Hr Workshop: Local Waters, Global Impact: Engaging Teachers in Water Testing and Environmental Action
Friday March 27, 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
Join us for a hands-on workshop using local spring water samples to explore connections between climate, pollution, and community health for humans and wildlife. Participants will test water quality, collect and log data, and consider how to integrate civic action into classroom practice. All attendees will receive a copy of Local Waters, Global Impact to support place-based environmental education.

This workshop requires pre-registeration. Adding the workshop to your agenda in Sched is not the same as registering for the workshop!

To register, please email [email protected] before March 20.
Speakers
KB

Karolyn Burns

Education and Curriculum Manager
Karolyn Burns is an environmental educator and curriculum developer based in Florida, specializing in climate science, water systems, and place-based learning.  Her work focuses on connecting students and teachers to local environmental issues through hands-on investigation, data... Read More →
DA

Dr. Amal Ibourk

Associate Professor of Science Education, Florida State University
Dr. Amal Ibourk, Associate Professor of Science Education at Florida State University, studies how teaching and learning are shaped by identity, story, and place. She partners with teachers and schools to create hands-on experiences—such as community gardens—that connect students... Read More →
Friday March 27, 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
WEI Lab
 
Saturday, March 28
 

9:30am EDT

Cultivating Connections with Florida’s Wildflowers: An Updated Curriculum for Environmental Educators
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Since first sharing our Wild About Wildflowers! curriculum at the 2018 LEEF conference, the Florida Wildflower Foundation has expanded and refreshed the guide to include new activities, updated resources and deeper connections to Florida standards. Designed for formal and nonformal educators alike, the curriculum introduces students to the beauty, ecology and importance of Florida’s native wildflowers and pollinators through hands-on, inquiry-based learning. This session will showcase highlights of the updated guide, including activities that explore wildflower habitats, pollinator relationships and real-world conservation actions students can take in their communities. Presenters will share strategies for incorporating these activities into a variety of learning settings and provide resources to help participants adapt them for their own students and audiences. Join us to discover how Florida’s wildflowers can spark curiosity, deepen ecological understanding, and empower the next generation of environmental stewards.
Speakers
SM

Stacey Matrazzo

Florida Wildflower Foundation
Stacey Matrazzo joined the Florida Wildflower Foundation in 2015 as its program manager. Before that, she worked for the Foundation for several years as a contractor. She is the co-author of Native Plants for Florida Gardens, which she wrote with botanist/restoration ecologist Nancy... Read More →
MM

Marina Mertz

Florida Wildflower Foundation
Marina Mertz is a native Floridian with a passion for preserving Florida’s beauty for future generations. She began her work with the Florida Wildflower Foundation in 2022 as a contractor, serving as the Panhandle Wildflower Alliance liaison. In 2024, she transitioned to a full-time... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
WEI Lab

9:30am EDT

Outdoors Are for Everyone: Supporting Guests with Disabilities in Nature
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Discover how Bonnet Springs Park creates outdoor learning spaces that welcome everyone. This session will highlight common barriers to access, share creative strategies for overcoming them, and showcase the benefits of prioritizing accessibility. Participants will leave with applicable tools, inclusive resources, and examples of how program facilitators can integrate accessibility into uncommon spaces.
Speakers
MC

Moriah Casey

Bonnet Springs Park
Moriah Casey

Moriah Casey is the Education Manager at Bonnet Springs Park, an urban nature in the heart of Lakeland, Florida. She leads the development of inclusive, place-based educational programs that connect visitors of all ages to the natural environment.

Moriah holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Masters of Special Education. Before transitioning to informal education, she spent five years teaching in a self-contained classroom with the Polk County School Board. She is endorsed in Gifted Education, Autism Spectrum... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Bernal

Stephanie Bernal

Bonnet Springs Park
Stephanie Bernal joined Bonnet Springs Park in 2022 as the Community Engagement Manager and was promoted to Director of Events in 2023 to oversee the Education Department and Events team. In that time, she has developed and directed more than 50 Community & Special events, as well... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
WEI Main Classroom A

