You've either done it, or you're almost there! You've made it through another school year! This school year was a tough challenge in so many ways. Listen to John Muir & try to take time for you and for nature this summer.

Now that summer break has arrived (or almost arrived), What Type of Teacher on Summer Break Are You? (video 3:34 min.)

Earn Act 48 hours and recharge your nature batteries at a PA State Park Educator Workshop this summer - from Watersheds💦to Project WILD 🐻 to Pollinators🦋to Bears to Kayaking 🛶 to GPS☼, PA State Parks is offering it all.

Check out Upcoming PD in Section 2.

E-Blast Contents:

• Section 1: Nature-Based Teaching Ideas, Resources, & Lessons
• Section 2: Earn Act 48 hours - In-Person & Virtual Educator Professional Development Workshops
• Section 3: Courses & Conferences for Educators
• Section 4: Explore the Outdoors!
• Section 5: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
• Capstone: PA State Park Updates

The goal of the 1^st ever🌸Pennsylvania Native Species Day🌸is to learn about and celebrate native plant, tree, fish, insect, and other species, and to understand the pressures that invasive, nonnative species present to their survival. 

There are many actions that educators, their students, and the community can take to participate - from big to small.

• Celebrate and learn by attending a PA Native Species Day program at a local PA State Park or State Forest. Most programs are free & require registration.
• Add native plants🌸to your garden! DCNR's Landscaping with Native Plants - includes templates for shade, sunny, dry, and wet locations and more, from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
• Check out the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society & their expansive list of resources.
• Get your Pollinator Garden Certified by Penn State Master Gardeners
• Learn about the Pennsylvania state symbols that are native to the state
• Protect PA's native species by reporting locations taken over by nonnative species - Report invasive plants, fish, and other species. 

This event is organized and coordinated by the PA Invasive Species Council.

Last Days of School and Summer Camp Ideas & Crafts Using the Natural World

Make Your Own Leaf, Dandelion, Forest, & More Sensory Bins & Bags! Create sensory bags using leaves & other natural materials like wildflowers. Or, create sensory bins that inspire imaginative play, turn-taking skills, & motor development. Limiting play to bins keeps classroom spaces tidy too.  - from PLT

• Go On a Texture-Focused Scavenger Hunt - from Hands🖐On As We Grow

• Bash Some Flowers🌸for Art🎨Hapa Zome

• Explode Some Mud🥄& Make Mud Monster👾Art!

• Make Tree Bark OWLS🦉!

• Build Up Your Team with Team Building Games for Kids

• Planning a Day Camp or Summer Learning Experience? Use the Ultimate Summer Camp Resource for tons of camp educational games.

Extend Your Student's Learning This Summer with Nature and Community Science

• Go for 30 Days of WILD by doing one 'wild' thing a day every day throughout June (& beyond) to collectively make an impact. Your student's daily 'Random Acts of Wildness' can be anything you like - litter-picking, birdwatching, puddle-splashing, star gazing - you name it! Sign-up for 30 Days WILD! Check out #30DaysWild -from The Wildlife Trust

Community Science! Soil Your Undies for Soil Health! 

Test your soil health by planting your underwear this June. 

Healthy soils are hungry. There are billions of microbes – bacteria, fungi, protozoa – in a teaspoon of soil! These soil microbes need to eat and breath just as humans do. But what do they eat? Carbon.

Carbon is a common element in all organic compounds – including cotton. So when 100% cotton underwear is buried in the soil, the worms & other critters see it as food. 

Join the SOIL YOUR UNDIES Challenge! Sign Up for the Challenge Now!

1. Bury a pair of 100% cotton undies for 60 days.
2. Then carefully dig them up.
3. How much is still intact? That depends on how healthy and alive your soils are!

This is a perfect way for your students to complete a summer home project and do community science!

The Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition is partnering with Philadelphia-based The Big Favorite undergarment company, Lancaster Water Week, and All Together Now PA to launch an educational soil health campaign. 

Sustainable Choices, Sustainable Watersheds: Applying the MWEE💦Framework to Waste Streams

Two sessions: Tuesday, June 14, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm and Wednesday, June 14, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm; must attend both sessions Learn more about MWEEs.

Online via Zoom

Fee: FREE!

Act 48: 4 hrs.

Audience: This is an advanced MWEE application workshop - participants must have completed the MWEE 101 course or a previous MWEE Ambassador training! This online session is open to homeschool providers, classroom teachers, & non-formal educators.

