The Sonoma Environmental Education Collaborative (SEEC) is a regional consortium of environmental education professionals from various organizations, agencies, networks, and school districts, whose mission is to create vibrant and innovative collaborations that increase environmental literacy with Sonoma County students.
SEEC developed a strong membership of educators before the pandemic, which proved critical as providers sought to navigate the shifting restrictions and looked to peers for guidance and support.
Last year, we made a grant to support SEEC in hosting collaborative workshops on critical topics for educators. With the support of our grant, they hosted five virtual and three in-person workshops throughout 2021. Workshops included Fire and Climate Change, Communication, Integrating DEI into environmental curriculum, and strategies for trauma and wellness communication for youth and providers.
During the Wellness Day event, educators from ten local organizations joined to learn about health and wellness techniques gaining knowledge to keep themselves—and the thousands of Sonoma County students they serve—healthy and grounded in these challenging times.
At another workshop, held in December of last year at Pepperwood Preserve and led by Daily Acts, providers trained in mindfulness and art-based activities. These skills are vital in helping educators be more equipped to work with children struggling with trauma—skills that have become more critical than ever due to the ongoing pandemic and wildfire threats.
This spring, SEEC plans to continue its event series, focusing on Cultural Competency around the LGBTQ+ community with help from Positive Images. They are also hosting a training session with Judy Smith at Sugarloaf State Park, focusing on inclusion for LGBTQ+ folks who also have differing physical abilities.
Collectively, SEEC reaches over 25,000 students and community members in Sonoma County annually through school programs, community classes and hikes, youth development programs, camps, and virtual programming.
