Page 8 - 16annrep.p65

Together, we’re offering an alternative...
Voices From the Past
We asked some old-timers to send us updates on what they have been doing and how earth education has impacted their lives. As people’s lives and careers change, it is easy to lose track of them. We thought everyone might appreciate a bit of news from those who began contributing to the institute’s work in earlier years.
Fran Bires
international membership coordinator
I•E•E and earth education has played a major part in my life since the late 70s when I was
studying in Canada. Throughout the 80s, 90s and 2000s I was privileged to be able to set up earth education programs for my school in South Australia, and later in our business there, Accompany Outdoors, with many students from a range of schools. I was fortunate during that time to be involved with a dedicated group of people who saw the enormous educational and environmental value in following this path, including Sunship Earth, Earthkeepers I and II, SUNSHIP III, and the piloting of Lost Treasures.
From 2007 there was a break with hands-on earth education programs while living and working in the Middle East. However, since 2014 there were other opportunities to continue getting earth education into the lives of young people while working with the Outdoor Education Group in Victoria. It was not as successful as we would have liked despite the fact that a number of the staff with OEG became outdoor leaders because of their exposure to earth education programs as kids. From 2015 I have been “mostly retired” but still lucky to be involved each year in running a few Earthkeepers programs in the Yarra Valley with Simon Woodland. (He set up the programs at Moora Moora, a community housing cooperative, and has been a long standing I•E•E Associate.) Working alongside Simon and Saba Al Saleem was great fun with the Primary Schools who were dedicated to Earthkeepers and the messages it carried.
Highlights for me in our earth education work: 1. Doing a teaching exchange with Bruce Johnson in 1991. He came to Prince Alfred College and Scotts Creek Field Centre in South Australia, and I went to New Mexico and Manzano Day School and Camp Fenton. I met so many great people involved in the institute and got to assist with conferences and setting up Earthkeepers at Camp Cooper, even running Earthkeepers in Spanish (although I don’t speak Spanish). 2. Trying to get some earth education happening in Dubai, UAE with Steve Van Matre (too big of a mountain unfortunately), and then traveling with Steve to Petra in Jordan. 3. Attending a 20 year reunion for Prince Alfred College students and hearing from one of them that
8/Annual Report