The 2025 Kansas Environmental Education Conference was held at the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden and the Sunflower Nonprofit Center in Topeka, Kansas Monday, November 3rd and Tuesday, November 4th. Welcoming over 115 attendees from all over Kansas, this year's conference was the most well-attended in recent years.

With a theme of "EE is the Answer" the conference keynote speakers and session presenters spoke to the power of environmental education to counter the negative effects of too much time spent indoors and looking at the screens on our devices.

The opening night at the Japanese Garden featured an inspiring and informative keynote by Dr. Jennifer Smith, professor at Kansas State University whose primary research interest is how technology is impacting the psychology of intimate relationships and contributing to the epidemic of loneliness.

From her keynote description: "Today’s youth are growing up in a world filled with digital overload, constant comparison, and increasing mental health challenges. At KACEE’s 2025 Conference, we’ll explore how environmental education and time in nature can offer a powerful counterbalance—building resilience, curiosity, and calm. Join us for a keynote, presented by Dr. Jennifer Smith, on The Anxious Generation, followed by a reflective and restorative experience in the Topeka Zoo’s Japanese Garden, where we’ll reconnect with the natural world and discover simple, meaningful ways to help our students (and ourselves) breathe a little easier."

Following dinner, attendees got to engage in a rejuvenating keynote with Dr. Sarah Aptilon and Koji Morimoto, the designer of the Kay McFarland Japanese Garden, with "Making Space for the Unknown: Zen Meditation Workshop". Mr. Morimoto answered questions from attendees about the meanings behind elements featured in the Japanese garden, and Dr. Aptilon led a five minute guided meditation that had everyone feeling calmer and more centered before wrapping up the evening and preparing for the next day's sessions at the Sunflower Nonprofit Center.

KACEE was honored to welcome 30 students from the Garden City High School Green Club and their teachers to the conference. The students were able to travel to Topeka and attend the two-day conference in part thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts.

Tuesday sessions were held at the Sunflower Nonprofit Center, offering state-of-the-art meeting and conference space, an environment that promotes collaborative learning and partnerships, and additional resources that support the needs of nonprofits, charitable organizations, and public agencies whose work aligns with the foundation’s mission: To serve as a catalyst for improving the health of all Kansans.

On Tuesday there were nine sessions and two workshops that attendees could choose from to explore how environmental education addresses student well-being, academic engagement, and climate resilience, among other related topics. Sessions included outdoor learning strategies, school-garden programs, native habitat projects, and mindfulness in nature. The day's sessions all incorporated emotional and social dimensions in some way—such as youth anxiety, accessibility in parks & recreation, and cultivating hope in the face of climate change. "Growing Together—How Green Schools Can Support Student Wellness, Learning, and Leadership" even featured students from Wichita Collegiate's Green Team!

THANK YOU to our 2025 Conference Sponsors:

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas

Kansas Association of Conservation Districts

Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks

Kansas Forest Service

Kansas Department of Agriculture

BranchPattern

Franklin County Conservation District

Acorn Naturalists

Greenwood Consulting Group, LLC

ITC Great Plains

Kansas Association of Conservation Districts

Wilson County Conservation District

Butler County Conservation District