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Author: Mara Spears, CEP Project Specialist Staff, Elana Burns, Communications Content Student Assistant

From Groundswell to You

   Fall Kick-Off Recap

   Recommended Project Rhythm

   Register for Dinner & Dialogue 

   Place-Based Education Institute, GLSI

   National Place-Based Education Conference

Friends of Groundswell

   Free Stewardship Resources for Educators

   Fall Native Plant Sales

   MAEOE 2025 Conference

   Learn Nest Monitoring with NestWatch

The Groundswell Fall Kickoff professional learning opportunity (PLO) set the stage for a new school year with energy and collaboration. Held at John Ball Zoo, the event gathered educators and partners around shared tables—complete with good food and even better conversation.

Facilitated by Wendi Vogel (Kent ISD), this PLO was in an Edcamp style. Edcamps, or "un-conferences," are unique professional learning experiences in that they are highly collaborative and the learning is done through participant conversation and peer-to-peer learning. Attendees will learn from and with each other by sharing ideas, best practices, challenges and passions, resources, tips, and connections. 

Fall Kick-Off created a space for everyone to share ideas and prepare for the months ahead. Educators broke into small groups to discuss the areas they were most passionate about, ranging from composting and recycling to encouraging students to learn outside. The energy in the room was engaging: hands raised, voices chiming in, and a genuine enthusiasm for building stewardship education together. And in true Groundswell fashion, the setting encouraged people to step outside, to chat in the evening sunshine and keep those dialogues grounded in the very environments they hope to bring their students into.

The day wrapped up with excitement as Paul Slade (North Park Montessori) won a raffle for a fully covered trip to the upcoming National Place-Based Education Conference at Eastern Michigan University. It was the perfect ending to a kickoff that truly lived up to its purpose: bringing like-minded educators together to connect and leave inspired for the school year ahead.

Event recap written By Elana Burns, Communications Content Student Assistant

Stay on track while you do place-based education with your students this academic year. Groundswell has developed resources for you to follow the Six Elements of Place-Based Stewardship Education closely, and with those resources comes our recommendations for how to keep your calendar as you move through the seasons. We encourage you to pay attention to how you might engage with our program as the fall begins, and explore how to support your practices in the classroom with our resources below!

Stay on track while you do place-based education with your students this academic year. Groundswell has developed resources for you to follow the Six Elements of Place-Based Stewardship Education closely, and with those resources comes our recommendations for how to keep your calendar as you move through the seasons. We encourage you to pay attention to how you might engage with our program as the fall begins, and explore how to support your practices in the classroom with our resources below!

Join us for our annual Dinner and Dialogue professional learning opportunity (PLO)! We're holding this PLO at the Seidman Forum in downtown Grand Rapids, with dinner and a drink are on us. 

The theme for this evening is Developing Community Partnerships; our partners and educators will meet one another through speed-networking throughout the event. The objective of this activity is to deepen existing relationships within our network. Meet someone new and explore how partnerships can support students in our schools through intentional place-based learning. Spark inspiration for school action projects, learn more about the partner organizations in our area, and enjoy an evening with peers who care deeply about environmental education.

Registration closes on Wednesday, October 22 at 10am OR when we reach event capacity.

    Date: Wednesday, October 29th, 2025

    Time: 5:00PM - 7:30PM

    Location: L. William Seidman Center

    50 Front Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

    Cost: Free to attend

    SCECH: 2.5

Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI) invites Michigan K-12 classroom educators to apply for the  2025-2026 Place-Based Education (PBE) Fall Institute. This virtual, cohort-based professional learning experience is designed to launch or re-energize your journey with place-based education. This learning series is over the course of the fall and early winter, isn’t your typical PD. You’ll be part of a statewide cohort of passionate educators, exploring how to use the places you live and teach to spark inquiry, amplify student voice, and build authentic connections between curriculum and community. Whether you’re brand new to PBE or looking to strengthen your foundation, this program will meet you where you are and move you forward. 

What You'll Gain:

Groundswell and the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative come together every other year with educators and partners across the nation to learn and grow. This event is dedicated to inspiring, supporting, and celebrating place-based education (PBE). Join your peers at this one-of-a-kind conference, where you'll receive resources for teaching outdoors, tips on how to deepen your PBE practice, and how to engage with your community to create stronger projects and partnerships with your students.

This event is designed for educators across all levels, school and district leaders, higher education students and scholars, non-formal educators and community partners, as well as policymakers and funders. Immersive field trip options are available; the schedule is posted on the website below.

Scholarships are also open to apply for discounted registration to help with costs. Check it out and register today! 

    Dates: Wednesday, November 12 - Friday, November 14, 2025

    Times: All Day (varies, see agenda)

    Location: EMU Student Center 
        900 Oakwood St.
        Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197

    Cost: $440 (full conference)

The Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (NEMIGLSI) provides educators and students with hands-on opportunities to connect classroom learning to their local communities and environments. Their online Resource Library offers free lesson plans, toolkits, and guides designed to support place-based education. Groundswell is a proud partner in the statewide GLSI network, working together to expand stewardship learning opportunities for students.

Autumn is here, and it's the best time of year for establishing natives in the ground. Join our friends from Kent and Ottawa Conservation Districts for their respective native plant sales. Everything from small seedlings to established shrubs are available for purchase, along with accessories for plant care like stakes, flags, and pest repellents. 

Both Conservation Districts offer opportunities to volunteer ahead of or during the events as well. 

Check out info on both events below. 

This year's MAEOE Conference will be at Northern Michigan University’s Northern Center, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula. Optional immersive educational stops are available on Thursday, followed by a Meet and Greet at Presque Isle Park that evening. There will be a Friday night networking event, MAEOE MASH, hosted at Barrel and Beam, where attendees can get to know one another. Saturday is full of great workshops and sessions to attend, with presenters from across the state. Sunday’s schedule will be shorter to allow for earlier departures, so all can get on the road at a reasonable time for the coming work week. 

Friday, October 3rd - Sunday, October 5th

Learn more and register by clicking the link below.

NestWatch is a nationwide citizen science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that teaches people how to monitor bird nests responsibly. Their free resources cover everything from identifying nests and eggs to building birdhouses and managing nest boxes. We at Groundswell partner with NestWatch to share engaging, nature-based learning tools with educators and community members.

Visit the link below to learn more!

Questions? Please contact Groundswell at groundswell@gvsu.edu.