Thank you to everyone who helped make the EECOM 2018 Conference a success!

October 18-21, 2018

From coast to coast to coast, over 300 educators had the opportunity to gather to learn, share and connect at this made-in-Canada environmental education conference.

The EECOM 2018 Conference took place at the St. Eugene Mission Resort, Ktunaxa Nation in BC’s Kootenay Rockies.

The theme for the conference was Classrooms to Communities (C2C) which envisions learners and educators being deeply connected to place, community and planet, able to effectively communicate their stories of connectedness, and taking responsibility to do so.

The purpose of Classrooms to Communities was:

1. To promote leadership and mentorship capacity for place-based education and environmental literacy;
2. To effectively communicate success stories of place-based education as teaching and learning;
3. To support the ongoing and evolving work of educators and community partners to integrate place-based education as best practice;
4. To build greater capacity and collaboration as a network of place-based education leaders/mentors, including teachers, schools, school districts, community organizations, associations of teachers and other place-based partners.

PLACE OF THE CONFERENCE

St. Eugene was selected for its retreat style setting, beautiful natural environment, ownership by the Ktunaxa Nation and commitment to environmental sustainability. St. Eugene Mission Resort is owned by several Ktunaxa communities: ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation, ʔaq̓am, ʔakink̓umǂasnuqǂiʔit (Tobacco Plains), yaqan nukiy (Lower Kootenay) and Kyaknuq+i?it – the Shuswap Indian Band.

This is the site of a former residential school that is now owned and operated by the Ktunaxa Nation as a vehicle for education and economic development. As Elder Mary Paul said, “It is said that, since it was within the St. Eugene Mission that the culture of the Kootenay Indian was taken away, it should be within that building that it is returned”.

PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE CONFERENCE

1) Sustainability
We modeled sustainability following the EECOM Green Conference Guidelines.

2) Best Learning Practices
We modeled best learning practices by using best practice learning methodology including outdoor, experiential, place-based and inquiry-based learning.

3) First Nations
St. Eugene Mission Resort is owned by the Ktunaxa Nation. Making intentional and meaningful connections with the First Nation community was foundational to this conference.