Resources
Exhibitor Application
Summit Agenda
Education Program
Leadership Awards
Exhibitor/Sponsor Profiles
Exhibitor/Sponsor Options
Summit Floorplan
Summit Newsletter
Advisory Board
Registration Details
Media Materials
Parking, Directions & Hotels
How Our Rain Gardens and Bioswales Build and Provide the Best Learning Environment for Our Children
Room: 204
Time: 1:30pm – 2:30pm
The impact of bioswales and rain gardens in our school and community has been significant, offering both environmental and educational benefits. These sustainable landscaping features help manage stormwater runoff, improve water quality, and create habitats for local wildlife. By aligning the curriculum across all subject areas to incorporate lessons from the gardens, students gain hands-on experience in environmental stewardship, science, and sustainability. This integrated approach fosters a deeper understanding of ecological systems while promoting cross-disciplinary learning, ultimately enriching the educational experience and benefiting the broader community.
Learn how students become aware of their environment and how they affect the changes in the gardens, and how students become stakeholders- they learn to care for the bioswales- through Science activities, etc.
Teachers will learn best practices so they can see the impact of a green campus and the change it can make on our students.
Speakers:
Marissa Cutaran-Vickers, Teacher, LAUSD
Christine Flowers, California State University of Sacramento, Environmental Sciences
Cecile Carson, EdD, Executive Team Leader, Keep California Beautiful
Dr. Cecile Carson is a recognized leader in developing innovative litter, illegal dumping, recycling, and civic engagement programs. Cecile’s career spans 30 years in government, nonprofit, and academic settings and serves as the Executive Team Leader for Keep California Beautiful. In her role with KCB, Carson manages the Clean California Community Designation and K-12 programs as part of the Caltrans Initiative and Climate Action Days in 12 counties in collaboration with CalVolunteers. She has served as a coordinator and lead researcher on creating participatory science litter methodology through a US EPA grant in partnership with SacState. She serves on the Executive Team for the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) K-12 Technical Council. Dr. Carson conducts nationwide research, including Louisiana’s first statewide litter plan, Texas and Louisiana roadway litter study, and a baseline study on Pennsylvania and South Carolina litter law enforcement. She obtained a doctorate in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University.
More Speaker Photos and Bio’s Coming Soon!