Do you know how much our choices at home or around our schools positively or negatively impact the waste stream? This two-session educator professional development workshop will focus on tools, resources, and ideas for sustainable choices you and your students can make to reduce waste streams while using the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) 💦framework. MWEE 101 online course.

• Session 1: Introduction to the issues and challenges around waste streams generated by our consumer choices. Guest speakers will discuss slow vs. fast fashion, statewide litter issues, & microplastics in the waterways.
• Session 2: We will review data collected as part of a small homework assignment and apply conclusions to potential stewardship & civic action projects on both a personal & school-wide level.

Register NOW. Questions? Please email Tara Muenz at tmuenz@stroudcenter.org. 

Hybrid Watershed💦STEM and Aquatic WILD Training for Educators

Thursday, June 16, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm AND Tuesday, June 21, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Online via Zoom (June 16) AND in-person at Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Rd, Avondale, PA 19311 (June 21).

Fee: FREE! Lunch is included! Pre-registration is required.

Act 48: up to 9 hrs.

Join Stroud Water Research Center for a two-day hybrid training (online & in-person) in watershed-related STEM and the national Aquatic WILD curriculum! Tailored to after-school & out-of-school education settings but open to all formal and non-formal educators, this hands-on professional development workshop will immerse educators in STEM activities on land & in water to help them actively engage youth of all ages in real-world, place-based environmental problem-solving. Participants will receive their own copy of Aquatic WILD K–12 Curriculum & Activity Guide, dive into outdoor field investigations on watershed health, discover the lessons learned during programming with 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCs), and wade into a curricular framework (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience framework) to set their programs up for success! Register NOW! Questions? Contact David Kline at dkline@stroudcenter.org. This professional development opportunity is made possible by an eeBLUE grant and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.

FREE! Virtual Raptor🦅Workshop Series for Educators🦉

Designed for both formal and non-formal educators, this free workshop series is a collaborative effort of Penn State's Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the PA Department of Education (PDE), and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Pre-registration is required.

• Tuesday, June 14 - The American Kestrel - 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm via Zoom
• Learn all about Pennsylvania's smallest falcon, the American kestrel, with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Discover Hawk Mountain's expanded research aimed to understand why kestrel populations are in decline, and what we can do to conserve this ecologically important species. Meet a LIVE kestrel ambassador and explore Hawk Mountain's free standardized American Kestrel Webcam Curriculum designed for elementary & middle school grade levels. Register NOW.
• Tuesday, June 21 - DEP - Peregrine Falcon: Monitoring and Recovery in Pennsylvania - 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm via Zoom
• Join the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a behind the scenes look at the DEP PA FalconCam & the annual banding of the eyasses. The program will also provide information on the recovery of the world's fastest animal as it was delisted from the state Threatened list in 2021. Contributing to this session will be the PA Department of Education’s (PDE) Environment & Ecology Content Advisor who will connect the information presented in this workshop series to local phenomena and the new Environmental Literacy & Sustainability Standards. Register NOW.
• Tuesday, June 28 - Shavers Creek - Pennsylvania's Other Eagle🦅: Golden Eagles in the Keystone State - 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm via Zoom
• Join Shaver's Creek, Penn State's Nature Center, to unravel the mysteries of Golden Eagles in Pennsylvania. These large avian predators migrate through the state in late Fall & early spring, with some individuals staying for the winter, living a largely unseen existence. Learn about the science, technology, & conservationists studying this majestic raptor. Register NOW.

Pennsylvania Songbirds🐦Educator Workshop

Friday, June 24, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-person at Johnson Flats & Kocher Park, 1519 State Route, 487, Orangeville, 17859

Fee: FREE!

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Pennsylvania Songbirds is a hands-on, interdisciplinary, K-12 educators’ resource and activity guide about Pennsylvania-specific songbirds. This workshop is open to all educators who work with students from pre-K to 12^th grade, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders, & others! Participants will receive Pennsylvania Songbirds: K-12 Teacher’s Guide for Activities in the Classroom and other relevant resources. Registration is limited & is required by Friday, June 17, 2022. Call the Columbia County Conservation District at 570-317-9456 to register.

