APS Rising Educator Summit 2026

How can students use their school campus to investigate real environmental questions and connect their learning to larger ecosystems? In this interactive session, educators will explore a 7th Grade Campus Ecosystem Monitoring Project in collaboration with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) and a field experience at Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. Participants will engage in hands-on investigations using real ecosystem data, including water quality, biodiversity, and weather patterns, while practicing simple, repeatable monitoring protocols that can be implemented on any campus. Teachers will design student-centered investigations that connect classroom data collection to field-based learning, including studies of Rio Grande cottonwood decline. This session prioritizes 7th grade teams from Polk, Harrison, and Ernie Pyle Middle Schools as part of a pilot cohort, with additional schools welcome as the project expands.