Rhode Island Environmental Education Association - RIEEA

Join the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association - RIEEA on Wednesday, August 26, from 5:30-7:30pm for a Summer Soirée! This free, family-friendly evening event will take place at the Congress of the Birds Rehabilitation and Release Center in Chepachet. All are welcome! Bring your family, friends, and colleagues and enjoy some refreshments and a tour of the facility. More info: https://www.rieea.org/event/summer-soiree-2026/

photo credit: Congress of the Birds

Attention job seekers!

Before & After-School STEAM Program Staff - Rhode Island - Indeed.com Center for Dynamic Learning

Due TODAY at 5pm! https://www.rieea.org/programs/environmental-education-awards/

Nominations for the Rhode Island Environmental Education Awards are due THIS Wednesday, August 5. https://www.rieea.org/programs/environmental-education-awards/

Each year, RIEEA recognizes educators, youth, organizations, and schools across Rhode Island who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and dedication in helping their communities learn about the environment. Award categories include Teacher, Environmental Educator, Youth Leader, and Organization or School. Nominations are due by 5:00pm on Wednesday, August 5.

Winners will be announced in late August and recognized in an awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 21. Please consider sharing this nomination form with your network!

MORE INFO: https://www.rieea.org/programs/environmental-education-awards/

Join Rhode Island Environmental Education Association - RIEEA on Thursday, August 20, at 12pm for a Virtual Lunch & Learn: Using Maps to Tell Stories, featuring guest speaker Shannon Donovan (they/them), Program Manager at The NEED Project.

Stories help us connect, inspire, and create understanding. In this interactive session, you'll explore the power of geographic storytelling by creating a story map and a simple survey with ArcGIS Online. Shannon has decades of experience as a classroom teacher and professional development facilitator, and they are on a quest to get these data and storytelling tools into your hands.

REGISTER TODAY: https://www.rieea.org/event/2026vllaugust/

Please note our Virtual Lunch & Learns alternate between open/office hours and more structured programming.

August Virtual Lunch & Learn: Using Maps to Tell Stories – August 20 - Rhode Island Environmental Education Association Join RIEEA on August 20 at 12pm for a Virtual Lunch & Learn: Using Maps to Tell Stories, with guest speaker Shannon Donovan, The NEED Project

Are you—or a young person you know—looking to connect with other emerging environmental leaders from across the Northeast? Our friends at Maine Environmental Education Association are hosting the Changemakers Gathering on August 28–30, 2026 at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, Maine.

This three-day environmental leadership retreat is designed to bring youth and adults together to build skills, share ideas, and inspire one another through workshops, mentoring, outdoor experiences, and community-building.

✨ Open to anyone ages 15+
✨ FREE for youth ages 15–30
✨ Food and lodging provided
✨ Accessible accommodations available
✨ Transportation assistance and gas reimbursement available

Whether you're a student, educator, youth leader, or community member passionate about the environment, this is a fantastic opportunity to connect with changemakers from across the region.

📅 Register by August 17:
https://www.meeassociation.org/changemakers-gathering-1
Please help spread the word to the young people in your community!

3 days lakeside in Maine with a bunch of inspiring people to build environmental action in our communities, swim, hike, rest, and feel hopeful while doing it?? Sign me up! Adults encouraged to attend as mentors — register at https://www.meeassociation.org/changemakers-gathering-1

Register now for the 2026 Changemakers Gathering! On August 28-30, emerging youth leaders and experienced adult mentors will connect to create intergenerational mentorship. Youth age 15 and over AND adults are encouraged to attend because we believe youth and adults have so much to learn from each other!

We’ll gather at Pine Tree Camp for youth-led workshops, artmaking, inspiring speakers, swimming, hiking, and rest, all with the goal of building a stronger environmental movement in Wabanaki homelands now called Maine.

FREE for youth age 15-30 or if you are an individual over 30 who has access to little to no financial resources and are not affiliated with an organization. Adults over 30 $0-200 sliding scale.

Food and lodging included. Pine Tree Camp serves people with disabilities in Maine and is fully accessible, so there will be mobility aid accessible cabins available.

Register by August 17 at www.meeassociation.org or go to our page description!

Join the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association - RIEEA on August 12 from 5pm-7pm for a RIEEA Workshop: Centering the ‘Culture’ in Agriculture at Ashawaug Farm led by Dawn and Cassius Spears.

Come spend an evening learning about how Narragansett Tribal members, Dawn and Cassius Spears, utilize contemporary methods and traditional practices to balance cultural preservation with future generations’ importance. In this workshop, participants will explore how Ashawaug Farm integrates art and agriculture to expand knowledge of Narragansett foodways, supports community health and cultural revitalization, and promotes food sovereignty.

Refreshments will be provided and a stipend will be offered. Deposit requested to reserve spot: https://www.rieea.org/event/centering-the-culture-in-agriculture/

Nominations for the Rhode Island Environmental Education Awards are due THIS Wednesday, August 5. https://www.rieea.org/programs/environmental-education-awards/

Each year, RIEEA recognizes educators, youth, organizations, and schools across Rhode Island who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and dedication in helping their communities learn about the environment. Award categories include Teacher, Environmental Educator, Youth Leader, and Organization or School. Nominations are due by 5:00pm on Wednesday, August 5.

Winners will be announced in late August and recognized in an awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 21. Please consider sharing this nomination form with your network!

MORE INFO: https://www.rieea.org/programs/environmental-education-awards/

Need a little help getting to Portland this October?

Scholarships are available to help offset registration costs for the 2026 NAAEE Annual Conference and Research Symposium, making it easier for educators, students, and environmental professionals to join this inspiring community of changemakers. Applications are due August 7. You can also save on registration by signing up to volunteer!

Apply today and take the next step toward connecting, learning, and imagining what's possible together. Learn more: bit.ly/NAAEE2026Scholarships.