REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE MEEA 2025 CONFERENCE!
connect for inspiration
MAY 9-10, 2025
AT FOUNDERS HALL, MAINE CENTRAL INSTITUTE IN PITTSFIELD
Are you passionate about environmental education, climate change, and community organizing? Join us to connect for inspiration!
FRIDAY, MAY 9 afternoon and evening
SATURDAY. MAY 10 all day
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
This two-day conference is intended to restore a sense of connection and encourage new people to see themselves in the environmental education community in Wabanaki homelands now called Maine.
You’ll gain inspiration from interactive outdoor and indoor workshops about outdoor learning, climate justice, Wabanaki studies, and community organizing. We’ll come together through common goals for our environment, schools, and communities. We hope the conference can hold space for dialogue about both the challenges we face and the successes we have.
WHO IS THIS CONFERENCE FOR?
The conference is open to anyone interested in environmental and climate education, outdoor learning, climate justice, Wabanaki studies, and community organizing. We encourage anyone who is looking to connect with a community around these topics to attend.
People who have attended in the past include classroom educators, community educators, students, early career professionals, school administrators, nonprofit professionals, and community organizers. Conference workshops aim to be accessible for many interest and skill levels. You do not need to be a working professional in environmental education to bring your skills and interests to this two-day learning opportunity.
Conference Schedule
Friday, May 9th
1:00 - 4:00pm
Beyond the Basics: Elevating Your Wabanaki Studies Practice
Facilitated by Panawahpskek citizens Brianne Lolar and Kaya Lolar
4:00 - 5:00pm
Break with appetizers
5:00-6:30pm
MEEA Annual Award Celebration + Networking Reception
Saturday, May 10th
8:45 - 9:30am Annual Meeting and Conference Welcome; Tabling begins and continues throughout the day
9:35 - 10:35am Workshop Sessions 1
10:45 - 11:45am Workshop Sessions 2
11:45 - 1:25pm Lunch + Halycon Music Performance
1:25 - 2:25pm Workshop Sessions 3
2:35 - 3:35pm Session 4
3:35 - 4:00pm Closing
WHERE IS THE CONFERENCE VENUE?
The conference venue this year is Founder’s Hall at the Maine Central Institute (see Google Maps here) in Pittsfield, Maine — off the I-95 corridor around a 35-minute drive west of Bangor. The location includes a historic theater and balcony for larger groups, lunch and tabling; classrooms for workshops, quiet private space for access needs, ADA accessible elevator and ramp, outdoor lawn space with Adirondack chairs and picnic tables, and a 10-minute walk to Manson Park with paved trail and river access!
ACCESSIBILITY
MEEA strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. The conference venue - Founder’s Hall at Maine Central Institute — meets Americans with Disabilities Act minimum requirements.
BUILDING: The building has 3 stories, with two sets of stairs going up to each floor. and an elevator. The elevator can probably comfortably fit 4 larger mobility aids (such as wheelchairs, powerchairs, and rollators) and their users. We encourage attendees who are able to use the stairs so elevator is accessible to those who need it. All signage in the building is clearly labeled at a height easy to read for wheelchair users, and is high contrast and had braille. There is a gender neutral bathroom, and all bathrooms have an accessible stall. We encourage attendees to wear masks for public health safety and to arrive at the event without fragrances such as perfume or cologne for fragrance-sensitive attendees.
ENTRANCE & OUTDOOR SPACE: The venue entrance includes an ADA compliant ramp located near the conference’s accessible parking location between the Library and Founders Hall. A volunteer will be available to guide attendees to accessible parking with 6 feet between parking spots, as the school does not have designated, labeled, ADA parking. Sidewalks ad road pavement are smooth with minimal potholes. There is plenty of outdoor lawn space for service animals to relief themselves.
FOOD: We will try our best to provide the catering menu in advance of the event and attendees can identify dietary needs and food allergies in the registration form (available startinng March 14). There is a full kitchen in the basement of the library across from Founder’s Hall attendees can access, but you would need to connect with someone at registration to access the key with school staff to utilize it.
The nearest emergency room is Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital, 447 N Main St, Pittsfield, ME 04967, which is a 5 minute car ride from the campus. The nearest pharmacy is Walgreens Pharmacy, 420 Somerset Ave, Pittsfield, ME 04967, which is a 4 minute car ride from the campus.
