EEASC 2025 Conference: Making Waves

Welcome to the 2025 EEASC Conference!

Ever find yourself up the creek without paddle? Me too! Join us as we discuss one teacher’s journey on a rather polluted creek and how her students inspired a community to take action. This story not only made ripples in their local community, but they made ongoing waves of change!  

Participants will complete numerous hands-on/minds-on activities that introduce them to the creation and use of Dichotomous Keys of living and nonliving things found in South Carolina and the USA. Through the use of Dichotomous Keys (created by the workshop presenter), environmental educators will learn fish external morphology that will enable them to correctly identify the major South Carolina freshwater and saltwater fish.  If time is available, participants will also learn how to use ID keys to identify South Carolina plants, insects, clouds, rocks & minerals and more. This workshop has its roots and is in memory of Rudy Mancke.  

Water is a substance that is vital to all life. Understanding why helps students appreciate the importance of protecting this priceless resource. Through hands-on activities the concepts of bonding, cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, and solution become understandable for elementary and older students.  

Welcome to the world of Kids Teaching Flood Resilience, where youth ages 11-16 take part in a RESILIENCE QUEST with their Teacher Leaders and community STEM mentors to build high impact forms of science literacy. They want to prove that they are not just kids, able to acquire and communicate POWER KNOWLEDGE across five domains: 1) Weather Smart, 2) Place Wise, 3) Storm Surge Smart, 4)  Prep Ready, and 4) Water Safe. WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE DON’T KNOW? How can science and engineering practices help us build RESILIENCE CAPACITY?  

This presentation explores the transformative impact of food forests on communities, education, and daily life, emphasizing their role as sustainable, multi-functional ecosystems. It highlights how food forests foster community engagement by creating inclusive spaces for social interaction, cultural exchange, and educational growth. The educational benefits are examined through hands-on learning opportunities, environmental awareness, and intergenerational knowledge sharing. The everyday advantages of food forests, such as improved health, reduced grocery expenses, and contributions to climate resilience, are presented as vital to enhancing well-being. Challenges, like funding and maintenance, are acknowledged with solutions that emphasize collaboration and innovation. By cultivating food forests, communities can plant the seeds for a sustainable and thriving future.

Come hang with your fellow PLT and WILD workshop facilitators at this informal, yet informational and fun meetup! Facilitators will learn about the latest and greatest changes to the programs, get their hands on some new educational resources, and meet and collaborate with other facilitators.