Webster Groves, MO – On October 10^th, educators from across Missouri will convene on The College School for The Missouri Environmental Education Association's (MEEA) annual conference. This year, MEEA is teaming up with Missouri River Relief’s, Jeff Barrow to show Missouri students and the educational community how they are connected to rivers. At this year’s 20th annual conference, topics cover games, group dynamics, ocean trash, forest schools, watershed models, energy flows and more.  

Saturday’s keynote address takes listeners through one of Missouri River Relief’s “Day on the River” programs for students, describing their time with biological, geological and commercial-oriented riverside presentations followed by a river-excursion to clean up trash that has washed up on the shores and islands. For students, the experience reinforces the lessons learned at the presentations and provides an opportunity to work together in small groups to make an immediate and visible difference in their community. The “service learning” clean-up provides instant results and builds teamwork.

The conference theme, “Where the Wild Rivers Meet” ties together the conference location at The College School in St. Louis - where the Missouri and the Mississippi meet. When rivers meet, their waters mingle to make a new river, different from either of the parent rivers in ways that are both dramatic and subtle. Conferences can have the same effect. Attendees bring their ideas and energy and create a swirl of new ideas and a flow of new energy that strengthens their drive and ability to do the work of getting people to care about, understand and act for the environment.

A full conference schedule can be found here; registration is currently open and ranges from $20-$50.

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More About MEEAThe mission of MEEA is to connect Missouri's Environmental Educators, both for teachers in the classroom and for educators in agencies and organizations, with innovative professional development and networking opportunities to help them help Missourians become more environmentally responsible.

More About Keynote, Jeff BarrowJeff serves as Director of Missouri River Relief, an action-oriented, nonprofit organization headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. He has been involved with clean water issues since the early 1990s and has worked on a range of activities. He was a founding member of Show-Me Clean Streams and Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri and served on the City of Columbia’s Stormwater Task force and Planning & Zoning Commission.

More About The College School The College School is an independent, pre-K through 8^th grade school located in the heart of Webster Groves, Missouri.  Founded in 1963, The College School is rooted in the principles of experiential education, theme-based learning, and adventure education.  The College School currently serves 175+ families across the St. Louis area.