EEASC 2026 Conference Camp Compass: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

9:00am EDT

Pre-Conference Event: Green Step Schools - Innovation and Creativity in Environmental Education

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160

**This event requires seperate registration**

Join us for a Green Step Schools (GSS) pre-conference gathering as we celebrate accomplishments and highlight innovative sustainability projects. This is a valuable opportunity for educators and mentors to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen their work in environmental stewardship and sustainability education.

Participants will also have the opportunity to meet our new GSS Program Coordinator, E.V. Bell. Lunch will be provided.

Green Step Schools empowers students to engage in sustainability projects that make a lasting impact on their schools and communities. Learn more at eeasc.org/Green-Step-Schools.

Speakers

Jane Hiller

Green Step Schools Coordinator, Environmental Education Association of SC

Jane Hiller directed Sonoco Recycling’s Education Center for 24 years, served on the board of the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina (EEASC) over 20 years and has coordinated the SC Green Step Schools Initiative since its inception in 2004. A graduate of both... Read More →

Elizabeth (E.V.) Bell

Program Coordinator, EEASC

Elizabeth “E.V.” Bell is Program Coordinator for the EEASC, supporting Green Step Schools and statewide professional development programs. Formerly with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, she developed the nationally recognized Palmetto Environmental Education Certification... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Pre-Conference Event, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels K - 12

9:00am EDT

Pre-Conference Event: Nature Journaling Workshop

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Back Patio

**This event requires seperate registration**

"Sketch" your imagination and creative muscles and join Beth Burkett for a nature journaling pre-conference workshop. During this session, participants learn how nature journaling can be used in a variety of outdoor spaces, ranging from backyards to public parks, to school grounds, to connect with the environment and serve as a cross-curricular approach to teaching a variety of subjects. Using the natural world for inspiration, participants learn sketching, drawing, writing, and observation skills to enrich a journaling practice.

This workshop welcomes all skill levels, from beginners to experienced. Please bring a journal or something to draw and write on and your favorite pen or pencil. Additional art supplies will be provided for practice during the session.

Our Wednesday pre-conference sessions will wrap up at or before 12:00 PM, giving you time to take a break and enjoy lunch on your own before the full conference begins at 1:00 PM. We’ll share a list of nearby dining options during the session to make it easy for you to explore local spots and connect with fellow attendees over lunch.

Speakers

Beth Burkett

Interpretation and Stewardship Manager, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Charleston County Park & Recreation Commision

Beth Burkett is the Interpretation and Stewardship Manager for the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. Beth joined the agency in 2000 as an environmental educator and spent eighteen years teaching children to care for the natural and cultural resources found in their... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Back Patio 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Pre-Conference Event, Hands on

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels All age levels

9:00am EDT

Pre-Conference Event: Orienteering with the Palmetto Trail

LIMITED

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Back Patio

Limited Capacity seats available

**This event requires seperate registration**

Join EEASC in partnership with the Palmetto Trail for a dynamic, hands-on orienteering workshop at the 2026 Annual Conference. Led by Midlands Trail Coordinator Furman Miller and Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator Chris Barry, this session will introduce participants to foundational navigation skills, including map reading, compass use, and strategies for incorporating orienteering into environmental education settings.

Designed for a small, interactive group (15–25 participants), this workshop offers a supportive space to build confidence, share ideas, and explore how place-based learning can deepen student engagement. Participants will also learn about opportunities to connect their students with the Palmetto Trail through meaningful outdoor and community-based experiences across South Carolina.

Our Wednesday pre-conference sessions will wrap up at or before 12:00 PM, giving you time to take a break and enjoy lunch on your own before the full conference begins at 1:00 PM. We’ll share a list of nearby dining options during the session to make it easy for you to explore local spots and connect with fellow attendees over lunch.

Speakers

Chris Barry

Community Outreach Coordinator, Palmetto Trail

Chris Barry joined the Palmetto Conservation Foundation and the Palmetto Trail team in 2025. Originally from Annapolis, Maryland, he earned a Biology degree from Virginia Tech. Chris enjoys hiking, fishing, gardening, gaming, music, and spending time outdoors with family and frie... Read More →

Furman Miller

Volunteer Midlands Trail Coordinator, Palmetto Trail

Furman Miller joined the Palmetto Conservation Foundation and Palmetto Trail team in 2004. A Newberry native, he studied at Newberry College, the University of South Carolina, and Kennedy-Western University. Furman is active in Scouting, his church community, and enjoys restoring... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Back Patio 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Pre-Conference Event, No charge

12:00pm EDT

Registration

Wednesday June 17, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Rotunda Room 100

Wednesday June 17, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Rotunda Room 100 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

1:30pm EDT

AI: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160

Artificial Intelligence (AI) must serve environmental education, not redefine it. Yet most professional development focuses on how to use AI, not whether or when we should. This interactive session examines AI through three lenses: the good, how it might support idea generation and data analysis; the bad, how it can mislead, oversimplify, or weaken authentic connection to people and place; and the ugly, the hidden environmental, social, and ethical costs with its use. Rather than promoting or dismissing AI, this session initiates the process for environmental educators to critically assess AI’s role, if any, in their work.
Participants will engage in small and large group discussions and collaborative brainstorming to evaluate real-world examples in using AI. Through guided reflection and movement-based activities, attendees will practice asking the essential questions that must come before adopting AI tools. Participants will leave with a Before You Use AI Field Card, a concise tool to help environmental educators pause and evaluate AI decisions before adopting them.

