From Rest to Renewal: Summer Opportunities to Spark Your 2025–26 School Year
- Leigh Reynolds
- Jun 13
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 18
As the school year winds down, we hope you're finding time to breathe, rest, and do whatever brings you joy this summer. When you’re ready to turn your thoughts to the school year ahead, we’ve gathered a range of programs being offered by our partners in the Upper Valley—from energizing PD opportunities and student-driven initiatives to family-friendly community events—that will help you return to school feeling inspired and ready.
Here’s a round-up of ways to unwind, reconnect, and plan for place-based ecological learning in 2025–26.
🌻 Family-Friendly Public Events
Opportunities to recharge, reconnect, and engage with the natural world:
🎭 Shadow Puppets Workshop June 28, 2025 | rePlay Arts, Hartford, VT
Create shadow puppets from household materials with local artist Mackenzie Doss.
🛶 Paddling with the Loons July 1, 2025 | Northwestern Essex County, VT
Paddle alongside VCE biologists to observe loons and learn about their habitat.
🧘♀️ Yoga in the Canopy June 29, July 13 & 20, August 3 & 24, September 7 | VINS, Quechee, VT
Reconnect with your breath and the forest in this slow-flow yoga series.
🐝 Pollinator Safari at Shelburne Farms July 26, 2025 | FREE
Discover the secret lives of wild pollinators through fun and interactive exploration.
💙 Love Your Lake Day August 10, 2025 | Lake Sunapee, NH
Games, exhibits, crafts, and live animals to celebrate all things lake life.
🌿 Professional Development for Educators
Grow your practice, deepen your place-based teaching strategies, and build community with other educators:
🌞 VEEP Summer Institute June 23-27, 2025 | White Mountains, NH
Hands-on, hopeful climate education for teachers of all subjects and grade levels. Scholarships and grad credit available.
🎨 Free Art Educator Workshop August 5–7, 2025 | Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller & Saint-Gaudens NHP
Explore how national park art collections can support interdisciplinary learning. PD credits, stipends, and lunch included.
📩 Register: susan.piccoli@mtnviews.org
🌱 Immersion in Education for Sustainability July 22–24, 2025 | Shelburne Farms & UVM
Dive deep into sustainability education with inspiring facilitators and fellow teachers.
🔗 Details
🌄 UVTPC Fall Conference November 13, 2025 | Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT
A full day of learning and networking for educators and community partners working at the intersection of place, ecology, and education.
📩 Register: UVTPC Fall Conference 2025 | UVTPC
👧 Student Environmental Opportunities
Incorporate these statewide programs into your curriculum and empower students to lead:
NH Drinking Water Festival, Science Fair and Poetry Contest- For 3rd-5th graders | Exciting ways to explore water through hands-on science, research, and creative expression.🔗 More info
VT Drinking Water Week Fair- For upper elementary students | Hands-on stations exploring water systems, conservation, and water careers.
📩 Contact: vermontdrinkingwaterweek@gmail.com
NH Middle School Sustainability & Action Summit- Inspires middle schoolers to build a more just, sustainable world through student-led projects. 📩 Contact: info@nhee.org
Youth Climate Leaders Academy- VT & NH high school students develop and implement climate action plans with peers and mentors. 🔗 More info
NH & VT Envirothon- Hands-on natural resource competitions for high schoolers to solve real-world environmental problems.🔗 NH Envirothon | VT Envirothon
🌍 Spotlight: Regeneration Corps – Local Action, Real Solutions
Looking for a way to connect students to hands-on climate solutions while addressing community needs? Regeneration Corps offers flexible, place-based pathways that support both academic credit and environmental leadership.
For Students:
Earn credit through co-designed independent study projects aligned with Flexible Pathways (VT) or ELOs.
Gain hands-on experience in regenerative agriculture, food justice, native tree nurseries, and climate solutions.
Complete community service hours while working on local farms, food forests, and pollinator gardens.
Explore careers in agriculture and sustainable food systems.
For Educators & Schools:
Conduct environmental assessments of school grounds with your students, including soil and water testing.
Engage in practical climate solution work like agroforestry, regenerative farming, and biodiversity restoration.
Explore racial and environmental justice through Indigenous perspectives and land-based learning.
For Community Partners:
Join Mycelium Meets, a biweekly network gathering for educators and organizations collaborating on place-based climate education and local resilience.
🌱 Learn more and get involved: https://www.regenerationcorps.org/how-we-work
📚 Curriculum & Field Trip Resources
Support your place-based teaching with these flexible programs and learning tools:
Nearby Nature from Home – by Four Winds- NGSS-aligned science units for classrooms and families with rich outdoor learning prompts.🔗 Learn more
Cedar Circle Farm Field Trips- Hands-on, standards-aligned programming for all grade levels. Financial aid is available.🔗 Learn more
Sullivan County Lands School Programs- Customized, outdoor field days on public lands—transportation support available.🔗 Program info
Bring the Montshire to You- Science outreach programs that come directly to your school or community event.📩 Contact: dante.frontani@montshire.org🔗 Learn more
🌊 River Ecology & Watershed Programs
Explore local waterways with these hands-on, science-based programs from the White River Partnership (WRP):
Freshwater Snorkeling- A full-day experience for grades 4-6, exploring biodiversity and water quality through snorkeling and macroinvertebrate collection.
Trout in the Classroom (TIC)- Yearlong trout life cycle program for schools in the White River watershed. Includes tank setup, trout release, and ecology units.
WRP River Ecology Units- Hands-on options include buffer studies, waterbugs, crayfish, wildlife tracks, and more. Equipment and staff support provided.
Whether you’re planning next year’s curriculum, seeking fresh ideas, or simply hoping to recharge in good company, we hope these opportunities offer just what you need to start the school year strong.
🌻 Wishing you a restful summer and an inspired 2025–26 school year!
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