Workgroups

The NCLI Coalition’s long term goal is to establish effective, sustainable workgroups that will develop and implement action plans that will ultimately get Michigan kids outdoors and advance quality environmental education for teachers.

The Coalition has identified the following work groups:

Marketing and Outreach

The Marketing and Outreach workgroup is focused on promoting the importance of reconnecting children with nature. The workgroup works to market the low cost of nature education activities, endeavors to explain the rationale for incorporating outdoor education into current curricula, and efforts to better define the positive health and learning outcomes of nature and outdoor education programming. The Marketing and Outreach workgroup is responsible for identifying and compiling environmental education resources. Contact Ray Rustem at rustemr@michigan.gov or Natalie Elkins at elkinsn@michigan.gov for more information.

Environmental Literacy

The Environmental Literacy workgroup has been actively working to develop an Environmental Literacy Plan that fits the requirements of the federal No Child Left Inside Act so that the state of Michigan will be eligible for federal funds once the NCLI Act passes both the House and Senate legislative bodies of the United States government.

If you would like to receive updates regarding the development of the Michigan NCLI Environmental Literacy Plan, please contact Kevin Frailey at fraileyk@michigan.gov.

Outdoor Education

The Outdoor Learning workgroup is focused on the coordination and provision of lesson plans, activities, and education curricula related to reconnecting children with nature. The workgroup aims to partner with established programs, collaborate with education providers and work with current state standards for education curricula. For more information contact Tom Occhipinti at occhipintit@michigan.gov.

Capacity Building  (Community)

The Capacity Building (Community) workgroup seeks out diverse groups of partners, including community members, organizations, businesses, educators and more. The workgroup focuses on preparing these diverse partners to be mentors and advocates for reconnecting children with nature through events, trainings and administrator support. For more information contact Anita Twardesky at twardesky@sbcglobal.net.

Communication

The Communication workgroup is focused on creating a database of statewide programs to allow for internal networking with in the coalition, as well as a support structure and forum for idea sharing between NCLI Coalition members. For more information contact Bryan Farmer at bfarmer@fh.gov.

Steering

The Steering workgroup is being restructured to form a more formal Steering Committee. The Committee will have regular meetings and will be charges with coordinating other workgroups and the overall direction of the NCLI Coalition. If you are willing to commit time to help move the NCLI Coalition forward and are interested in being a part of the Steering Committee, please contact Raymond Rustem at rustemr@michigan.gov.