2025 Summer Educator Retreat

This summer’s annual Educator Retreat will be held from July 15-17 at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY.

We are excited to invite you to the newly redesigned Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s visitor center for a transformative learning experience!

This year’s program includes hands-on activities and outdoor exploration, and will be a time for discovery and nature connection. We will highlight best practices in participatory science and nature-based education.

During This Transformative Experience, You Will:

• Receive hands-on training in using participatory science in your program.
• Learn eBird protocols and practice participatory science along the trails of Sapsucker Woods.
• Discover Cornell Lab’s online field guide, digital library, and participatory science programs as educational resources for K-12 learning.
• Enjoy bird walks to help you practice bird identification and learn about bird ecology.
• Receive your choice of one of the following: 3-5 or 6-8 eBird Explorer curriculum free with your registration. Additional kits will be available for pre-order.
• Earn CEUs (Continuing Education Units) from Cornell University
• Practice methods that can be immediately implemented with your students.
• Meet researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Who Should Attend

This experience is especially designed for 3-8th grade classroom educators, STEM coordinators, and school librarians looking for innovative ways to teach STEM content and develop science literacy. This retreat will help you incorporate participatory science and nature exploration into classrooms. The curricula we will be training on are classroom focused or best for nonformal educators who have multiple sessions with the same students. We welcome nonformal educators, and previous attendees have found activities and ideas useful in their settings.

Participants in past retreats have raved about their retreat experience:

Transportation

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is located at 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd in Ithaca, NY in the beautiful Finger Lakes region. Free parking is available on site. The closest airport is Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH) and it is a 5 min drive to the Lab. There are other airport options nearby worth checking out: SYR, ROC, BGM, ELM.

Lodging

There are many lodging options in Ithaca. Below you will find a list of hotels organized by proximity to Cornell Lab.

• Courtyard Ithaca Airport/University
• Cayuga Blue Hotel
• Homewood Suites by Hilton Ithaca
• The Springwater Inn
• The Hotel Ithaca
• Ithaca Mariott Downtown on the Commons
• Hilton Garden Inn Ithaca
• Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ithaca
• Quality Inn Ithaca
• Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown

Meals

We will attempt to account for dietary restrictions and provide alternate meal options when possible to support the health and well being of all participants. If we are unable to meet your needs, we will inform you in advance. The included meals are:

Accessibility

The Cornell Lab K-12 team is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and discrimination-free experience at this retreat. We aim for professional development and educational exchange in the spirit of free discussion and expression in an environment in which diverse attendees may learn, network, and enjoy the company of colleagues. We are committed to providing an open and welcoming environment for all participants, including but not limited to race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, ability, socioeconomic status, age, religion, and veteran or military service status.

• There is wi-fi available on site.
• While this is an active retreat and we will spend time outside, including on wood chipped trails, we anticipate being able to meet most accommodation requests. Please reach out to k12lab@cornell.edu to request accommodations.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available thanks to donors. Deadline to apply for the scholarship is 11:59 pm ET on March 16, 2025. Please do not register until you hear back regarding your scholarship status.

Cost and Registration

Workshop costs are being supplemented by grant and sponsor funds. The registration fee is $600, which includes:

• Delicious meals and plenty of snacks during workshop hours.
• Your choice of either the 3-5 or 6-8 eBird Explorer kits. Additional kits are available for pre-order, with payment due at the retreat.
• Participants can request a completion letter with contact hours, CTLEs (NY teachers), or CEUs from Cornell University.
• Registration Deadline: June 15, 2025, or until retreat is filled.
• If you applied for a scholarship, please do not register until you hear back from us.

Refund policy: If you need to cancel your registration, please email us at k12lab@cornell.edu.

• If you cancel on or before June 15, 2025: full refund.
• If you cancel between June 16-July 1, 2025: $200 refund.
• After July 1, 2025: $100 refund and we will ship your kit to you.

Expectations and Policies

To make the most of our time together, participants will be asked to complete the free eBird Essentials course before the retreat. The course takes approximately 3 hours to complete and will give participants the fundamentals of eBird participation. We will expand on how to use eBird with students during the retreat.