The K–12 Sustainability Summit, hosted by the Readiness Institute at Penn State and Penn State Sustainability, brings together the K-12 and Penn State communities to collaborate on new pathways for advancing sustainability education across Pennsylvania.
This two-day, invite-only event convenes a select group of educators and school leaders from across the Commonwealth to explore how sustainability can be integrated into K-12 learning environments, connect with Penn State experts, and build partnerships that support the unique needs of schools and districts.
If you’re interested in collaborating on other K-12 and sustainability-focused initiatives, please sign up for our newsletter below or contact with us at k12outreach@psu.edu.
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2025 Penn State K-12 Sustainability Summit!
Your participation, ideas, and collaboration made this year’s event a powerful step toward strengthening sustainability and climate education in schools across Pennsylvania. From hands-on design workshops to the new Grow & Go Sessions and 3×5 Presentations: By K-12 for K-12, the summit was filled with innovative ideas and meaningful connections that will continue to inspire action in classrooms and communities statewide.
Relive the Moments
View the 2025 K-12 Sustainability Summit Photo Album
Stay tuned for a full recap story and video highlights added here soon!
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3:00–5:30 p.m. |
Optional: High School Citizen Scientist Plant Pathology & Genetics Research Join Penn State’s Tim McNellis for a hands-on training to bring authentic plant pathology and genetics research into your classroom. This citizen science project engages high school biology and environmental science students (grades 10–12) in investigating the genetics behind plant immunity to fire blight, a serious apple and pear disease. All materials, resources, and support are provided for the 2025–2026 academic year, with flexibility for schools to proceed at their own pace. |
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8:30–9:00 a.m. |
Introductions Breakfast and lunch provided. |
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9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
Grow and Go Sessions These three-hour, interactive workshops are designed to prepare educators to implement sustainability-focused activities in the 2025–2026 school year. Aligned with Pennsylvania’s new STEELS standards and emphasizing environmental literacy, these sessions provide practical ideas you can take straight to the classroom—plus the opportunity to request funding for materials and supplies to make them happen. Sessions include: AG SEED-LINGS (grades K-5) |
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12:00–1:15 p.m. |
Lunch and Keynote Speaker Dr. Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences at Penn State |
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1:30–5:15 p.m. |
Group Bus Tours Group A: The Arboretum at Penn State; Sustainable Lab Consultants program; and Sustainability Experience Center |
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5:30–6:30 p.m. |
Social Hour |
| Time | Event |
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8:30–8:45 a.m. |
Welcome Location: Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center (3400 Discovery Rd, Petersburg, PA 16669) Breakfast and lunch provided. Attendees are responsible for transportation to and from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. |
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8:45–11:00 a.m. |
3×5 Presentations: By K-12 for K-12 These are fast-paced, peer-to-peer presentations: 3 minutes, 5 slides, and a strict time limit. Each school, district, or IU will share one quick story, lesson learned, or best practice related to sustainability in education or operations. Topics might include engaging the community, empowering students, gaining administrative buy-in, transforming operations, or scaling successes. Keep it short, helpful, and fun—a bite-sized idea your peers can take home. Submit your 3×5 PowerPoint presentation by September 26 to Erin Pursel (ecm157@psu.edu) and Wanda Bickle (wqb2@psu.edu). |
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11:00–11:30 a.m. |
Introduction to Local Climate Action Program (LCAP) with Prepare PA Fellows |
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11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Lunch and Explore Shaver’s Creek |
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1:00–3:00 p.m. |
Workshop: What Can Schools Look Like in 2035? Led by KnowledgeWorks, this interactive session invites participants to imagine what school could look like in 2035 and explore how to design regenerative learning environments. Together, we’ll channel ideas and enthusiasm into actionable projects and programs, and identify practical next steps for the community of practice moving forward. |
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3:00–3:30 p.m. |
Wrap Up and Departure |
AG SEED-LINGS
Grades: K-5
Facilitator: Stephanie Klixbull (Elementary STEM Educational Specialist (K–8), Center for Science and the Schools)
AG SEED-LINGS is a STEELS-aligned educational program that focuses on teaching K-5 students about pollination, the importance of pollinators, and their impact on food security. This program has been used and implemented across the state of Pennsylvania, focusing on the environmental literacy and sustainability standards. AG SEED-LINGS was selected for the 2025 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in Education.
