A Collective Impact Network

Arizona Convenings
for Advancing Sustainability Education

The Arizona Convening is a recurring statewide gathering of educators, community organizers, government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits dedicated to youth sustainability education and engagement. Hosted by RCE Greater Phoenix in partnership with ASU’s Global Futures Education Alliance, these convenings serve as the primary engine for building a statewide Collective Impact Network. Our goal is to ensure that every young person in Arizona can engage with global futures topics—such as sustainability, resilience, and opportunity—in ways that are relevant to their lives and communities.

Global Futures Education Alliance convening

Humans as Part of Nature: Our Place in the Living World

Join us for our fourth convening focused on advancing youth sustainability education and engagement. Together, we will explore what it means to see humans as part of, not apart from, nature and how this perspective connects education, well-being, and community action.

We will hear from recipients of previous $1,000 Seed Project awards, get updates on ideas generated in previous convenings, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

Date
Time
8 a.m.–2 p.m. (Arizona Time)
Location

What to expect

  • Updates on collective ideas generated at previous convenings.
  • Opportunities to learn from previous Seed Project recipients and their community-based initiatives.
  • Interactive discussions exploring the relationship between people, nature, and community well-being.
  • Time to build or strengthen relationships with organizations from across Arizona.
  • Collaborative networking and idea-sharing sessions.
  • Dedicated reflection and next-step planning opportunities.

Why attend

  • Build new connections and deepen existing partnerships.
  • Learn from organizations working at the intersection of sustainability, education, and community engagement.
  • Explore how understanding humans as part of nature can strengthen youth learning, well-being, and stewardship.
  • Share successes, challenges, and ideas for collective action.
  • Contribute to a growing statewide network advancing sustainability education and engagement.

Featured topics

  • Humans as Part of Nature: Exploring our interconnectedness with the living world.
  • Indigenous Perspectives: Nature as a community of relatives.
  • Economic Perspectives: Economies as parts of ecological systems.

Interested in giving a 3-minute lightning talk or reporting on your $1,000 project?

Let us know when you register.

Breakfast, lunch, and materials will be provided.

For more information or questions, contact Alejandra Enriquez Gates at Alejandra.Enriquez@asu.edu.

Continue the conversation

2026 AAEE ANNUAL CONFERENCE – Sept 11-12, 2026

Join us after the Arizona Convening to recoup, refresh, and reconnect with colleagues and friends. This year’s theme, “Sustaining the Stewards” is meant to demonstrate the importance of caring for yourself and your team members through challenging times. Conference registration is separate and requires a fee. Click here for more information

Grounded in place. Energized by community. Supporting the educators who make lasting impact possible. Together, we will explore strategies  for building resilience, preventing burnout, and fostering long-term engagement in environmental education.

What To Expect at an Arizona Convening

Connect and Network

Meet educators, community leaders, nonprofits, agencies, and industry peers from across Arizona. Facilitated networking will help you map local assets, surface overlapping efforts, and form cross-sector teams. 

Co-create A Vision

Define what high-quality, equitable youth sustainability engagement looks like across Arizona—inside classrooms and in communities. Capture a shared vision that local teams can adapt and advance.

Shared Measures

Collaborate on a practical set of indicators—student agency and skills, community impact, participation, and inclusion—so programs can assess progress in comparable ways. 

Develop Action Plans

Join focused working groups to draft plans with owners, milestones, and needed supports. Topics include student-led projects, citizen science, AI for resilience education, and ecosystem mapping.

INFORMATION

What is a Collective Impact Network?

A Collective Impact Network brings organizations together to align efforts, build partnerships, and accelerate progress toward a common goal. This proposed Collective Impact Network would focus on ensuring that every young person in Arizona can engage with global futures topics such as sustainability, resilience, and opportunity.

GET INVOLVED

Why Attend?

This is an opportunity to:

  • Be part of a statewide effort to create meaningful change for Arizona’s youth.
  • Contribute your expertise and experience to shaping a collective vision.
  • Build partnerships that strengthen your work.
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