KAEE Outdoor Photography Contest

As Environmental Educators, we are continually striving to reconnect people with nature and get outdoors!  What better way to do this than by going outside to take pictures of nature and all the wonders it holds in store for us?  Show your love of Kentucky nature by taking part in the 2012 KAEE Outdoor Photography Contest, sponsored in part by Outdoor Photo Gear.  For contest details, please visit our website at www.kaee.org/photography-contest.

Deadline August 15, 2012.

 

The 2012 KAEE Photography Contest is open to all photographers who have submitted a complete registration form and entrance fee. If under 18, a signed permission form from a parent or legal guardian must be included. Contest Judges will be excluded from the contest.

 Outdoor Photo Gear is a Kentucky based retailer of gear designed for the outdoor enthusiast. You can find them on the web at www.outdoorphotogear.com, and you can visit their showroom in Louisville. Their toll-free number is 866-810-2456

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category. An overall grand prize winner will also be selected. Winning photographs will be displayed on the KAEE website.

Grand Prize: $150 Cash

What To Enter

Photographs will be judged in the following 3 categories:

1. Nature, Landscapes and Wildlife

2. Kentucky Nature, Landscapes and Wildlife

3. Environmental Education in Action

*Only digital submissions will be accepted

*Manipulation of images should be limited to conventional darkroom techniques or basic sharpening, cropping and removal of dust spots. Images should contain only the original subject matter as seen through the viewfinder.



An entrant must hold all rights to a photograph. Photos previously published or pending publication or that violate or infringe upon another person’s copyright, are not eligible.

How To Enter

To enter, please fill out the submission form here. Upload your photos using this form. Entrance fees can be paid online via credit card or by check.

Entry Fee: $5 per submission for KAEE Members, $10 per submission for Non-Members

 Pay online or send entry fee and make check payable to:

KAEE
PO Box 17494
Louisville, KY 40217
 

Entrants may submit a maximum of five (5) photos per category.

First, second, and third places will be chosen from each category. The Grand Prize winner will be picked from the 1st place winners. Judging will take place during August. Winners will be announced at the KAEE conference at the Lake Cumberland State Park on September 15, 2012. You do not have to be present to win.

 

KAEE Early Bird Conference Registration Now Open!

Join us this September for the first Southeast Environmental Education Conference to be held in conjunction with KAEE’s 36th Annual Conference September 14-15, 2012 at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Early Bird Conference Registration is Open! Check out the Conference Registration Brochure As environmental educators, our goal is to enable students to make their own informed decisions about important environmental issues. In a sense, we are teaching how to think, not what to think. This difficult balancing act inspired the theme for KAEE’s 36th annual conference: “Creating Balance”. Join us for a fun-filled conference and networking opportunity. We will continue our family-friendly activities this year so bring the whole crew! Children will be able to participate in hands-on presentations geared just for them. Following a full day of concurrent sessions, onsite and offsite workshops and networking time on Friday, we will host a locally-catered dinner followed by live music from artist Jim Scott. And you won’t want to miss KAEE’s live auction for great deals on locally made artwork, EE curricula, books and more! Saturday, we will host our annual awards luncheon, announcing our Oustanding EE awards. Our keynote speaker will be Tim Farmer, native Kentuckian and long time host of Kentucky Afield, the outdoor tv series. Rooms are being held for $64.95 a night and cabins at $129.90 a night. Be sure to make your reservations soon! To save money and practice sustainability, consider staying at the campground for $22.00 a night. For more information about Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, please visit: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/lake-cumberland/default.aspx

A Heartfelt Thank You...

A thank you to those of you who reached out to tornado victim Amanda Patrick, one of our KAEE members:

Please accept big hugs and immense heartfelt gratitude, first and foremost, with this message…

As some many have unselfishly given of their time, energy, support and resources to help me during one of the darkest times of my life, along with this note of thanks, I wanted to go a step beyond to send a quick update on how I am doing and how your support has made such a difference…  It’s also a chance for me to try and find the adequate words to express my gratitude as nothing truly seems to even come close to conveying all that I feel.  I will, though, give it my best as my heart overflows with such heartfelt gratitude, hope, faith and love via your altruism…

When the storm struck, it was the furthest thing from my mind in knowing that I would not only lose my home but that 7 neighbors and friends would not make it out.  That has been the tear on my soul.  I remember sleeping through hundreds of warnings back home in KY too but never got up, always thinking it would simply pass me by.  For whatever reason, though, I got up that night as the siren woke me up about 5 minutes before.  I checked my weather.com app on my phone, saw a flood of warnings and watches and decided to play it safe and go to the tub.  Before getting in there, though, I called my neighbor and colleague, Donna, as they always watched out for me and worried about me.  I got in, and things went by so quick.  After it came through, I called my parents as I crawled out of the tub I took refuge in (home was crushed by a beam from across the street; however, it stopped the house from flying away and left the roof in place to protect me as the bathroom wall blew out and provided a perfect pocket of protection on the ground as I remained in the tub). 