ACA Level 1: Introduction to Kayaking Course 🛶

Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm each day

In-person at Cook Forest State Park, 100 RT 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217

Fee: $75.00/participant payable in advance by check or money order to the ‘Commonwealth of PA’

Cook Forest State Park will be conducting a two-day entry level American Canoe Association (ACA) kayaking course. The following subjects will be covered: paddling environment, equipment, loading & unloading, rescues, maneuvers, and strokes. 

In order to participate in an ACA Skills Course, each participant must satisfy the following essential eligibility criteria:

* Be able to independently participate in all individual skills and activities listed in the course outline while also maintaining an appropriate safe body position.

* Be able to hold their breath while under water and, while in the water wearing a properly fitted lifejacket, be able to independently turn from a face down to a face up position keeping their head above water.

* Be able to effectively communicate with the instructor and other course participants.

* Be able to manage all personal care independently, or with the assistance of a companion.

All participants will be required to complete a wet exit. 

Day 1 will consist of instruction in the river at the Park Office. On Day 2, we’ll apply these skills along a stretch of the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River. Refreshments provided both days, & lunch provided on 2^nd day. Those with specific dietary requirements will have to provide their own meals. Decked kayaks, appropriate gear, snacks, & water provided. Everyone WILL GET COMPLETELY WET, so please dress appropriately. Register NOW - Participants must pre-register by contacting Dale Luthringer, EES at (814) 744-8475 or dluthringe@pa.gov by 6/16/22. Children 14 years & up permitted w/ participating adult. Those who successfully complete this course will receive an ACA Skills Course Completion Card, & a 50% discount on future canoe & kayaking programs sponsored by Cook Forest State Park.

WILD About Bears🐻Educator Workshop

Wednesday, June 29, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm AND Thursday, June 30, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm; must attend both days.

In-Person at the PA Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Rt. 711, Bolivar, Pa. 15923

Act 48: 11.5 hrs.

Fee: Free! Pre-registration is required.

Join PA Game Commission (PGC) educators and biologists for an in-depth and up-close educational experience with Black Bears. You will receive your own copy of the award-winning Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide as well as lessons & activities to integrate bear🐻lessons into your teaching. You'll learn about Black bear physiology, biology, & management in Pennsylvania. How the PGC handles nuisance bears and research trapping efforts will be discussed as well as the reasons for tagging and relocating Black Bears in the Commonwealth.

Although not guaranteed, all efforts will be made to have at least one live Black Bear on site to be safely processed and tagged. Day 2 of the workshop includes a field trip to nearby PGC game lands to demonstrate trapping and snaring techniques. This workshop is targeted to grade levels 3-12. Register NOW by contacting Seth Mesoras, Information & Education Supervisor at smesoras@pa.gov or 724-238-9523. Register by Tuesday, June 28, 2022. 

Flying🐦WILD Educator Workshop

Thursday, June 30, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm

Online via Zoom by Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Dr., Suite 1, Erie, PA 16505

Act 48: 4.5 hrs.

Fee: $36.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required

Virtually join certified PA State Park Educators for an interactive, hands-on Flying WILD educator workshop! Flying WILD is designed for educators working with middle school students and provides fun and easy to use environmental education activities focused on celebrating birds 🐦. The fee includes your very own Flying WILD Educator’s Guide, as well as most of the materials needed to complete two Flying WILD activities, which will be completed together virtually. Register and pay by June 18, 2022. Materials cannot be shipped until registration and payment is completed. You will receive a link to join the workshop via ZOOM, the day before the program. This workshop is open to both formal and non-formal educators. Pre-registration is required. Register NOW. Questions? Call 814-833-7424 or email John Laskos, EES at Jlaskos@pa.gov.

Watershed💦Education Teacher Workshop

Wednesday, July 27 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm AND Thursday, July 28 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm; must attend both days

In-Person at Ohiopyle State Park, 124 Main St., Ohiopyle, PA 15470

Act 48: 9+ hrs.

Fee: $35.00 

This workshop is intended for 6-12 grade teachers & educators. We will delve into DCNR's Watershed Education (WE) curriculum, which explores all facets of Pennsylvania's watersheds and water basins. This two-day workshop will be offered for Act 48 hours. Participants must complete both days (July 27 & 28) of the training and a pre-assignment to receive hours. For information and to register contact Barbara Wallace, EES at 724-329-0986 or email bawallace@pa.gov.

