From the bird’s foot delta in Southeast Louisiana to the Mississippi River’s headwaters in Minnesota, water connects people, places, and ecosystems. This session highlights a two-year NOAA BWET sponsored place-based education initiative designed to equip South Louisiana teachers with the tools, experiences, and community partnerships needed to take student learning outdoors and inspire environmental stewardship: The Water Connects Us All.

Participants will learn how phase 1 of the project supports teachers through professional learning experiences and a summer institute centered on Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). Through fieldwork, service learning, and reflective practice, teachers develop customized MWEE project plans to lead student-driven environmental investigations and community action projects.

The session will offer insights into program design, facilitation strategies, and an adaptable framework for place-based professional learning. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and strategies for building sustainable, place-based education models that connect teachers and students to the land, water, and communities around them.

Whether you're new to MWEEs or looking to strengthen your place-based approach, this session provides a unique, actionable model for meaningful, community-rooted environmental education.