10:30am EDT

Beyond Storytime: Creating Your Own Children's Picture Book to Promote Place-Based Literacy
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
Have you ever heard of a children’s book that features an endangered snail kite as its main character? At our Everglades-focused, South Florida nature center, neither had we – and we needed one! – so we decided to create our own. Join us to learn from our center’s experience writing and illustrating *Sam the Snail Kite and the Secret of the Everglades* as a springboard for creative, place-based literacy programming and community outreach. We will share tips and cautionary tales about writing your own book, as well as techniques for using children’s picture books to engage young readers in the natural world at your site.
Speakers
LB

Lauren Butcher

Grassy Waters Preserve - City of West Palm Beach
Lauren Butcher enjoys sharing the Everglades with students, teachers, and visitors as an Environmental Education Coordinator at Grassy Waters Preserve (West Palm Beach, FL). She also currently serves as a member of the board of directors for Audubon Everglades. Lauren has over 16... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
WEI Main Classroom A

10:30am EDT

Explore with the Florida Geological Survey
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
Have you ever wondered where the sand on the beaches in Florida originates? Why are there rolling hills between Tampa and Orlando? What is the reason shark teeth occur in rocks far from coastlines? Florida’s geologic history provides answers. Connect with geologists and educators at the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) to learn about Florida’s geology, explore the work that the FGS does and discover resources we provide to educators, including 3D scans of Florida fossils and virtual museum tours.
Speakers
MG

Mabry Gaboardi Calhoun

Florida Geological Survey
Dr. Mabry Gaboardi Calhoun earned her Ph.D. at the Florida State University (FSU) Department of Geological Sciences, examining past climate signals in herbivore tooth enamel and developing a method to analyze extraterrestrial materials embedded in aerogel. At FSU's Learning Systems... Read More →
ML

Michelle Ladle

Florida Geological Survey
Michelle Ladle is a Professional Geologist with the Florida Geological Survey, where she has worked for 27 years. She has worked on a number of geologic investigations, manages multiple data preservation projects, and runs the FGS internship program. She holds Master’s degrees in... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
WEI Lab

10:30am EDT

From Vision to Funding: Grant Writing Through a Logic Model Approach
Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
Environmental educators often rely on grants to fund their work. The logic model is a foundational tool that not only strengthens grant proposals but also is fundamental to program planning, implementation and evaluation. This workshop will use the collaborative, inclusive power of liberating structures with the rigor of the logic model approach to co-create and teach environmental educators how to write an effective grant proposal. This will be a hands-on, highly interactive format designed to move participants from abstract ideas to concrete, fundable project plans.
Speakers
RT

Rebekah Tucci

Bonnet Springs Park
Rebekah Tucci is a native Floridian. She is the Grants Manager at Bonnet Springs Park (BSP) in Lakeland, Florida. She specializes in securing grant funding, while establishing the fundamentals of program management and grants management. Ms. Tucci earned a law degree from Stetson... Read More →
KH

Kirsten Hein

Bonnet Springs Park

Saturday March 28, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
WEI Porch

11:30am EDT

Growing Up WILD: How We Are “Growing” Our Next Generation That Cares
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm EDT
What do 15 years of growing look like and where we are finding our next generation?
Sharing our story about using Growing Up WILD in our Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network (FYCCN) and evaluation of this national program from educators to the children that benefit from the curriculum. We will ‘show and tell’ how you can bring this award-winning early childhood education curriculum to your classrooms, centers, and business that work with children ages 3-7.

The State Coordinator for Project WILD in Florida, Yatska Valentin, will bring resources, only for presentation participants, on how you can become a facilitator or become educators for the program. Learn more about Project WILD, Aquatic WILD and Flying WILD opportunities in your area. Patricia Brown, Assistant Director at the Joe Budd Youth Conservation Center in Midway, Fl. will share the success of the program in their monthly program both on site and in schools. We will tell the story of FYCCN and how you can become a partner with some great resources for you to use.
This presentation will include activities that you can immediately use.
Speakers
PB

Patricia Brown

Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
For over 25 years, I have worked in the environmental education field. Between a BS in Biological Sciences from Southern Illinois at the University at Edwardsville, Illinois and master’s in environmental education, I had been the education director for over 15 years at The Nature... Read More →
YV

