ANNUAL STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2026

Conference Theme: Stronger Together

Date: May 1-3, 2026

Location: SCICON, the Outdoor School of Science and Conservation operated by Tulare County Office of Education

Address: 41569 Bear Creek Dr, Springville, CA 93265

Join us for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun at SCICON Outdoor School in Tulare County, the gateway to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks! Located at an elevation of 2,000 feet, SCICON consists of 1,100-acres of oaks, wildlife, streams, and solitude, all of which are available to support your mental wellness as a conference participant. 

The conference is held Friday afternoon through Sunday lunch and includes 40+ workshops, a keynote speaker, an awards ceremony, resource fair, live and silent auction, EE Certification Program presentations, evening entertainment, and more. Lodging and meals are offered onsite starting with dinner on Friday and going through lunch on Sunday. Both camping and cabin dorm accommodations are available for Friday and Saturday night.

1 graduate unit is available to purchase from University of San Diego for those attending the full conference. 

Is this your first time attending an AEOE conference and you aren't sure what to expect? Do you have specific dietary needs or other accommodations that you want to make sure we can support? Want to see the draft conference schedule and photos of the site? Please read through our FAQs and contact us at aeoe@aeoe.org if your question or concern isn't addressed. 

CONFERENCE KEYNOTE: Laura Rodriguez

Laura Rodriguez is the Founder & CEO of Restoring C.A.R.E., Capacity for Accountability, Reciprocity, & Empathy, LLC. Through leadership coaching, organizational training and facilitation she helps changemakers be the change they want to see in the world. Laura is committed to justice, equity, and inclusion and is dedicated to working with individuals and organizations that are ready to create lasting change. With over twenty years of nonprofit experience she supports people in applying theory to practice, taking personal accountability, and advancing their missions while restoring care for people and process.

She currently serves as vice president of the board of directors for Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS), a nonprofit supporting young people to advance climate solutions within their communities. She also serves as the new Facilitator for the Environmental Education Funders Collaborative (EEFC).  Formerly, she served as Chief Program Officer at Justice Outside, where she worked to increase access to outdoor experiences for communities across the country through equitable grantmaking and professional development programs for emerging leaders in the outdoor and environmental education fields.

Laura was born and raised in the Central Valley of California, where she developed a great love for the outdoors. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Chicana@ Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has a passion for hiking, backpacking, gardening, and sharing in these activities with her daughter and husband as much as possible.

Keynote title: Leading with C.A.R.E. makes us stronger together

The current social moment amplifies the reminder that we are stronger together. And being “stronger together” depends on our individual capacity and commitment to show up with accountability, reciprocity, and empathy. Laura Rodriguez, Founder & CEO of Restoring C.A.R.E. will share her insights on how we can fortify these skills and leverage our personal agency to foster collective power. This moment is a call to action: Let us restore care for people and process so that together we can restore the health of our planet.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Registration is now open! There are several options available. Members and workshop presenters receive discounted rates, as well as staff of our organizational members (if you are the organizational member contact, log in and then click on membership benefits to access the discount code or contact aeoe@aeoe.org). Non-participating adults and youth are also welcome to attend (youth must be in accompanied by a guardian at all times). 

• Early bird deadline: March 1, 2026
• Regular registration deadline: April 20, 2026 (walk-in available through May 2, 2026)

Registration rates Click the option at right to register	Full weekend with lodging (Early bird / regular / walk-in)	Full weekend without lodging (Early bird / regular / walk-in)	Saturday only (Early bird / regular / walk-in)
AEOE Members	$255 / $285 / $335	$205 / $235 / $285	$170 / $185 / $200
Organizational member staff	$265 / $295 / $345	$215 / $245 / $295	$180 / $195 / $210
Non members	$270 / $300 / $350	$220 / $250 / $300	$185 / $200 / $215

Resource Fair

Do you have resources or job opportunities that you would like to share with our conference participants? Please consider becoming a conference sponsor. If that isn't feasible, AEOE members and guests are welcome to share resources during the Resource Fair, held on Saturday afternoon. To secure a table or share resources with our community, preregistration is required (attendance for participants is included with conference registration). 

CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

Conference scholarships are available through Joie's Daisies Scholarship Fund, named after beloved outdoor educator Joie Armstrong. Joie was a bright light to all who knew her. In honor of her legacy, AEOE offers scholarships to support the attendance of environmental and outdoor educators who need financial assistance. A minimum of 50% of scholarships will be offered to individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC) and/or LGBTQIA+ to decrease barriers and increase access to participation. Ten $100 scholarships and ten $50 scholarships are available based on expressed need (offered as a discount to the prices listed above). 

