Sophia Primera is a junior at the University of Houston Main Campus and is studying Media Production and minoring in Marketing. She is excited to incorporate her passion for media and film into her love for the environment.
Sophia is the Spring 2021 Communications and Marketing Intern and is excited to learn more about the environment and what CEC does for Houston.
Outside of school, Sophia loves watching movies, going thrifting, reading books, being creative through her passion for photography and videography, and spending time with her friends. After graduation, she hopes to get into the film industry.
Sophia can be reached at sophia.primera@cechouston.org.
Spring Break Camps, Nonprofit Data Party, Greater Houston STEM Conference, Nature Fest, Bill Gates talk, Picnic in the Park, Green Jobs, and more
Artist Boat’s Eco-Camp
The record-shattering Winter Storm Uri and the often-tragic problems that arose from it are, thankfully, receding into the past – at least for the moment. And so soon will winter itself, which we can probably all agree is welcome, particularly this year.
With the coming of spring, that means Spring Break for area school districts, and parents will be looking for ways to keep their children engaged. Several environmental organizations are stepping up again in this difficult time to offer Spring Break camps. Among them:
EcoExplorers at Armand Bayou Nature Center
Spring Into Nature Spring Break Camp at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Education Center in Baytown, May 8-12, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. For grades 4-6. Participants will learn how early Texas settlers lived off the land. For more information, visit secure.rec1.com.
Galveston Bay Foundation’s Spring Break Camp in Kemah, May 15-19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For grades 4-8. Campers will explore a variety of ecosystems, participate in hands-on lessons, and learn how they can help the Bay. For more information, visit galvbay.org.
Artist Boat’s Spring Break Eco-Camps, March 15-19, 9 am.-4 p.m. For ages 15-19. Explore, Observe, and Create in the Artist Boat Eco-Camp Sessions! Artist Boat Eco-Campers will experience true science enrichment with outdoor adventures and activities. For more information, visit artistboat.org.
Artist Boat’s Spring Break Eco-Art Camps, March 15-19. For ages 5-19. Campers will experience true science and art enrichment with outdoor activities and art projects. For more information, visit artistboat.org.
Spring Breakout and Jesse H. Jones Park and Nature Center, March 15-19, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Join park staff and volunteers for a week of programs tied to nature and Texas history. Participants spend each day learning helpful nature skills including fishing and geocaching. For more information, visit the Facebook event.
“Planet Defenders” Spring Break Camp at Houston Arboretum & Nature Center, March 15-19. For ages 4-12 (different groupings). A Planet Defender explores, investigates, and protects the natural environment. Learn how you can protect and improve ecosystems. Campers will investigate environment issues through experiments, games and hands-on activities. For more information, visit houstonarboretum.org.
Armand Bayou Nature Center EcoExplorers, March 15-19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For ages 4-10. EcoExplorers is packed full of live animal encounters, outdoor games, educational hikes, and hands-on science, and crafting activities. For more information, visit abnc.org.
Spring Break Day Camps at Nature Discovery Center, March 15-19, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For ages 5-10. Campers will be engaged and entertained by our science and nature themed camps, featuring hands-on activities, games, art projects, new friends, and more. For more information, see the naturediscoverycenter.org.
Please scroll down to read about public engagement opportunities and notes from our member organizations and the community.
CEC NOTES
“Racing Extinction” presented by Environment2Action Films
Join Sierra Club Houston for the powerful movie “Racing Extinction” by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, kicking off Sierra Club Houston’s brand new Environment2Action Film Series on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. “It’s dawning on us now, that this is the big one” and living through the hurricanes, frigid cold snaps, overwhelming rain events, flooding and higher temps in Houston region, we’re at ground zero. “It’s not a spectator sport anymore…” Updates available on Facebook. An expert speaker is invited to discuss the movie and take questions, and discuss important actions to address our current issues. Register now at Zoom. CEC’s Houston Green Films Program is proud to be a promotional partner for the event.
Request for Submissions – Earth Day Murals at Discovery Green
Discovery Green is seeking fourteen Houston artists to paint murals that celebrate the richness and diversity of our community, culture, and natural environment!WAG is curating and managing this incredible public art opportunity, so please send your submissions via https://weingartenartgroup.submittable.com. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 12, 2021. Murals will be on view April through October 2021, with a live painting event during Green Mountain Energy’s Earth Day celebration at Discovery Green on April 18, 2021. Image: “Hands of Heroes” by Anat Ronen. Photo Courtesy of Discovery Green.
