Location: Various location across Los Angeles County

Sponsored By: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Southern California Gas Company; Water, Energy, and Education Alliance; Valley Water; the Water Replenishment District; and California Department of Water Resources.

Registration: Space is limited! Please click here to register as soon as possible or contact Dean Gilbert if you have additional questions. Teachers who complete the institute will receive a $500 stipend. 

Description: The California Environmental Education Foundation (CEEF) invites educators who teach students in grades 4-12 at schools in Los Angeles and Orange Counties to apply to the 2026 CEEF Teacher Institute, “Best Practices of Environmental Education and Stewardship.” Priority registration will be given to teachers from the greater Los Angeles/Orange County areas with 2+ years of instructional experience and/or apply with 2 or more teachers from the same campus.

The institute will convene in four sessions; in-person on July 18 and August 1 at the Metropolitan Water District headquarters in downtown Los Angeles; one virtual session on August 29; a final, in-person session on December 5 at the Water Replenishment District Albert Robles Education Center in Lakewood.

Features of the CEEF Teacher Institute:

• Experience best practices in learner-centered pedagogy and NGSS science practices taught by a university pedagogy expert.
• Learn about home-grown environmental stewardship practices from experts at Metropolitan Water District, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Water Replenishment District.
• Receive up-to-date information from scientists and engineering managers on environmental hot topics including discussions about climate change connections.
• Receive professional follow-up help throughout the institute from expert science and environmental education consultants.

Upon completing all requirements of the Institute, CEEF offers a $500 teacher stipend and a nature journaling kit, as well as an opportunity to purchase up to three (3) CEUs from UC Davis.