Yatska Valentin

Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Yatska is an experienced and passionate environmental educator. She has a BS in Environmental Sciences from Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico and an MS in Environmental Education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. She has lived in Tampa with her family for the last... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 11:30am - 12:20pm EDT
WEI Main Classroom A

1:30pm EDT

Birds & Binoculars
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Educators can't always take participants outside to look for birds... and sometimes when we do, the birds don't always cooperate! See how easy it is to teach the skill of using binoculars and the basics to identify birds. Not only is this a fun & easy way to introduce bird watching & identification, but it will also prepare them to look at details when you can go outside to look for birds. Join me on the Great LEEF (fake) Bird Count!

Note:Change in Presenter
Speakers
PO

Pam Owens

LEEF Director 2, Elementary Teacher and Green School Coordinator
Pam has been an elementary school teacher for 18 years and serves as the Green School Coordinator. She has sponsored several environmental clubs, including the Green Eagles, EverGreen Club, STEM Club, and Jr. Birding Club. She also leads the school and students in annual Bird Counts... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
WEI Porch

1:30pm EDT

Integrating AI into Environmental Education: Exploring New Tools and Strategies
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Environmental education faces critical challenges in keeping pace with rapidly evolving technological landscapes. AI offers support in planning, content creation, evaluation, and teaching, creating opportunities for innovative and timely content to engage students. This session introduces ways environmental educators can integrate AI into their practice through hands-on activities with various AI tools, while addressing ethical considerations. Participants will gain practical skills to critically apply AI for lesson planning, content development, assessment, and instruction, fostering innovation in the field of environmental education.
Speakers
AK

Arya Karumanthra

Post Doctoral Researcher, University of Florida
Dr. Arya Karumanthra is a Post-Doctoral Researcher in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on integrating Artificial Intelligence into science classrooms to support teaching and learning around global challenges... Read More →
EB

Emily Blum

Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialist, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences
Emily Blum is the Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialists at UF/IFAS's School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences. She also is an adjunct professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She earned her B.A. in Education with a minor... Read More →
avatar for Yue Li

Yue Li

Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Dr. Yue Li is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Education in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on AI integration into environmental education, professional development for environmental educators, environmental... Read More →
CN

Caleb Nyatuame

University of Florida
Caleb Atsu Nyatuame is a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Ecology at the University of Florida. His previous research examines how teacher educators, especially in Ghana, incorporate environmental issues and place-based education into their teaching practices. Caleb is currently doing... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
WEI Main Classroom A

1:30pm EDT

2 Hr. Workshop (fee-based) - Florida Project Learning Tree - Together For Birds (Pre-Register)
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
In this workshop, attendees will go through one of the new Project Learning Tree Collection books - -Together for Birds Target Grades K-2 

https://www.plt.org/curriculum/theme-based-activity-collections/

Each collection offers hands-on activities for teachers and non-formal educators, youth group leaders and home schoolers, to connect youth to nature and the outdoors.Each Collection is designed to be flexible, and the activities that comprise each collection can be used as individual, stand-alone lessons, or all together as a cohesive unit of instruction using a storyline technique.

This workshop requires pre-registeration and a $6 fee. Adding the workshop to your agenda in Sched is not the same as registering for the workshop!

To register, please email [email protected] before March 20.
Speakers
EB

Emily Blum

Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialist, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences
Emily Blum is the Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialists at UF/IFAS's School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences. She also is an adjunct professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She earned her B.A. in Education with a minor... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
WEI Main Classroom B

2:30pm EDT

Curating Florida’s Natural History: Educator-Centered Digital Strategies
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
This presentation will discuss the use of digital technologies at the University of South Florida Libraries to transform archives from the Florida Environment and Natural History (FLENH) collections into openly accessible resources for educational purposes. The presentation will highlight an approach to digital curation that centers educators and researchers as the key audience. Rooted in strategic archival acquisitions and explored through educator-led partnerships, the team has developed an online repository with more than 74,000 records. This presentation will describe our workflow and openly accessible resource, as well as three key outputs that might be immediately useful to Florida educators. First, the Tampa Through Time Portal is a place-based interactive mapping portal that provides new ways to explore digitized FLENH materials. The ekphrastic Creekshed project, hosted by USF Libraries, uses FLENH archives to inspire local authors and students to write creative works grounded in the local watershed. Finally, the Botanical Gardens 360 Tours and USF Greenways map illustrate new approaches to capturing environmental spaces and pairing them with historic documents to produce immersive contemporary tours.
Speakers
SJ