You will have an opportunity to share your accessibility needs in both the conference registration and call for workshop proposals. Please email us at info@meeassociation.org if you’d like to share your individual accessibility needs to be able to participate in the conference.
View photos below of Founder’s Hall:
Registration fees are sliding scale.
We do not want cost to be a barrier to participation, so we’re offering a range of registration fees determined by financial mobility. Please choose the option that best fits your situation. f you are able to pay more than $150 (see sponsorship link here), these funds will go towards putting on the event and to ensure accessibility for all.
How do I choose my registration payment amount?
Choose a lower price if you are an individual not affiliated with an organization and have less financial resources
Choose a mid range price if you are an individual with financial resources who is not affiliated with an organization
Choose a higher range price if you are an individual with more financial resources and/or are participating via an organization or school
Workshop & Annual Awards
Friday, May 9, 2025
Free
$15
$35
$50
Annual Conference
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Free
$25
$50
$75
$125
$150
Exhibitor Tabling Fees
$50 for nonprofit organizations
$75 for for-profit business
Only one person from your organization needs to pay the exhibitor registration fee. Link will be available March 14.
Each individual tabling for your organization needs to register for the conference individually. Link will be available March 14.
Individuals exhibiting will be asked to pay $35 for lunch if they choose to eat at the event.
Our Director of Operations will collect payment in-person on May 10.
Workshop call for proposals is now closed.
Workshop proposals will hear back by the end of March about your workshop’s acceptance to the conference. Presenters from underrepresented groups are encouraged to submit a workshop proposal and are eligible to receive a $250 stipend. Please contact Anna Sommo anna@meeassociation.org to learn more.
All workshops will be one hour long and will be selected based on the following criteria:
ACTION-ORIENTED
Action-oriented with solutions attendees can take away from the workshop and bring back to their communities and schools to implement.
BEYOND THE LECTURE
Includes interactive activities to engage attendees beyond lecture-style workshops
IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS
Builds connection and in-depth conversation amongst attendees
CONNECT AND INSPIRE
Relates to the conference’s theme of Connecting for Inspiration
ACCESSIBLE
MEEA staff will support attendees in creating an accessible workshop experience for all attendees. We encourage you to think through accessibility needs for your audience, please reach out to conference@meeassociation.org if you have specific questions about incorporating accessibility into your workshop proposal.
NEW AND CREATIVE
Provides examples and/or case studies that are creative, relevant to your audience, and align with MEEA’s mission.
OUTDOORS & INDOORS
We encourage outdoor workshops that engage attendees with the outdoors (with backup indoor options for weather needs). We will also accept indoor workshops and hope to have a good mix of indoor and outdoor workshops for the event.
MEEA Annual Awards
MAY 9, 2025 AT MAINE CENTRAL INSTITUTE IN PITTSFIELD, MAINE
Every year, MEEA recognizes the excellent environmental educators, programs, schools, students, and environmental education partners in Maine. Nominations open in March 2025 awards are presented during a ceremony at the MEEA Annual Conference every May. Winners receive a $250 honorarium and commemorative plaque at the ceremony.
Want to support Maine’s environmental education community? Sponsor this event!
We are accepting sponsorships for the conference. If you are interested in supporting this event, consider sponsoring us at any level by clicking the link above. See the list of our 2024 sponsors below.
PLATINUM $2,000+
MEEA LEADERSHIP SPONSOR
• Primary logo placement on all signage and publicity, including electronic messaging, social media
• Eecognition at the full conference
• Acknowledgement with logo for a full year on the MEEA website • Complimentary exhibit table
• Two complimentary full conference registration packages
SILVER $500 - $999
MEEA LEADERSHIP SPONSOR
• Tertiary logo placement on all signage and publicity, including electronic messagin
• Recognition at the full conference
• Complimentary exhibit table
GOLD $1,000 - $1,999
MEEA BENEFACTOR
• Secondary logo placement on all signage and publicity, including electronic messaging
• Recognition at the full conference
• Acknowledgement with logo for a full year on the MEEA website
• Complimentary exhibit table
• One complimentary full conference registration package
BRONZE $250 - $499
MEEA BENEFACTOR
•Tertiary logo placement on all signage and publicity, including electronic messaging
• Recognition at the full conference
