The University of Houston-Downtown will host the fourth annual Houston Environmental Education Summit, "Green Schools, Green Families, Green Sites," from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5.
UHD hosted the event last year and it brought 350 visitors to campus, said Brad Hoge, assistant professor, UHD Department of National Sciences. This year, organizers expect 400 participants. The registration fee is $10 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
The summit is co-sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, Houston Independent School District, Environmental Educator's Exchange and UHD's Department of Natural Sciences. The event is open to teachers, principals, executive principals, curriculum specialists, district administrators, school board members, PTA leaders, parents, program sponsors, and anyone who cares about the education of children in the Houston area including UHD faculty, staff, students and their families.
The summit will explore various ways to help reverse the growing trend of the indoor child by connecting children to nature through environmental education at school, at home, and through the offerings of various Houston area nature centers. Studies show that students who participate in hands-on environmental education programs are able to connect to the natural world while achieving higher academic standards and increasing their critical thinking skills, self-confidence and academic motivation. Six CPE credits will be available for attending.
For information contact Marya Fowler, National Wildlife Federation at 512-610-7767 or email fowler@nwf.org. Registration and agenda information are available at http://houstoneesummit.org.