Sydney Jordan

University of South Florida Libraries
Sydney Jordan is a Coordinator of Collections and, in her current role, she utilizes information science methods to better connect patrons to resources, build openly accessible digital collections, and teach with primary sources. Her research interests include climate justice, interdisciplinary... Read More →
DA

Dr. Amanda Boczar

University of South Florida
Dr. Amanda Boczar is Associate Director for Digital Initiatives at the University of South Florida (USF) Libraries. Boczar is a trained historian with a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, an MLIS from USF, and over a decade of experience developing large-scale Digital Humanities... Read More →
DW

Denise Wright

University of South Florida
Denise Wright, MA, is a GIS Analyst with the University of South Florida Libraries Digital Initiatives Unit. She holds a Master’s Degree in Geography, is a certified GIS Professional (GISP), and is licensed as an FAA Part 107 drone pilot. Denise specializes in integrating geospatial... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
WEI Lab

2:30pm EDT

Love Where You Live: Creating Lifelong Connections Between Children and Nature
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Discover how Bonnet Springs Park’s student-centered approach to exploring outdoor spaces fosters deeper connections between children and their local heritage, culture and native landscape. Participants will receive a behind-the-scenes look at our most successful programs and resources, as well as applicable strategies to cultivate a sense of place, belonging and personal meaning while making outdoor learning more relevant and impactful.
Speakers
MC

Moriah Casey

Bonnet Springs Park
Moriah Casey

Moriah Casey is the Education Manager at Bonnet Springs Park, an urban nature in the heart of Lakeland, Florida. She leads the development of inclusive, place-based educational programs that connect visitors of all ages to the natural environment.

Moriah holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Masters of Special Education. Before transitioning to informal education, she spent five years teaching in a self-contained classroom with the Polk County School Board. She is endorsed in Gifted Education, Autism Spectrum... Read More →
avatar for Stephanie Bernal

Stephanie Bernal

Bonnet Springs Park
Stephanie Bernal joined Bonnet Springs Park in 2022 as the Community Engagement Manager and was promoted to Director of Events in 2023 to oversee the Education Department and Events team. In that time, she has developed and directed more than 50 Community & Special events, as well... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
WEI Porch

5:10pm EDT

Why Native Plants are Important & How to Add Them to the Landscape
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:10pm - 5:25pm EDT
Learn why native plants are so important – and how to add them to the landscape. For example, plant keystone tree species or create a butterfly garden. Learn of helpful native plant websites and small grant programs for school plantings.
Speakers
LA

Lynn Artz

Sarracenia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS)
Lynn Artz is a life-long gardener, now native plant advocate. In 2018, she led a team of volunteers to create the native plant gardens at Sopchoppy Depot Park, a 1.7-acre city park. The gardens expanded in 2021 with a Viva Florida Landscape Demonstration grant from the Florida Wildflower... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:10pm - 5:25pm EDT
WEI Main Classroom A&B

5:30pm EDT

Stormwater Outreach
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Content is created each month to educate the campus community on various ways they can positively impact stormwater systems and keep our watershed free of pollutants. Presenters will explain their research, collaboration with partners, and methods of communication.
Speakers
HS

Holly Smith

FSU Sustainable Campus
Holly Smith (she/her) is the Sustainability Manager at FSU Sustainable Campus. She oversees all Sustainable Campus programming as well as environmental metrics. She was previously a middle school science teacher and her favorite part of her job is the education and community buil... Read More →
CC

Camila Campos Lam

Camila worked as the Sustainable Campus Graphic Designer for a year while she completed her Bachelor's degree. She is now working toward a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning, but she still works for us as a Stormwater Liaison and collaborates with our partners to create content... Read More →
Saturday March 28, 2026 5:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
WEI Dogtrot
 