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION PRIORITY DEADLINE: February 15, 2026. Scholarship funds have been all been distributed. 

Volunteering Opportunities

Interested in directing your talents and skills towards helping us to put on a successful conference? Consider being a volunteer! We need support in a number of areas:

• Affinity group leaders (multiple people needed, presenter registration discount applies): Job-alike affinity groups: formal educators, early childhood educators, program leaders, novice outdoor educators, and experienced outdoor educators (filled). Identity-based affinity groups: Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Color, LGBTQIA+. You are also welcome to propose an additional group. Affinity group session leaders must have strong facilitation skills and experience managing large groups. Learn more and apply here. 
• Live auction auctioneer (FILLED): Help generate enthusiasm and manage winning bids with the crowd during Saturday night's live auction in coordination with the talent show MC. Experience hosting a live auction strongly preferred. Registration discount applies. 
• Talent show MC (FILLED): Help generate crowd enthusiasm and manage the line-up during Saturday night's talent show in coordination with the auctioneer. Experience managing or performing in front of a crowd strongly preferred. Registration discount applies. 
• On site medic (FILLED): Conference attendee who is on-call to assist with any first aid or medical emergencies. Medic must have current EMT, WFR, or WFA. Must be able to provide your own first aid kit. 
• On site tech support (registration discount applies): Conference attendee who is on-call to assist with any tech support needed. Will show up 10 minutes before each plenary session and carry walkie-talkie throughout conference to assist with any presenter tech needs. Specific knowledge/skills required. 

• On-site support (multiple): We will also need assistance with arrival/welcome, sign crew, registration, parking, and clean-up. While these roles don't come with a registration discount, they are a great way to connect with other participants and get involved in a meaningful way. 

Please contact info@aeoe.org if you are interested in volunteering. And thank you to committee members Nadia Van Lynn, Sha Houck, Mindy Schwartz, Emelie Traub, Quinn Fitzpatrick, and Robb Stolberg for serving on our Conferences & Awards Committee, helping us to make this a great event!

CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

Workshops address a wide range of topics, with the majority focused on instructional practices. Most workshops will take place outside. There are five 60-minute scheduled workshop slots held throughout Saturday and Sunday morning. Each workshop slot includes 8-10 options. Check out our FAQs for the draft conference schedule. Workshop strands include:

      - Foundational Skills in Outdoor & Environmental Education

      - Traditional Ecological Knowledge & Sense of Place 

      - Accessibility & Inclusion 

     - Leadership

For those arriving on Friday afternoon, you are welcome to explore the site. Additionally, we are offering a longer 90-minute workshop "Play with a Purpose" with Bud Darwin from Sequoia Riverlands Trust from 4-5:30PM. Description: This will be an active, hands-on, outdoor workshop. Participants will engage in a variety of games and initiative activities requiring the group to communicate, cooperate, and make decisions to achieve goals. Participants will create a full value contract that identifies group norms & expectations. Participants will discuss debrief strategies that allow all individuals to be heard and valued for their contributions. No prior registration is required but you must be present for the entirety to participate. 

The full workshop schedule will be released in April. 

Seeking breakout session leaders! We are looking for facilitators to lead breakout sessions for folks to connect with job-alike peers and with others with shared identities. Breakout sessions are offered on Saturday morning after the conference welcome. Help us to grow stronger together by facilitating these important networking opportunities. Click here to learn more about become a breakout session leader and submit your application today!

(Pictured above, the hills around SCICON in spring)

CONFERENCE SPONSORS

The Statewide Conference offers a premier opportunity to strengthen environmental education and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability while elevating your brand with our community. Please checkout our sponsor packet if you are interested in supporting this event. 

Sponsorship levels come with a wide range of benefits and can be customized to suit your needs. New this year is a nonprofit level designed to spotlight our nonprofit partners around the state.

Ready to support this premier event? Click here to make a secure donation or contact us to explore gift options. 

Want more information or would like to discuss this opportunity with a member of our team? Please contact AEOE's Executive Director Estrella Risinger at director@aeoe.org.

Join us in thanking this year's sponsors!

          

CONFERENCE AUCTION

The statewide conference features a live, silent, and online auction, the proceeds of which support our mission and enable us to offer scholarships for participants that need financial support to attend our programs and events. 

Do you have goods, services, experiences, or items that would be of interest to our community? Consider making a donation for our annual auction! Click here to share your in-kind donation for the auction or contact AEOE's Executive Director Estrella Risinger at director@aeoe.org to discuss the opportunity. 

CONFERENCE PHOTOS

Is this your first time attending an AEOE conference? Want a better sense of what to expect? Excited to see more of SCICON's gorgeous campus? Scroll through the photo album of past SCICON conference pics below!