I struggle with the guilt of knowing that I walked out and others did not.  Though I had met some while others I had not, we were a tight-knit bunch, and we all watched out for one another.  Having officially moved in mid-December 2011, I had been welcomed my first night at home by a sweet lady named Ms. Lynda.  I will always remember her bubbly smile and the yummy homemade pumpkin pie she brought me as she extended our her arms for a hug, welcoming me to Brady Street.  During her funeral, every one of her family remarked to me, “Oh you are the Forest Service girl.  She worried about you being all alone and away from home.  She loved you.”  My neighbor and coworker, Donna, and her husband Randy, took special care of watching over me, checking on me, inviting me to supper, picking up packages during the holidays as they knew I was out of town.  The very day before the storm, Donna had talked with me at work about retirement.  Being a breast cancer survivor, and Randy battling lung cancer, she wanted to retire as she said “I don’t know how much time we have  left together, and I want to spend every moment I can with him.”  To this day and each day forward, I hold tight to such stories but also process the pain that comes with knowing that some of the most gracious and kind people I know never had a chance.

One of the most comforting parts of the overall healing process is that I have become close to so many families who lost loved ones on my little street, and that helps me to talk through and process so much as every one of them have been there for me and have reminded me to keep moving forward and to know that God has a plan.  We’ve become a tight-knit group, and for those who survived, we all plan to return once our duplexes are rebuilt (construction starts today, 4/3/12).  I am better moment by moment, and I can honestly say that were it not for the kindness, altruism, support and love from family, friends, kindred spirits and family within my EE world, and my U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service family members, I would not be making it.  Y’all have been a spark of hope, love and light during this dark period, and I firmly believe, faith and hope in hand, that better days ARE ahead. 

So, for today, I am working to assemble my temporary apartment into order.  I was blessed to find a place about 7 miles north of Harrisburg in Raleigh, IL.  The people who own the apartment live on a farm, and they are truly wonderful people.  I am adjusting to night noises and critter sounds rather than cards, neighbors and other noises that come via living in town, but I am slowly but surely becoming a country girl.  J  Momma and Dad have what we could salvage back home, and once my new duplex is ready for move in, hopefully by late 2012 or sooner, we’ll begin the process of moving back.  So many lessons in all of this, such as my will needing to take more of a back seat to that of God’s (stubborn planner/type A of a soul), it is okay to not know what lies ahead but more so to enjoy the ride, learn to appreciate the simplest of joys and never try to worry…  Learning to accept help has been a HUGE lesson too as many of you know that is a weakness for me.  So I have definitely learned from that one in particular, and in looking back thus far, I will always and forever be grateful for the love and kindness shown for were it not for you and your prayers, calls, texts, etc, I would not be here.  You’ve lived out such gracious and unselfish love in being there for me as you have, and though my words seem to fall short, please know that for each moment I am blessed to have, I will spend it living out the love shown to be, ever and always paying it forward. 

I apologize too for being so out of pocket via missed phone calls and texts.  I am normally on top of things so much more but tend to go nonstop each day between work and reassembling my personal life.  Please know how much each have meant to me, though.  I’ve saved so many, listening to them over and over, holding tight to the love shown…

I am always here if you need me, and I pray daily for your health and happiness, hoping that God keep you and yours close and that He blesses you more than you could ever imagine…  Thank you for all you’ve done to help during this moment in my life, and please know that I am always here if you need me…