Renewable Energy: KidWind and Solar Challenges
Grades: 4-12
Facilitator: Dr. Kathy Hill (Director, Center for Science and the Schools)
The KidWind Challenge is an excellent way to have students explore renewable energy. In this workshop, attendees will engage in activities that will introduce the science behind wind energy while using tailored classroom equipment for engaging students in the KidWind Challenge. Activities include designing turbine blades, building a wind turbine, testing the power output, and refining the turbine design to generate the most power. Participants will leave this workshop with the knowledge and skills needed to build a KidWind turbine and the resources needed to introduce students to wind energy concepts.
Farm Energy Analysis with Anaerobic Digestion
Grades: 9-12
Facilitator: Matt Johnson (Executive Director, Pennsylvania School Study Council (PSSC), and Professor of Practice – Engagement and Outreach, Penn State College of Education)
Participants will use the FEAAD tool (Farm Energy Analysis with Anaerobic Digestion) to explore sustainability through the lenses of different stakeholders. The tool is Excel-based, and users will evaluate outcomes in energy, return on investment, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions based on differing priorities. Bring your own laptop to this session.
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)
Grades: K-12
Facilitators: Tamara Peffer (Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Content Advisor, Pennsylvania Department of Education), Michelle Niedermeier (Education Lead, PA Sea Grant College Program), and Rebecca Schauffele (Educational Facilitator, Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit)
Join us outdoors for an exploration of watershed education and environmental literacy and sustainability-building opportunities in the PA STEELS standards. Participants will identify local environmental phenomena and create driving questions that can be used to investigate watershed-based issues. These activities will model instructional practices that amplify youth voice in student-driven inquiry, which are essential components of both the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) and PA STEELS academic standards.
A Conversation Between the Environmental Literacy Hubs & Administrators and Penn State Climate Consortium
Grades: Environmental Literacy Hubs & Administrators, K-12
Facilitators: Sarah Potter (Research Project Manager, Penn State Climate Consortium) and Jacqueline O’Connor (Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Penn State, and Acting Director, Penn State Climate Consortium)
Learn about climate-focused initiatives at Penn State to develop a strong and resilient Pennsylvania. This will be an interactive session to discuss how our overlapping efforts can support environmental literacy across the Commonwealth.
The Penn State Climate Consortium focuses on advancing practical, innovative solutions to today’s climate challenges. With an emphasis on collaboration across disciplines and sectors, the Consortium offers research opportunities and the potential to unite experts, partners, and communities for greater collective impact. Through events like the Climate Solutions Symposium and programs like the new Climate Solutions Accelerator, and now Prepare PA, they are working to bring impactful research and effective climate solutions to communities in Pennsylvania and around the world.
Dr. Richard Alley
Dr. Richard Alley (Ph.D., 1987, Geology, Wisconsin) is Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences at Penn State. He studies the great ice sheets to help predict future changes in climate and sea level and has made four trips to Antarctica, nine to Greenland, and more to Alaska and elsewhere. He has been honored for research (including election to the US National Academy of Sciences and Foreign Membership in the Royal Society), teaching, and service.
Dr. Alley participated in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize) and has provided requested advice to numerous government officials in multiple administrations from both major political parties, including a US Vice President, multiple Presidential Science Advisors, and committees and individual members of the US Senate and House of Representatives.
He has authored or coauthored over 300 refereed scientific papers. He was presenter for the PBS TV miniseries on climate and energy, Earth: The Operators’ Manual, and author of the book. His popular account of climate change and ice cores, The Two-Mile Time Machine, was Phi Beta Kappa’s science book of the year. Dr. Alley is happily married with two grown daughters, one stay-at-home cat, a bicycle, and a pair of soccer cleats.
Dr. Peter Boger
Peter Boger is the Director for Engagement and Co-Leader of Sustain Penn State, where he connects university sustainability initiatives with community and campus partners across the Commonwealth. He oversees communications, public programming, and lifelong learning initiatives, including the K-12 Sustainability Summit and the Sustainability Coordinator Non-Credit Certificate. He holds a Ph.D. in environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and previously directed the Tales from Planet Earth environmental film festival.
Peter Buck
Peter Buck is co-director of Penn State’s Local Climate Action Program (LCAP), a statewide partnership supporting climate planning and workforce development. His work has been recognized with the Ryan Moser Reilly Institutional Leadership Award and by the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. A published author, speaker, and sustainability leader, Buck has also served in elected and appointed positions at multiple levels of government.
Dr. Kathy Hill
Kathy Hill, Director of the Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS), collaborates with scientists and engineers to design STEM education programs that bring research into K-12 classrooms. A former environmental scientist and secondary science teacher, she holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University and an M.S. in environmental pollution control from Penn State. She has led NASA student programs and coordinated school-wide science initiatives.
Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson is Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Study Council (PSSC) and Professor of Engagement and Outreach in the Penn State College of Education. He builds partnerships with K-12 professionals, coordinates outreach from the college’s 12 centers and institutes, and develops professional learning for educators and school leaders.
Stephanie Klixbull
Stephanie Klixbull is the Elementary STEM Educational Specialist (K–8) at the Center for Science and the Schools, where she creates professional development programs for educators. A former award-winning elementary STEM teacher, she served as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow with the US Department of Defense, creating hands-on science lessons and building federal STEM partnerships.
Tim McNellis
Tim McNellis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology at Penn State. His research focuses on the molecular genetics of bacterial diseases in tree fruits, and he teaches plant biology and pathology courses for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Michelle Niedermeier
Michelle Niedermeier is the Education Lead for the Pennsylvania Sea Grant College Program, developing youth and adult programs on watershed and environmental literacy. She previously spent over two decades coordinating Penn State’s Community IPM and Environmental Health Program, promoting non-toxic pest management practices. Niedermeier holds a B.Ed. from The University of Toledo and an M.S. in fisheries & wildlife from Michigan State University.
Jacqueline O’Connor
Dr. Jacqueline O’Connor is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Penn State and the acting director of the Penn State Climate Consortium. Her research focuses on combustion, alternative fuels, and decarbonization pathways for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like aviation, marine, and dispatchable power generation. She has served as an associate director of the Climate Consortium since 2023 and leads efforts related to climate solutions technologies and engagement with industry. She holds a BS in Aeronautics from MIT and an MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech. Before starting at Penn State in 2013, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Sandia National Laboratories.
Tamara Peffer
Tamara Peffer, M.S., is the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Content Advisor for the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Executive Director of the PA Advisory Council on Environmental Education. Tamara began her environmental education career in 1994 at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center. She also served as the first Communications Liaison for the PA Bureau of State Parks from 2012–19. Concurrently, Tamara taught environmental studies, environmental science, biology, and social science and technology at the Reading Area Community College as an adjunct faculty member. Tamara holds an M.S. in the science of instruction from Drexel University and PA teaching certifications in environmental education, biology, general science, and instructional technology. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in learning sciences and technology at Lehigh University.
Sarah Potter
Sarah Potter is a Research Project Manager for the Penn State Climate Consortium. She works with faculty teams on Climate Solutions Accelerator projects and coordinates the annual Climate Solutions Symposium as well as other programming. Previously, Sarah was the program coordinator for a National Research Traineeship for Penn State graduate students that focused on developing scholar-practitioners to solve critical problems in the food-energy-water nexus. She holds a B.S. from Penn State in agriculture education and has teaching certifications in environmental science, agricultural education, and physical science. Before starting at Penn State, Sarah was a director of a nonprofit organization and worked as educator for 14 years.
Rebecca Schauffele
Rebecca Schauffele is an Educational Facilitator at the Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit in Edinboro, PA, where she supports STEM education, environmental literacy, and meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEE) across regional school districts. With over 13 years of public Montessori classroom experience, Rebecca brings a student-centered approach to professional learning, curriculum design, and assessment. Her work focuses on empowering educators to implement the PA STEELS standards through inquiry-based instruction, productive discourse, and authentic environmental connections.
Aikumis Serikbayeva
Aikumis Serikbayeva is a Graduate Assistant and PhD student in Workforce Education and Development at Penn State University, specializing in human resource development, organizational change, and leadership competencies. With a background in petroleum engineering and extensive experience in higher education in Kazakhstan, she has served as a faculty member, administrator, and researcher, leading curriculum initiatives, mentoring students, and advancing workforce development programs. Her research interests include faculty retention, sustainability in education, and global collaboration to expand access to educational opportunities.
Amanda Smith
Amanda J. Smith, M.Ed., is Director of K-12 Engagement at Penn State, focusing on strategies and pathways to support K-12 schools and communities. She has over 15 years of experience in STEM workforce development, cross-sector partnerships, and program implementation, including launching initiatives like the Chief Science Officers program and STEM workforce summits in central Pennsylvania. Amanda previously served as STEM outreach liaison for CSATS and taught biology and independent science research in Loudoun County, VA.
Jason Swanson
Jason Swanson is Senior Director of Strategic Foresight at KnowledgeWorks, where he develops forecasts, sensemaking guides, and immersive experiences. An award-winning futurist and frequent public speaker, he holds an M.S. in foresight from the University of Houston and serves as a fellow with the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Remake Learning Council.
