The 8th Annual Cortland Educators’ Conference Goes Green

On Saturday March 14, 2009, I attended the 8th annual educators conference sponsored by area teacher centers held at Homer High School. This conference for area educators with the theme, “It’s Easy Being Green”, was planned by Bonnie Calzolaio (Cortland/McGraw/Homer Teacher Center), Bobbi Krout (Dryden Teacher Center) and Pat Rice (Cincinnatus Teacher Center). I'd like to thank them for putting together a great opportunity for area educators.

I just thought I’d highlight a few of the sessions to share what “green things” area teachers are doing and some of what they learned about by attending the conference.

The conference kicked off with a keynote “Its Imperative to Go Green!” by Kurt Schmidt, Cincinnatus High School Science Teacher. Kurt has been awarded the New York State Environmental Educator of the Year, and is well known in the area.

Below are a few of the green workshops the area teachers attended:
- Kurt Schmidt, Cincinnatus HS Science Teacher - “You Can’t Spell SUSTAINABLE without US”
- Penny James: Doctoral Candidate, North Carolina State University - “The Changing Nature of Childhood”
- John Steedle, Homer HS architecture teacher - “Schools of the Future: What a Green School Might Look Like”
- Karl Klein, Onondaga Community College – “Green Jobs for the 21st Century”
- Beth Klein, SUNY Cortland, and John Pinto NYSERDA Teacher Trainer – “Reducing your Carbon Footprint, What You, Your Students and School Can Do!”
- Jennifer Fee, Cornell Lab of Ornithology – “Going Global: Exploring Biodiversity on your School Yard and Beyond”
- Jeanne Stevens & Karen Shirley, Reading Teachers – From Truffula Trees to Kapok Trees”
- Elaine Norris, Master Gardener volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension, had a display on school gardening and provided information about the assistance she and the Cornell Cooperative can offer schools.