2026 NCAEEC Professional Development Institute

Name: 2026 NCAEEC Professional Development Institute
Start: 2026-02-20T08:45:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-20T16:00:00-05:00
Location: Haw River State Park

Schedule

Fri Feb 20 2026 at 08:45 am to 04:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Haw River State Park | Browns Summit, NC

kEEping it real -- Creating Authentic EE Center Experiences.
About this Event

What to Expect
The 2026 NCAEC Meeting of the Membership focuses on this year's theme, Keeping it Real — Creating Authentic EE Center Experiences, through practical sessions, honest conversations, and hands-on learning.

About the Location: Haw River State Park

Located just north of Greensboro in Rockingham and Guilford counties, Haw River State Park is home to The Summit, a residential environmental education and conference center designed to host retreats and meetings of all sizes.

The park offers trails and a boardwalk that lead through wetlands and a floodplain swamp, as well as access to the Iron Ore Belt, where visitors can explore piedmont oak–hickory forests and wetlands rich in plant and wildlife diversity.

Our meeting will begin and end in the Heron’s Roost building, with sessions taking place throughout The Summit campus, giving you the chance to see many parts of what makes Haw River State Park special!

Sessions & Programming

Kick off the meeting with our guest speaker Terri L. White, President & CEO of the Charlotte Museum of History and a three-time Who’s Who in Black Charlotte “Most Influential” honoree. Terri has been recognized for her leadership and impact across business, politics, technology, entertainment, and the arts.

Additional sessions will explore adapting programming for different ages and abilities, marketing your programs, and outdoor hikes and hands-on experiences designed to be adapted for your use at your own site.

Roundtable Discussions

Participate in facilitated roundtable conversations after lunch, including discussions about:

Citizen science
AI & technology in EE
Homeschool programming
Staff retention
…and more

These discussions are designed for idea-sharing, problem-solving, and networking.

Share Your Organization

Information tables will be available for organizations to share details about their facilities, programs, and resources. This is a great opportunity to highlight what makes your center unique.

Meals & Accommodations

Registration includes lunch and snacks. Overnight accommodations are available at an additional cost.

Silent Auction & Door Prizes

Our much-loved silent auction is back this year! This fun tradition returns after a year off, and we encourage participants to bring door prizes and silent auction items to help make it a success.