Registration is Open!
Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable
Each year, teachers, environmental educators and nature enthusiasts from around the watershed (and around the state!) look forward to the Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable. The 27th Annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, from 3:00pm-8:00pm, at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, Waretown. Cost is $35 per person.
This year’s theme is Sustainable Connections. This theme aims to spotlight the symbiotic relationship between the cultural, historical, and natural resources that define the unique ecological significance of the Barnegat Bay watershed. By focusing on soils, compost, food waste, and trash in the environment, we aspire to underscore the role of educators in fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Through collaborative learning and exploration, we hope to empower educators to impart invaluable knowledge on future generations, fostering a legacy of conservation and environmental responsibility.
Read our 2024 Agenda below. Read detailed descriptions of this year’s Field Trip and Workshop offerings, and Register for this fun and educational professional development event. Scroll further down to explore our past Environmental Educators Roundtables.
Agenda:
3:00pm Open House: Dozens of local environmental organizations exhibit in the Lighthouse Center, offering guests opportunities to peruse their tables, and speak to professionals about the educational resources and services they offer to teachers.
3:30-4:30pm Dinner: A light dinner will be served in the Dining Hall. Mingle with other teachers and catch-up with friends attending the Roundtable from all over the state! (This year’s dinner is sponsored by Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management and funded by a Clean Communities grant.)
4:15pm Welcome to the 27th Annual Environmental Educators Roundtable: John Tiedemann OCSCD Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman, District Director Christine Raabe, and District Education & Outreach Coordinator Becky Laboy, will welcome educators to our annual signature event. Dane Ward, President of the Natural Resource Education Foundation, will provide an overview of the historical Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education.
4:30-5:30pm Programs: Session One Workshops commence; an Ocean County Parks van will transport Field Trip participants to Double Trouble State Park.
5:40-6:40pm Programs: Session Two Workshops commence; the Field Trip participants will return to the Lighthouse Center by 6:40pm.
6:45-7:00pm Dessert: Sweet snacks, goodies, coffee and tea will be served in the Locandro Lodge.
7:00-7:45pm Keynote: Sustainability in Education – Empowering Students to Shape a Greener World. Presented by Shaina Brenner, 2022 Milken Educator Award Recipient.
7:45-8:00pm Door Prizes: All registered (paid) guests receive a ticket at the door for a chance to win a door prize, as our Thank You! for attending the 2024 Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable.
The Ocean County Soil Conservation District has been effectively coordinating and implementing this professional development event since 1997. It is specifically designed for educators to enhance their knowledge of local natural resources, culture and history, and gain valuable tools that support environmental topics in the classroom, through participation in hands-on, experiential workshops and field trips. The Roundtable helps promote a commitment to environmental stewardship in educators and the students they teach.
This Professional Development program is Ocean County Soil Conservation District’s annual signature event. The Open House hosts nearly two dozen exhibitors, and dinner and desert are served to our hungry guests. Each year offers a different theme that guides the focus of our workshops and field trips. Our Keynote Speaker concludes the evening with an inspirational presentation, followed by Door Prizes.
The Roundtable has a proven success rate with Ocean County educators. The educational programs and opportunities available from all participating agencies, organizations and groups allows a comprehensive approach to watershed education and provides educators with a “one-stop-shop” approach. It is well known that educators are more likely to present and teach topics with which they are familiar and comfortable. The main goal and objective of the annual Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable is to provide this opportunity for teachers and to spur action to improve and protect the health of the Barnegat Bay watershed.
We hope you will join us in 2024 for indoor and outdoor educational fun. Please scroll below and visit our pages from past year’s Roundtables to gather lesson plans, resources and to see the photo galleries. In addition, please peruse our Lesson Plans & Resources for Educators webpage to find pertinent teaching and learning material for your classroom or outdoor learning experiences.
Terry O’Leary and McDuffy Barrow, of the Forest Resource Education Center, teach a group of educators about bees at the 2010 Environmental Educators Roundtable.
“Excellent workshops! I will use the lessons in my own class and will share with other teachers in my school. Thank you!!” ~Anne B. Stafford Intermediate School
Explore Our Past Environmental Educators Roundtables