Speakers

Laura Beltran

Interpretive Naturalist, Nature Investigations, LLC

Laura Beltran is an interpretive naturalist and Certified Interpretive Guide who has worked in nonprofit and government agencies across the eastern U.S. She leads programs through Nature Investigations, LLC, and writes Reflections from the Field for interpretive professionals. She... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Hands on

Formal and Informal Educators Informal Eductors
All age levels All age levels

1:30pm EDT

Compass and Outdoor Skills

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170

For this session, we will need an indoor space to do the primary compass education, and possibly the knots...if it is really hot out. We will also need outdoor space for the orienteering, setting up shelters and definitely the fire starting. However, if there is inclement weather, all can be done indoors. We will start off with parts of a compass and how to use it, discover how many steps it takes to go 10 feet and basic orienteering. Then we will run a simple course and discuss how a compass could help with no bearings or even knowing where you are. We will then go into how long a human can generally survive without certain things and what to secure first in a survival situation. We will learn 3 knots that can be used to secure a tarp for shelter and then try our hands at getting smoke with a fire bow and board, flint and steel, and glasses lens, plastic bag with water, or magnifying glass.

Speakers

Beth Button

Watershed Ecology Center

Beth grew up spending weekends and summers at her family cabin on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. She enjoyed animals, all things water and learning about being outdoors. She graduated college with degrees in studio art and elementary education with a specialization in... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Hands on

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels All age levels

1:30pm EDT

Lessons from the Lorax: Activities for Young Ecologists

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260

In this hands-on, interdisciplinary session, I will facilitate classroom activities that help elementary students explore interconnections in nature and introduce concepts of environmental stewardship and sustainable resource management. At the same time, these activities build academic skills in elementary mathematics, science, social studies and English language arts.
After a brief introduction on the ecology concepts to be presented, I will lead participants in several hands-on activities. These include a cooperative board game based on the Dr. Seuss classic, The Lorax, to model reforesting an area to restore biodiversity; a 3-D activity to model resource extraction and environmental considerations for the area; an interactive story on a local habitat and a game of strategy on managing a shared resource. All presented activities are matched to state standards for several subject areas. The presented activities use a variety of strategies and modalities to be inclusive of all types of learners in a formal or informal educational setting. Participants will receive activity instructions and background materials in an electronic format, with access to a password-protected website.

Speakers

Brooke Hardin

University of South Carolina, Upstate

Brooke Hardin is Assistant Professor of Elementary Education at University of South Carolina Upstate, where she teaches future teachers. She was formerly a classroom teacher, media specialist and Literacy Curriculum Coordinator. Dr. Hardin is also a volunteer workshop facilitator... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Hands on

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels All age levels

3:00pm EDT

Break

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Gallery

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Gallery 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

3:15pm EDT

Geocaching - A High Tech Scavenger Hunt

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170

The presenter will talk about the hobby of Geocaching and how to incorporate it into Environmental Education programs. After this short talk, participants will track a nearby cache to get a feel for how to participate.

Speakers

John Ratterree

Operations Coordinator, The Watershed Ecology Center @ USC Upstate

John Ratterree, a retired science teacher currently working at the Watershed Ecology Center at USC Upstate, developed his passion for the outdoors through family camping trips and the Boy Scouts. One of the outdoor hobbies he enjoys is orienteering. Geocaching allows him to combine... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Hands on

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels All age levels
about <br>

3:15pm EDT

Slowing Down with Sit Spot: Where Wonder Grows

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160

Sit Spot is a deceptively simple practice: participants return regularly to the same outdoor place to observe, reflect, and notice change over time. Yet research with former students reveals that this slow, recurring routine can foster deep environmental connection and long-term care for place. In this session, we will briefly explore key findings about Sit Spot’s enduring impact on holistic well-being, engagement with affect (wonder, calm, reflection), and connection to nature.Participants will then engage in a guided mini Sit Spot experience outdoors, followed by structured reflection and discussion about implementation in formal and informal environmental education settings. We will discuss practical considerations such as scaffolding trust, journaling prompts, group culture, and adapting Sit Spot for different age groups and contexts. Educators will leave inspired and equipped to create space for stillness in their own programs.

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels All age levels
about <br>

3:15pm EDT

Team Ecology Event for all 3rd Graders

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260

Team Ecology: An educational adventure for third grade students that brings together a community for the purpose of teaching students about the importance of our environment and their role in protecting its future. This event is entirely run by volunteers and sponsored by local businesses who are investing in the future of our natural resources.

