Project GREEN 2025
May 28th and 29th, 2025. 8:00-3:30
Project GREEN 2025 Summit Recap
7th annual Teacher Conference Recap: May 28–29, 2025
Over two engaging days, educators gathered in Boise to collaborate, learn, and explore ways to empower students through environmental education, science, and sustainability initiatives.
Day 1 at Maple Grove Elementary opened with registration and a warm welcome from conference organizers. Attendees were introduced to the 2025 work plan and opportunities for NNU credit. Brief presentations followed, highlighting teacher sustainability grants and success stories such as the “Pocket Pollinator Gardens” project. A motivating message titled “Empowered” set the tone for the day.
The keynote address, “Thriving in spite of,” was delivered by Dr. Cecelia Gillam from Benjamin Franklin High School. Her insights on resilience and education inspired the audience to reflect on their own classroom practices.
Later in the morning, Amanda Reed and Lisa Young led a session on empowering youth voices in advocating for local clean energy policies. The morning concluded with the presentation of the IdEEA Award by Alex Brooks, recognizing excellence in environmental education.
Lunch was sponsored by SustainingUS and provided an opportunity for informal networking in the school’s hallways and courtyard. In the afternoon, Misha Smith and Crystal Davidson guided participants through a hands-on session focused on helping students think like scientists during outdoor learning experiences.
The day closed with “Break-in Conversations,” where educators joined small, level-specific discussion groups to exchange ideas and brainstorm solutions. Final announcements included logistics for the next day’s field-based sessions at the Boise WaterShed.
Day 2 at the Boise WaterShed and Boise River began with informal networking over coffee, followed by a unique hands-on experience in the WaterShed Exhibit Hall led by Arabelle Britton. Attendees explored educational displays and reflected on ways to connect exhibits to classroom learning. A quick success story from Star Middle School and a session on youth climate engagement with Alex Brooks added to the morning’s momentum.
The mid-morning breakout sessions allowed educators to choose from several interactive workshops. Topics included storytelling through climate education, water science curricula, nature-based play, GIS-focused watershed exploration, and lessons from the Confluence Project on local groundwater.
After lunch, participants toured the West Boise Water Renewal Facility, learning how the city manages water quality. The conference concluded with a field trip along the Boise River, where attendees examined how city programs are maintaining the river’s health. The final wrap-up included discussion of classroom grant opportunities and an introduction to the Project GREEN network, with time for educators to reflect on the topics that inspired them most over the two days.
This two-day experience blended professional development with meaningful, place-based exploration—reinforcing the power of community, collaboration, and hands-on learning in building the future of environmental education.
Special thanks to Keynote Speaker- Cecelia Gillam
Dr. Cecelia Gillam is a native of New Orleans who has earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University of Hammond. Dr. Gillam has been a Science teacher for nineteen years. She has helped write science district curriculum and assessments for Environmental Science. Recently, she has become an advocate for the National Equity Project by being selected as a board member for the Black Teacher Project. She is a certified coach for Pear Deck, EdPuzzle, and Screencastify. She is also a Distinguished Modern Classroom Educator and Expert Mentor for Modern Classroom. Cecelia is a Teacher Leader Advisor in EdTech content for the Louisiana Department of Education. She serves as an ambassador for EcoRise. She has attended and presented at multiple national conferences including ISTE and NSTA to train teachers on how to incorporate EdTech tools in their classrooms. Cecelia created a step team to engage at-risk youth in a positive community service-based organization. She has published a motivational children’s book that can be found on Amazon. The book is Black Girl, Black Girl you are AMAZING!. She is a National Grand Prize Winner for the Shell Lab Grant and a recent recipient of the Shell Urban Educator Development award. Dr. Gillam comes with a wealth of knowledge that can benefit all science teachers across the nation. She has served as an Affinity Group Leader for the State of Louisiana with the goal of helping to retain and preserve new science teachers. Her knowledge and skill sets will be very beneficial for the science community.
Thank You 2024 Sponsors and Partners!
Thanks to our 2025 Sponsors and Partners. The success of the Project GREEN summit is made possible by all the support we get from our sponsors and partners. Project GREEN is also grateful to the committee members who help plan this event every year, making sure we stay relevant and fulfill our mission. THANK YOU sponsors, partners and committee members!
