(Great Smoky Mountains National Park) –  Naturalists from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont are eager to share their expertise with educators from throughout the southeast at an upcoming conference in September. Over 5,000 students visit Tremont every year to learn about the natural world while living in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a few days, and many teachers return from the field trip newly inspired to incorporate more tangible experiences into the regular school day. At the annual Tennessee Environmental Education Association (TEEA) conference, classroom teachers from all grade levels as well as non-traditional educators can expect to gain the skills, ideas, and inspiration they need to enliven their lesson plans as a new school year begins.

Held in Oak Ridge September 19-21, this year’s conference centers on the theme of energizing environmental education in Tennessee. Sessions will include lectures, field trips, and hands-on workshops led by knowledgeable outdoor professionals, including the entire teaching staff from Tremont.

“It’s a terrific opportunity for our staff to collaborate with teachers that work so hard and share the same goal that we do – taking kids outside to learn,” said Jennifer Love, Tremont’s school program director.

Tremont naturalists have planned sessions on a wide variety of topics. Conference attendees can choose to learn more about schoolyard biodiversity activities, Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, effective homemade nature study equipment, or how to use mapmaking as a first step in connecting children with the environment. They will also get the chance to discuss the recently-published results of Tremont’s evaluation study, which measured the ways environmental education impacts student development.
Other highlights of the conference include a field trip to the UT Arboretum and a keynote address about global climate change by Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Dr. Mac Post. For more information or to register for the conference, visit the TEEA website, www.eeintennessee.org. For more information about Tremont, visit www.gsmit.org or call (865) 448-6709.

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that provides in-depth experiences to thousands of people of all ages each year through educational programs designed to nurture appreciation of Great Smoky Mountains national Park, celebrate diversity, and foster stewardship.