Speakers

Renee Gibbs

Laurens County Conservation District

Renee Gibbs is the District Coordinator for the Laurens County Conservation District.

Tanya Towne

Joe Adair Outdoor

Tanya Towne is a certified teacher and the director of the Joe Adair Outdoor Education Center and a graduate of the PEEC program.

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Informal Eductors
All age levels Elementary School

4:00pm EDT

Break

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Gallery

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Gallery 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

4:15pm EDT

Cramped Camps: Navigating Outdoor Education in Indoor Spaces

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160

Within the world of environmental education, the obvious goal is to allow students to spend time in the environment....What do you do when that isn't possible? How do we as educators work to recreate the wonder of being outdoors when we are confined to classrooms, labs, and indoor workspaces? We will explore the effective use of space, thematic learning environments, storytelling, and other methods as ways to create lasting impact with less than ideal conditions. We will focus specifically on effective curriculum design for summer day camps and how to "bring the outdoors in."

Speakers

John Schmid

Spartanburg Science Center

John is the Director of Education at the Spartanburg Science Center and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus in Organizational Leadership. Passionate about thematic design and exhibit development, he integrates storytelling, creative problem-solving, and innovative... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 160 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Informal Educators
All age levels Early Childhood/Pre-K, Elementary, Middle School
about John is the Director of Education at the Spartanburg Science Center and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus in Organizational Leadership. Passionate about thematic design and exhibit development, he integrates storytelling, creative problem-solving, and innovative thinking to create engaging lessons and immersive learning environments.

4:15pm EDT

Engaging Older Adults Through Purposeful Workshops

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260

Older adults are an eager, curious, and deeply engaged population ready to explore the world in new ways. Many now have the time to dive into environmental and science topics they once set aside—and an added bonus is they can bring grandchildren along for the adventure. Research shows young adults and children thrive socially and emotionally when learning alongside a trusted mentor that helps them stay more focused and connected to the material. This creates powerful opportunities to design workshops that spark curiosity, strengthen relationships, and build a more sustainable future. We will brainstorm together on creative programs that invite both generations to learn, explore, and make an impact together.

Speakers

Lucy Woodhouse

Lifelong Learning at Wofford

Lucy Woodhouse has spent 20 years creating programs for older adults across the Carolinas and beyond. Now Director of Lifelong Learning at Wofford, she helped launch the program after leading OLLI at Furman. She’s known for her passion, high energy, creative problem‑solving, and... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 260 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Informal
All age levels All age levels

4:15pm EDT

There is an ENVIRONMENT in the Clouds too!

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170

Looking for a new avenue and partner for Environmental Education? It may be right in your city or town and one that you may never think about! Learn how a local non-profit reached out to an airport and developed one of the most creative program for students 16-20 years of age. It is totally scholarship for the students and has touched well over 100 students and counting. Working with 6 students at a time, three times a year, and learning about aviation is a dream reached! Join us!

Speakers

Mary Levens

Spartanburg Science Center

Mary taught for 43 years in public schools, retiring in 2015 to a job at the Spartanburg Science Center. In January 2020, she accepted the position of Executive Director and continues to this day. During her time in the classroom, she used science as the center of her classroom... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
The George Center USC Upstate - Room 170 160 East St. John Street, Spartanburg, SC

Breakout, Regular

Formal and Informal Educators Formal and Informal Educators
All age levels High School, College/University

6:00pm EDT

Members' Family Camp at Goodall Center: Picnic, Mill Tour, Bats

Wednesday June 17, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

**This event is free to our members. There is a $20 fee for non EEASC members to cover the cost of the dinner and the other activities.**

Join our members for an evening of food, fellowship, and outdoor exploration at the Goodall Environmental Studies Center. Set along the beautiful Lawson’s Fork Creek, this relaxed “Family Camp” experience is designed to build connections while celebrating the spirit of environmental education and community.

Enjoy a casual picnic-style dinner, spend time exploring the creek, and connect with colleagues, friends, and families in a unique outdoor setting. The evening will also include a guided exploration of the historic Goodall Mill site led by Wofford College staff, followed by a special dusk bat program led by SC DNR's bat specialist Jennifer Kindel. Participants are encouraged to bring a camp chair, creek-friendly attire, and a spirit of adventure for this memorable conference gathering.

Speakers

Jennifer Kindel

SC Dept of Natural Resources

Jennifer Kindel serves as the SCDNR State Bat Biologist and manages federally funded bat projects to understand, manage, and protect populations of our state's secretive and beneficial flying mammals. She grew up on a farm in Oregon, received her master's in Wildlife Biology from... Read More →

Wednesday June 17, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

9:00am EDT

9:00am EDT

9:00am EDT

12:00pm EDT

1:30pm EDT

1:30pm EDT

1:30pm EDT

3:00pm EDT

3:15pm EDT

3:15pm EDT

3:15pm EDT

4:00pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

4:15pm EDT

6:00pm EDT

Get help with the event