CECI News
Groundswell Summer Institute shows how civic education connects to environmental stewardship
August 06, 2026
Taking care of your community can serve as the beginning of a student’s journey into civic education.
That theme was at the center of this summer’s Groundswell Summer Institute. For three days in late July, around 40 K-12 teachers who will be part of the Groundswell program this upcoming school year took part in experiential place-based stewardship education training. The institute is an annual workshop that leads participants through the six elements of a Place Based Stewardship Education project to give teachers a head start on an idea they can implement.
Groundswell partnered with the Michigan Center for Civic Education (MCCE) to enhance this year’s workshop, which took place both on Grand Valley’s City campus and at C.A. Frost Elementary School in Grand Rapids. MCCE's Executive Director, Ellen Zwarensteyn, moderated a panel discussion that included state and local elected officials who shared insights on ways that students can use or influence the governmental process to make positive change.
“The Groundswell Summer Institute always serves as a great kickoff to the upcoming year,” said Vicky Wright, Center for Educational Partnerships Assistant Director. “The panel discussion highlighted how place-based stewardship education can empower students and teachers to engage with local decision makers, helping them understand that informed civic participation can strengthen their communities while demonstrating that their voices can influence positive change. “
Groundswell is housed in GVSU’s Center for Educational Partnerships and creates opportunities for hands-on environmental exploration and learning through professional learning opportunities, project support, and meaningful partnerships.
The elected officials and leaders who participated in the panel discussion were:
State Representative Carol Glanville
Grand Rapids City Commissioner Lisa Knight
Grand Rapids City Commissioner Milinda Ysasi
Grand Rapids City Commissioner Marshall Kilgore
Lowell School Board Trustee and GVSU Professor Dr. Annie Whitlock
Blandford Nature Center Land Stewardship Manager Julie Batty
Community partners that were present were:
Grand Rapids Public Museum
Plaster Creek Stewards
Calvin Ecosystem and Preserve
Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW)
Kent ISD