Environmental Educators Exchange
Region 4 Education Service Center and our environmental educators are teaming up to create videos and field trips about Houston STEM resources for our teachers. If you want to submit a video or host a field trip, contact alicia@cechouston.org for more details about the project.
Virtually Wild! Field Trips
Need a virtual lesson, activity or field trip about Houston’s environment for your students? Send an email to SCA Americorps Intern Emma Wilson (emma.wilson@cechouston.org) to book and create a free, custom program that aligns to any of the TEKS. She is available any date and time from now until March. You may also participate in a scheduled program with the USFWS on Wednesdays. Details at hereinhouston.org/virtual-field-trips.
CEC, through an Open OutDoors for Kids grant from the National Park Foundation and in partnership with USFWS Houston Community Partnerships & Engagement Program and the Girl Scouts of America, is offering Virtually Wild! programs specifically designed for Girl Scouts. Upcoming presentations include:
We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts, particularlyin light of concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Reeling from the storm, Extinction film, Port Houston Community Grants Program, Trash Free Texas training, Sea Turtle Saturday, Abandoned Crab Trap Removal, Green Jobs, and more
“Extreme Winter Weather Causes U.S. Blackouts” NASA Earth Observatory Image of the Day for February 17, 2021. A comparison of nighttime lights February 7 and 16, 2021.
Texas Climate News has published compelling article about our state’s power crisis that powerfully exposes and explains the disaster’s historical underpinnings in years of official neglect. The author is Randy Loftis, TCN’s senior editor, the former longtime environmental reporter at the Dallas Morning News, and one of the nation’s finest environmental journalists. Randy’s story is a comprehensive and highly readable account of two paralleling patterns of inaction that set the stage for disaster: State officials repeatedly failed to respond to experts’ advice for avoiding catastrophic power-grid failures. And they repeatedly ignored experts’ climate-change warnings. We encourage you to read more: TCN | How Texas froze: Neglect of power-grid and climate warnings set the icy stage.
Please scroll down to read about public engagement opportunities and notes from our member organizations and the community.
CEC NOTES
“Racing Extinction” presented by Environment2Action Films
Join Sierra Club Houston for the powerful movie “Racing Extinction” by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, kicking off Sierra Club Houston’s brand new Environment2Action Film Series on Thursday, March 4, 2021 at 7pm on Zoom. “It’s dawning on us now, that this is the big one” and living through the hurricanes, frigid cold snaps, overwhelming rain events, flooding and higher temps in Houston region, we’re at ground zero. “It’s not a spectator sport anymore…” Updates available on Facebook. An expert speaker is invited to discuss the movie and take questions, and discuss important actions to address our current issues. Register now at Zoom. CEC’s Houston Green Films Program is proud to be a promotional partner for the event.
Request for Submissions – Earth Day Murals at Discovery Green
Discovery Green is seeking fourteen Houston artists to paint murals that celebrate the richness and diversity of our community, culture, and natural environment!WAG is curating and managing this incredible public art opportunity, so please send your submissions via https://weingartenartgroup.submittable.com. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 12, 2021. Murals will be on view April through October 2021, with a live painting event during Green Mountain Energy’s Earth Day celebration at Discovery Green on April 18, 2021. Image: “Hands of Heroes” by Anat Ronen. Photo Courtesy of Discovery Green.
Environmental Educators Exchange
Region 4 Education Service Center and our environmental educators are teaming up to create videos and field trips about Houston STEM resources for our teachers. If you want to submit a video or host a field trip, contact alicia@cechouston.org for more details about the project.
Virtually Wild! Field Trips
Need a virtual lesson, activity or field trip about Houston’s environment for your students? Send an email to SCA Americorps Intern Emma Wilson (emma.wilson@cechouston.org) to book and create a free, custom program that aligns to any of the TEKS. She is available any date and time from now until March. You may also participate in a scheduled program with the USFWS on Wednesdays. Details at hereinhouston.org/virtual-field-trips.
CEC, through an Open OutDoors for Kids grant from the National Park Foundation and in partnership with USFWS Houston Community Partnerships & Engagement Program and the Girl Scouts of America, is offering Virtually Wild! programs specifically designed for Girl Scouts. Upcoming presentations include:
We have endeavored to confirm the opportunities listed below. Please consider confirming directly with the hosts, particularlyin light of concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
