Special Event

Students Take the Lead at 2025 Student Summit

From moderating a panel of natural resources and conservation professionals to sharing projects with their legislators, students took the lead at the 2025 Environmental & Sustainability Literacy Student Summit. PEI and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) co-hosted the annual event.

Twenty-one student groups ranging in age from 3rd grade through 12th convened at Lacey Community Center on January 28 to explain their projects and research with leaders in natural resources, conservation and education. Those projects included the environmental and health impacts of vaping, restoring wetlands at a superfund site, how the four-day workweek impacts climate change and the effects of climate adaptation strategies on shellfish populations. 
A team from Heritage High School shared their research on the four-day workweek. They found that the practice aligns with a Tulalip Tribe core value which translates to English as ‘We will arrive at a time when each and every person has become most capable.’ 
 
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Statewide Conference

Inland Tree Conference Highlights Critical Issues in Urban and Community Forestry

After screening his documentary Elemental: Reimagining Fire, producer Ralph Bloemers took an unusual step. Instead of just answering questions from the audience at the 2025 Inland Tree Conference about the film, which discussed the challenges of managing human communities in fire-prone western states, he asked if any firefighters or first responders were present. “There were four of them, and he said, ‘You should come up to the stage and be part of the Q & A with me,’” says PEI’s Associate Director of Green Jobs Heather Spalding. “It was great that he brought in the local experts and learned about their experiences.” 
 
Spalding attended the annual conference to learn about critical issues for the urban and community forestry community and meet with partners that support PEI’s subcontracted work with Spokane Conservation District (SCD). PEI is developing high school courses that will lead to SCD’s natural resource apprenticeship program and earn dual credit for students through Spokane Community College’s natural resources program. 

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Tools & Tips for Teachers

The Winner is . . . Native Plants!  

The purpose of this Math Performance Task is to provide grades 3-5 students with an opportunity to problem solve based on a real-world situation involving native and non-native plants. There are a variety of mathematical approaches students can take to successfully complete the task. With this approach, students are shown different strategies for using multiplication to find the solution.

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Upcoming Events 

  With Gratitude

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