WILD About Pollinators🌸Educator Workshop

Tuesday, August 2, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

In-Person at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center, 500 Kings Gap Road, Carlisle PA 17015

Fee: $28.00 payable in advance

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Join DCNR Kings Gap Environmental Education Staff to get WILD with Pennsylvania Pollinators, such as butterflies🦋, bees🐝, and hummingbirds! Pollinators are important for our ecosystem and for human survival. Use these exciting species to help you incorporate an environmental focus with science, social studies, language, music, art, and other subjects. During this workshop, participants will examine pollinators in the Kings Gap Native Plant garden, engage with live pollinators in their observation beehive, butterfly house, and as a part of community science, as well as exploring ways to help these species with hands-on projects. Project WILD provides wildlife-based conservation and environmental education activities that are hands-on, easy to use, and fun. Each participant will receive a Project Wild K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide plus additional teaching materials. Open to formal and non-formal educators.

Includes:

• Lunch in the Kings Gap Mansion dining room
• Project Wild K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide
• Additional Resources

Pre-registration required by July 22. To Register or have questions, contact KingsGapSP@pa.gov or 717-486-5031.

GO Teach: GPS 101 Educator Workshop 🧭

Thursday, August 4, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Cowans Gap State Park, 6235 Aughwick Road, Fort Loudon, PA 17224

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $20.00 payable in advance; pre-registration by July 21, 2022 is required

Go Teach is a series of teacher workshops that focus on cross-curricular connections linked by common outdoor recreation. This workshop presents a set of standards based cross-curricular lessons that enable middle and high school students to learn about global positioning system (GPS) technology and how to use it for healthy lifelong recreation.

As a part of the workshop, teachers will receive:

• Lesson plans
• ACT 48 hours
• Access to loaner equipment to help facilitate the lessons on their school grounds.

Pre-registration is required by July 21, 2022. Register NOW online or call the Cowans Gap State Park Office at (717) 485-3948. Space is limited, register early. If you have questions or need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact George Barner, EES at 717-485-3948 or Ra-nrspcogaee@pa.gov.

Flying🐦WILD Educator Workshop

Saturday, September 17, 7:30 am - 2:30 pm

In-Person at Pymatuning State Park, 2660 Williamsfield Road, Jamestown, PA 16134

Act 48: 6.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required

Join certified PA State Park Educators for an interactive, hands-on Flying WILD educator workshop at Pymatuning State Park! Flying WILD is designed for educators working with middle school students and provides fun and easy to use environmental education activities focused on celebrating birds 🐦. Activities address Pennsylvania state and national science standards and complement many concepts presented in Project WILD and Project WILD Aquatic curricula. Workshop highlights include taking part in a PA Game Commission duck banding field experience, a live birds of prey program presented by Tamarack Wildlife Center, 6.5 Act 48 hours, and a Flying Wild Curriculum book. This workshop is open to both formal and non-formal educators. Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Emily Borcz, EES at eborcz@pa.gov or 724-932-3142 ext. 106.

Applied Growing Up WILD: Take Me Outside Educator Training

Saturday, September 17, 2022, 10:00 am – 2:30 pm 

In-Person at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, 3025 New Holland Road, Reading, PA 19607

Act 48: 4 hrs. 

Fee: FREE!; pre-registration is required

Join Nolde Forest Education staff as we share techniques for teaching young children about the natural🌱world. Participants will learn outdoors through hands on instruction as we model best practices for teaching outside while considering the safety of both students & living things. We will also share lesson resources from the Growing Up WILD (GUW) Curriculum guide filled with integrated thematic units for students in grades PreK-2 that focus on teaching both inside and outside the classroom. All educators welcome – pre-service students, non-formal educators, and classroom teachers alike! Register NOW. Questions? Contact Sarah Presogna, EES Supervisor at spresogna@pa.gov.

Project🐰WILD Educator Workshop

Saturday, October 15, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm

In-Person at PA State Parks Region 2 Office, 195 Park Road, Prospect PA 16052

Act 48: 7.5 hrs. (includes 2 hrs. pre-workshop activities)

Fee: $20.00 payable in advance.

Project Wild is a hands-on, wildlife-focused conservation education curriculum designed for educators working with students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade. This workshop is open to all educators, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders and others! Earn 7.5 Act 48 hours with 2 hours of at-home activities before the workshop and 5.5 hours of in classroom instruction while experiencing hands-on activities near the shores of Lake Arthur. Participants will explore and receive the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide. Pack a lunch and dress for the weather, as we will be outside for part of the time. Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Environmental Education Specialist Mike Shaffer at mishaffer@pa.gov or call 724-368-8811.