Much love and heartfelt gratitude, today and always,
Amanda

KAEE’s 36th Annual Conference Call for Proposals

Theme: Creating Balance

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park

September 14-15, 2012

As environmental educators, we take a non-advocacy stance on environmental issues because our goal is to educate others and teach them how to think, not what to think. This difficult balancing act inspired the theme for KAEE’s 36th annual conference: “Creating Balance”. The Call for Proposals has officially opened and an online submission form can be found here. Please feel free to pass this on to other people if you’d like them to submit a proposal for our review. We’re always happy to hear from new people who are interested in the many sides of environmental education! Proposals are due by April 15, 2012 Guidelines for Proposals ·         Friday and Saturday Concurrent Sessions may be provided in a variety of ways including lecture, audio- visual presentations, activities, hands-on learning, experiments, discussion, and field work. ·         Connections with Kentucky Core Content and/or Program of Studies, national standards, and North American Association for Environmental Education standards are strongly encouraged. ·         If you are requesting payment or reimbursement of any fees, you must include this information in your proposal. ·         All proposals must be submitted using the 'Call for Presentations' form provided by KAEE. Electronic submissions are preferred. ·         Presenters must register for the conference in the category that best fits them (professional, student, retired, etc). ·         Proposals are peer-reviewed. Notification of acceptance or rejection will be directed to primary contacts. ·         Environmental education often has strong connections to social and economic issues.  If applicable, please provide information on the social and/or economic connections included in your presentation.  These connections may be a central or peripheral part of your proposed session. Session Format Preference: 45 minute traditional presentation - This time frame is most suitable for a 30-minute presentation, followed by 15 minutes for discussion and questions, although this may vary.  Note: In some instances, 45-minute panels may be formed comprised of two or three proposals on a similar topic. 90 minute hands-on presentation - Most suitable for hands-on sessions that deal with a single topic or program, in an interactive setting where participants can have an open discussion with the presenter. Not intended as a lecture. Forums or panel discussions with an interactive component are also suitable. 3 hours or 6 hours - This time frame is most suitable for hands-on sessions that will be conducted on-site or off-site. These sessions may also require time to travel to an off-site location. Family Activity (45 minutes) – Sessions for children will be scheduled on Saturday.  Activities should be as interactive and hands-on as possible.  Conference Strands: Environmental Education in Practice - These sessions will focus on the knowledge and skills that combine to bring excellence to the field of environmental education. We're looking for innovative learning strategies, professional development opportunities, new directions and research in EE, and unique methods of making learning about the environment relevant to adults, students, and teachers. Environmental Literacy - We're looking for sessions to give participants an in-depth look at content related to environmental issues and topics. This strand will give in-depth background information on your topic. For example, sessions may explain the science behind wetlands, discuss environmental health in Kentucky, offer instruction on how to identify trees, or investigate sustainability. Journey into EE - This strand is designed for those who are just starting their career, or those who want to learn more. Appropriate sessions will include the concepts of EE, such as alignment to state and national standards, environmental education ethics, assessment, and new ways to present material.

Light & Color in the Winter Sky

Submitted by Roberta Burnes, KAEE Vice President

Photo: Circumzenithal arc

Winter is the perfect time to watch the skies – and not just at night.  To be sure, the cooler drier air this time of year does make for clearer skies at night.  But I’m talking about daytime sky watching, and in the winter this means atmospheric phenomena.

I’m something of an atmospheric phenomena geek.  I actually have a “life list” of atmospheric effects I’ve witnessed, from double rainbows to sun pillars, and rarer phenomena like glories and circumzenithal arcs.  Once you know what to look for and when to look for it, you start noticing things that others rarely see – and some of it is pretty amazing.

Atmospheric light shows happen all the time.  Think of the colors you see at sunset, or the way sunlight creates those convergent rays when peeking through clouds (those are called crepuscular rays).  Chances are, you’ve seen many of these effects and wondered what caused them.  It generally comes down to one or more of the following properties of light: reflection, refraction, diffraction, and scattering.

People have written whole books about this topic and I’m not going to go too deeply into the physics of it here, but in case you’re interested I recommend Robert Greenler’s fine book Rainbows, Halos, and Glories.  There are several great websites on this too, including http://www.weatherscapes.com/ . 

Atmospheric phenomena can happen anytime of the year, day or night, but wintertime can be especially good for glimpsing ice crystal effects like halos, arcs, and sundogs.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Ice crystal halos

Halos are large, white rings of light that partially or completely encircle the sun or moon.  Haloes are caused by sunlight refracting through specific shapes of ice crystals in the upper atmosphere.  When you see a halo, chances are it will be located 22 degrees away from the sun or moon in any direction.  If you hold your fist at arm’s length and extend your thumb and pinky, the span between thumb and pinky will be just a bit more than 22 degrees.  The 22 degree halo is very common and can be seen practically anytime there are high altitude cirrus clouds in the sky near the sun or moon. 

Sundogs

Sundogs are very common and resemble bright spots of light about 22 degrees away from the sun on either side.  Sometimes you’ll see concentrated rainbow colors in sundogs, with red on the side closest to the sun and blue on the outside.  They occur most often when the sun is low in the sky, and are frequently associated with halos.

