2026 Green & Healthy Schools Symposium
We are excited to welcome you to the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium in Cincinnati, Ohio!
Join us at Cincinnati Public Schools Rockdale Academy & Learning Garden for an energizing event dedicated to district-wide green sustainability while fostering the well-being of communities across our region and beyond. The Symposium will bring together visionary school district leaders, educators, students, school foodservice champions, and partner organizations to explore strategies for embedding and sustaining green schoolyards, green career pathways, and school community wellness throughout a school district. Presenters, including student leaders, will conduct engaging sessions to spark collaboration and equip attendees with resources to accelerate action.
The Keynote Address will be presented by Brenda Kessler, a national leader with Children & Nature Network who is advancing green schoolyards through community-driven partnerships across the United States and globally. Kessler supports cross-sector teams transforming school grounds into vibrant, nature-rich spaces that support children’s health, learning, and well-being by focusing on equity and access for those most impacted by environmental disparities.
Session Topics: Children & Nature Network Action Agenda, Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, Green Assets Mapping, Sustainability Planning, District-Wide Wellness Programs, Expanding Agricultural Education Pathways, Maintaining Green Schoolyards, School Gardens, Cincinnati Traffic Gardens, Safe Routes to Schools, Elevating District Wellness Policy, Nutrition Education, Garden-to-Cafe, and Student-Led Projects.
For more information, connect with Green & Healthy Schools Director, Cynthia Walters, at cynthia@greenumbrella.org
SCHEDULE
8:15 – Check-in & Farm to School Breakfast | Exhibitors and Student Displays
8:45 – Opening Remarks: City of Cincinnati Councilmember Meeka Owens
8:55 – Keynote Address: Madz Gerker, student at Clark Montessori High School and Brenda Kessler, Children & Nature Network
9:45 – Morning Sessions: School District Sustainability Plenary Panel | K-12 Green Career Pathways | Your Role in School Community Wellness
12:00 – Farm to School Lunch | Climate Cafe | Exhibitors and Student Displays
12:40 – Green Career Pathway Panel Moderated by Mary Dudley, Civic Garden Center
1:30-3:30 – Afternoon Sessions: Select from double sessions in Green Schoolyards | Workforce Development | School Community Wellness:
-Turning Ideas into Action: Cincinnati Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights | Maps to Movement: Strengthening Safe Routes to School through Community Engagement and Systems Change
-K-12 Agricultural Education Pathways, School Gardens, and Work-based Learning | Fund it to Last: Using Workforce Development to Sustain Green Schoolyards
-WeTHRIVE! Schools: Creating a Culture of Health, Safety, and Vitality | Improving Outcomes through Nutrition Education and School Gardens
3:30-5:00 – Garden Party: Cincinnati Zoo Self-Guided Tours, Horticulture Stations, Lite Bites, and Beverages in the Rockdale Urban Learning Garden | Exhibitors and Student Displays
EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION:
- $150 – Exhibitor (includes 1 ticket and a table)
Contact cynthia@greenumbrella.org for more information
INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION:
General Registration (beginning May 1):
- $125 – General Registration
- $100 – Green Umbrella Member (click here to access the member discount)
- $40 – Student
DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE:
* We are offering a $25 discount for school administrators, school staff, and school district wellness committee members! –>> If you work for a school district, please enter the discount code 25-OFF at the top of the checkout page.
* We also are offering a $25 discount for anyone who registers for both the Midwest Sustainability Summit (on 6/12) and the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium.
ECONOMIC INCLUSION:
* If cost is a barrier, please reach out to events@greenumbrella.org to request a pay-what-you-can ticket.
SPONSORSHIP:
Interested in sponsoring the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium? Contact charlie@greenumbrella.org.