Project 🦊WILD Educator Workshop

Saturday, October 22, 2022, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm

In-Person at Bald Eagle State Park, 149 Main Park Rd. Howard, PA 16841

Act 48: 4.5 hrs.

Fee: $10.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required. 

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary environmental education curriculum which focuses on wildlife. This workshop is open to all educators who work with students from grades K-12, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders, and others! Earn 4.5 Act 48 hours while experiencing hands-on activities related to wildlife that help develop awareness, skills, and knowledge resulting in informed decisions and responsible behavior regarding wildlife and the environment. Participants will receive the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide which offers STEM activity extensions, field investigation activities, a WILD WORK career section, and Outdoor Components. Registration for this workshop is limited & is required by Saturday, October 15. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Michelle Smithbauer, Environmental Education Specialist at msmithbaue@pa.gov or 814-625-9369.

Section 3:

Upcoming Courses & Conferences for Educators

Project WILD’s Climate & Wildlife Online, Asynchronous Educator Professional Development Course

Time commitment: ~6 hrs.

Course Launches: June 15

Complete online course by: June 30

Fee: FREE!

The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) & Project WILD will soon launch Climate & Wildlife Online. They are seeking formal & non-formal educators who teach middle - high school students to review the course and provide feedback. The course is designed to help educators integrate climate change, wildlife, & climate adaptation into their curriculum or out-of-school programming. In order to receive a certificate of completion, participating educators will need to complete the final feedback form by June 30, 2022. Registration is free. To sign up, click the registration link, scan the QR code, or go to www.projectwild.org.

~CONFERENCES~

Summer Institute for Climate Change Education: Finding Our Collective Strength - a Virtual Conference

July 18 - July 19, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

PA cohort in-person at Communitopia & Carnegie Museum of Natural History on July 20, 2022

Virtual via Zoom

Act 48: 20 hours of CE; graduate credit available through Hamline University

Fee: $250.00

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office is leading a cohort of Mid-Atlantic educators in the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education, hosted by Climate Generation in partnership with NOAA’s Climate Program. Gain the skills, tools, and resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas, and receive on-going support throughout the year. This year’s theme, “Finding our Collective Strength”, centers the Institute on building the collective strength to inspire hope and action in our communities while connecting you to an engaged and authentic network of educators from across North America. Scholarships are available. Register NOW.

Virtual Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Education CONVENING (MACCEC)

Tuesday, July 26, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EST

Virtual via Zoom

Fee: FREE!

Join educators from throughout the Mid-Atlantic in a 1-day virtual convening focused on climate change education. This one-day event will bring together examples of education and outreach happening across our region focused on climate change action. Join a community of educators for an inspiring day of learning and looking to the future as we all share what needs to happen to move forward on climate change action. Space is limited. Register - www.maccec.org/registration. Organized & sponsored by NOAA, Sea Grant, Maryland DNR, & the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserves.

Taking a hike 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ this summer? Be prepared. Review these suggestions for what to pack in your hiking backpack -from the PA Parks & Forestry Foundation (PPFF).

Keeping Kids in Motion!

Improve balance, mind-body connections, & more by focusing on outdoor-based vestibular activities for kids. 

With it's everchanging terrain, uneven surfaces, and open space, Nature offers endless opportunities to use your vestibular system. The vestibular system provides information on how we move our body in space, assists with balance, spatial awareness, postural control, and the ability to stabilize your head when looking at objects. Be sure to teach safety awareness and risk assessment for all of these activities.

Ideas for Utilizing Nature to Challenge Your Vestibular System:

1. Climb a Rope Ladder! Challenge your postural control & dynamic balance skills.
2. Swing in a Tree or hang from a tree branch 🌿- safely hang, swing, jump off, & pull back up.
3. Balance on a log or tree branch - make a quick balance beam or see how many tree trunks/branches you can balance on.
4. Roll or somersault 🤸‍♀️down a hill.
5. Swing in a Hammock - Lie on your stomach or back and then sit up, rock side-to-side, fast, slow, etc.
6. Jump off of Stumps: How far, how fast, how slow, how soft, and how hard can you land? Slide/Scoot Down a hill or slope - this is fun to do on a piece of cardboard!
7. Lie on your stomach or straddle a log to reach for objects, throw balls, bean bags, or pine cones.
8. DIY Balance Board - find two pieces of wood and make a balance board.