Sundogs form as sunlight is refracted by hexagonal plate-shaped ice crystals that have their flat faces horizontally oriented with respect to the viewer.  The ice crystals act like prisms, bending sunlight to create the effect.  A similar phenomenon can happen at night with the full or nearly full moon, called a moondog.

Circumzenithal Arc

As its name suggests, this delicate arc of rainbow-colored light appears to partially encircle the zenith – the overhead point in the sky.  It is one of the most overlooked atmospheric phenomena, mainly because one must look very high in the daytime sky to see it. 

The same milky white cirrus clouds associated with halos and sundogs often create circumzenithal arcs.  The sun must be less than 32 degrees in elevation to see them.  I always make a habit of looking up when I go outside, covering the sun with my hand to prevent glare and looking high overhead for this beautiful arc.

Keep Looking Up!

All of these phenomena can be seen year-round in the daytime sky if conditions are right.  Hopefully I’ve enticed you to keep your eye on the sky so that you, too, can enjoy nature’s light show.

Kentucky School Districts to be Recognized for Energy-saving Initiatives

PRESS RELEASE

Date: January 31, 2012

Contact:

Chris Wooton

KEEPS – Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program for Schools

(502) 852-2275

chris.wooton@louisville.edu

www.kppc.org/KEEPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program for Schools (KEEPS) will host an awards banquet to recognize 47 Kentucky school districts that have created successful energy-saving initiatives since January 2011. The banquet will be held Friday, February 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Spirit Room at the KFC YUM! Center and will coincide with the Kentucky School Boards Association’s annual conference. KEEPS Stewardship, Champion and Leadership awards will be presented to school district superintendents, energy managers and board members. Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters and University of Louisville J.B. Speed School of Engineering Dean Dr. Neville Pinto are the keynote speakers for the event.

KEEPS is an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-funded program that provides training, online resources and technical assistance to help Kentucky school districts reduce operational costs through improved energy performance. It is a free, non-regulatory program, which is administered by the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center (KPPC) at the University of Louisville J.B. Speed School of Engineering.

As participants in the KEEPS program, Kentucky school districts develop energy management programs based on the U.S. EPA Energy Star seven-step energy management process. KEEPS awards are presented to school districts that reach program development and energy performance milestones throughout the process.

The event will also formally introduce the 2011 KEEPS Status Report, which provides an overview of the free and non-regulatory services that KEEPS offers to school districts, summarizes program activities and achievements to date, and highlights the energy use reduction of 71,869 MMBtu and avoided energy costs of more than $4.5 million through best energy management practices implemented by the districts in fiscal year 2011. The KEEPS Status Report is available to download on the KEEPS website, www.kppc.org/KEEPS.

"Kentucky's school districts are setting the national standard for energy efficiency,” said KPPC Executive Director Cam Metcalf. “The investment of time and effort that these school districts commit to their energy management programs pays off in terms of providing a better learning environment for our students and teachers as well as cost savings for the taxpayers who support our educational system.”

Representatives from the media who are interested in attending the KEEPS Awards Banquet should contact Chris Wooton at (502) 852-2275 or chris.wooton@louisville.edu.

KAEE’s 36th Annual Conference

This year’s conference will take place at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park in Jamestown, KY.  As environmental educators, we take a non-advocacy stance on environmental issues because our goal is to educate others and teach them how to think, not what to think.  This difficult balancing act inspired the theme for KAEE’s 36^th annual conference: “Creating a Balance”.

Join us Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15 for a fun-filled conference and networking opportunity. We will continue our family-friendly activities this year so bring the whole crew!  Children will be able to participate in hands-on presentations geared just for them.

Following a full day of concurrent sessions, onsite and offsite workshops and networking time on Friday, we will head over to the Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery.  We will host a locally-catered dinner followed by live music from nationally-acclaimed singer-songwriter Jim Scott.  An exciting acoustic guitarist, singer, and composer of powerful music that furthers the ideals of ecology, justice, and peace, Jim makes an impact on hearts and minds across the world.  Find out more about him at www.jimscottmusic.com . After the concert, you won’t want to miss KAEE’s live auction for great deals on locally made artwork, EE curricula, books and more! 

Rooms and cabins are being held for $64.95 a night.  Be sure to make your reservations soon!  To save money and practice sustainability, consider staying at the campground for $22.00 a night.  Early Bird conference registration will open June 15^th.  For more information about Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, please visit: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/lake-cumberland/default.aspx

The Call for Proposals has officially opened and an online submission form can be found on our website: http://kaee.org/conference/call-for-proposals.  Please feel free to share this link with others if you'd like them to submit a proposal for our review. We're always interested in hearing from new presenters about the many facets of environmental education.