Sunday, March 29
 

9:30am EDT

Biocultural Education in the Amazon
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Indigenous youth in the Amazon navigate rapid social and environmental changes while sustaining traditional knowledge and territorial stewardship. This study collaborates teachers, students and community members of a multiethnic Indigenous territory in the Colombian Amazon. Working alongside Indigenous teachers, researchers explore integrating traditional ecological and biocultural knowledge with K-12 science and environmental education through curriculum co-design. The collaborative process integrates a needs assessment done to understand the community views on education, conservation science, environmental issues and current practices for traditional knowledge articulation. Findings highlight the importance of community-based and traditional knowledge to root learning in the local context and facilitate nature stewardship. The researchers share about their co-design experience and the strategies developed to articulate indigenous and local knowledge with scientific and global perspectives of territories and conservation.
Speakers
CS

Carolina Simon-Pardo

University of Florida
Carolina Simon-Pardo is a Ph.D. student in Interdisciplinary Ecology at the School of Natural Environment and Resources at the University of Florida. She holds a M.S. in Educational Technologies and a B.A. in Filmmaking. Her research focuses on collaborative approaches with Indigenous... Read More →
avatar for Yue Li

Yue Li

Assistant Professor, University of Florida
Dr. Yue Li is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Education in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on AI integration into environmental education, professional development for environmental educators, environmental... Read More →
DJ

Dr. Julie Brown

University of Florida
Dr. Julie Brown is an Assistant Professor of Science Education in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. Her research examines how students, teachers, and local communities use science to effect change in their world, through place-based initiatives that... Read More →
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
WEI Main Classroom A

9:30am EDT

Dispersed Yet United
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Broward County has a large, diverse group of residents and a limited number of natural areas for people to enjoy. Those that exist are small and not well known by residents. The North Natural Areas Naturalist group has created programing within natural areas, regional parks and libraires to educate the public on the importance of native nature while also promoting wellness, environmental education, and building community.
Speakers
CV

Camila Vallejo

Parks Naturalist, Broward County Parks and Recreation
Camila Vallejo is a Parks Naturalist for Broward County Parks and Recreation. She has always loved the outdoors, nature, and exploration. Having grown up in the urban city of Hialeah, FL, young Camila longed to connect with the natural world. She attended New College of Florida in... Read More →
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
WEI Lab

9:30am EDT

2 Hr. Workshop - Teaching with Connection: Indigenous pedagogies and Place-Based Learning (Pre-Register)
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 11:30am EDT
*CANCELED BY PROFESSOR



Speakers
DA

Dr. Amal Ibourk

Associate Professor of Science Education, Florida State University
Dr. Amal Ibourk, Associate Professor of Science Education at Florida State University, studies how teaching and learning are shaped by identity, story, and place. She partners with teachers and schools to create hands-on experiences—such as community gardens—that connect students... Read More →
LN

Lauren Nix

Educator and Botanist, E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center
Lore Nix is a recent graduate of Florida State University with a degree in Biological Sciences and a passion for cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards. She currently works at the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center in Freeport, Florida as an educator and botanist. Drawing... Read More →
Sunday March 29, 2026 9:30am - 11:30am EDT
WEI Main Classroom B

10:30am EDT

Nature Journaling
Sunday March 29, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
*NEW Session
Looking for a fun activity to connect all ages to nature and learn more about birds.  This is the session for you.  Can be an extended lesson from the PLT workshop on Saturday or stand alone.  Come learn how to create your own nature journals, and use them to learn more about birds and nature in general.  Go home with your own nature journal and agendas for multiple PLT nature journaling workshops.
Speakers
EB

Emily Blum

Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialist, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences
Emily Blum is the Florida Project Learning Tree Coordinator and Education Training Specialists at UF/IFAS's School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences. She also is an adjunct professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville. She earned her B.A. in Education with a minor... Read More →
LN

Lori Nicholson

Instructional Systems Specialist, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge/USFWS
Lori Nicholson is the Instructional Systems Specialist at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near St. Marks Florida.  She grew up in Oklahoma, and has taught in OK, TX, and FL.  She has resided in the Big Bend region of Florida for the past 22 years.  She received her B.S... Read More →
Sunday March 29, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
WEI Main Classroom A
 
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