Learn more about Vestibular Activities with kids. 

-Infographic & list is from Coastal Connections Occupational Therapy on social media @coastalconnectionsOT 

Section 5:

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEI efforts-

Honor Juneteenth

"When American schoolchildren learn about chattel slavery in the US, they’re often told it ended with Abraham Lincoln’s signature on the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. 

But, as late as June 19, 1865, enslaved people in Texas were still held in bondage. On that date, Federal troops entered the state and began to punish slave holders and former confederates who refused to obey the law." 

• Why All Americans Should Honor Juneteenth video (7:12 min)
• Teaching About Juneteenth - FREE Lesson Plans, discussion prompts, & more -from Educators 4 Social Change

It's PRIDE MONTH! 

• 8 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month With Kids  
• Resources to celebrate pride & LGBTQ+ history in the classroom -from Nearpod
• Teaching About PRIDE Month - FREE Lesson Plans, Articles, & more -from Educators 4 Social Change

Art🎨Partnerships Engage Schools In Project To Make State Parks More Welcoming To All

PA State Parks is offering a new diversity, equity, and inclusion partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) that is connecting students with local artists to create and display art at three state parks. 

The program is occurring at the following locations:

• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (Northampton County) worked with ArtsQuest & the Donegan Elementary School to bring in textile artist Mallory Zondag who led students through the creation of a fiber living wall;
• Bald Eagle State Park (Centre County) worked with Galaxy/Intermediate Unit 10 & the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School to partner with artist Lynn Anne Verbeck who facilitated the creation of student-designed murals & sculptures;
• Presque Isle State Park (Erie County) partnered with Erie Arts & Culture and folk artist Gyan Ghising who led the students at Edison Elementary School through a storytelling & folklore residency.
• A 4^th program is being planned at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center (Cumberland County) for the 2022-23 school year.

“We are excited to utilize our Arts in Education and Folk and Traditional Arts partnerships to help create opportunities for students to engage in a variety of creative artforms while experiencing our commonwealth’s parks,” said Karl Blischke, PCA Executive Director.

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) strives to build a stronger future for students and professionals in agriculture, natural resources, and related science fields. 

Do you know students (grades 7-12), recent grads, or professionals who may benefit from connecting with a welcoming community of diverse backgrounds and perspectives? Check out MANRRS for more info!

Are you or someone you know looking for a year-round or seasonal job?

PA State Parks is hiring! From Resource Rangers to Maintenance⛑ to Life Guards🏊 and more! This list is constantly updated. The link is sorted to DCNR jobs. Clear or change the filter to see other jobs in the Commonwealth. Subscribe Now to the Commonwealth of PA's Job Alerts for positions in state agencies (including DCNR).

Book your virtual, in-person programs, and field experiences with PA State Park Education staff now! Find a PA State Park. Need help connecting to a PA State Park with an Educator on staff? Reach out to Carissa Longo at calongo@pa.gov.

DCNR facilities and Programs are OPEN with social distancing encouraged:

• Many Environmental Education programs require pre-registration. Explore the DCNR events calendar for details and to register.
• Plan your outing before you leave. Learn about facilities, download a park map, and review regulations here: Find park pages here
• Take care of & respect the resource. Park, hike, picnic, launch your kayak, hunt, & more only in designated areas.
• Check the weather before you depart, wear proper footwear, dress in layers, and bring water with you.
• Wear orange if hiking in designated hunting areas.
• Download before you leave or carry a park map with you!
• Please do not litter 🚮.
• Alcohol is not allowed in PA State Parks.
• Make a reservation at a PA State Park Campground, Camping Cottage, Cabin, or Yurt. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance.

You can help keep state parks safe for all by following these practices:

• Use the restroom before you leave your house 🏡
• Bring a bag and either carry out your trash or dispose of it properly
• Stay on marked trails
• Clean up after pets 🐕

• Continue to practice social distancing (stay >6' apart)
• Take hand sanitizer with you and use it regularly
•  Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose
• If you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick, stay home

Happy Pride Month & Happy Start of Summer 🏊!

Carissa Longo, Environmental Education Program Coordinator

&

Christine Ticehurst, Recreation and Interpretation Coordinator