21st Annual ISEEN Winter Institute

Justice for People and the Planet through Community Action

January 27-30, 2026 | Baltimore, Maryland 

Register Now

Thank you to our Institute sponsors!

About the Institute

The 21st Annual ISEEN Winter Institute invites experiential educators from all over the world to explore the connections between a thriving society and a healthy planet. By tending to our environment through collective action, we then care for communities, both in the present and the future. Communities impacted more heavily by climate change and environmental degradation are more likely to also belong to identities that are historically disadvantaged. The fight for a flourishing planet is intersectional, like each of our identities, and the only way to overcome challenges is to come together in community.

In partnering with Calvert School, Friends School of Baltimore, Indian Creek School, Key School, Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School, Insight Global Education, Nobis Project, and NOLS, ISEEN is intentionally modeling how organizations and communities can come together to build authentic relationships and reciprocal partnerships. During our Experiential Education in Action programming participants will be immersed in the neighborhoods and natural habitat that surround the Baltimore Harbor and beyond. Thank you to all of our partners for weaving together a beautiful tapestry of programming!

This year’s Institute will examine the following essential questions:

1. What is our responsibility as educators to model sustainability, justice, and interconnectedness with our students and our institutions?

2. What role does collective action play in creating sustainable change, and how do we ensure all voices are represented in that action?

3. What does “community” mean to me, and what does it look like to build a thriving community that supports both ecological and human well-being?

4. Historically marginalized groups have often led the way in creative and effective efforts toward environmental and social justice. What can we learn from history and how can we support current efforts?

Register Now

Photos from Insight Global Education and Nobis Project.

Who Should Attend

The Winter Institute is for school change leaders such as administrators, directors, staff, and teachers who work in various strands of experiential education programming at their institutions. ISEEN embraces many forms of experiential learning such as:

• Outdoor Adventure Education 

• Global Education 

• Service-Learning and Community Engagement 

• Student Leadership 

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

• Sustainability and Environmental Justice 

Educators from K-12 independent, public, charter, and international schools who wish to deepen their schools' experiential practice and pedagogy and connect with like-minded colleagues will gain valuable tools and global networks.

What You’ll Take Away from the Institute

• A place-based experience grounded in experiential education pedagogy and practice.

• Practical models for integrating experiential education into curricular and co-curricular programs.

• Deeper understanding of our individual and collective impact on people and the planet.

• A strong professional network of like-minded experiential educators.

 Photos from Calvert School and Key School.

The Baltimore & Chesapeake Bay Region

Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay region offer rich, diverse environments that make them ideal for experiential education. Baltimore, a city shaped by history, industry, and resilience, educators will engage in meaningful place-based learning that connects social justice, urban development, and environmental stewardship. The Chesapeake Bay’s unique ecosystem, one of the largest estuaries in the U.S., provides hands-on opportunities to study environmental science, marine biology, and conservation. Its wetlands, rivers, and shorelines are living classrooms for exploring climate change, biodiversity, and watershed ecology. From oyster restoration projects to community gardening and activism through the arts, the region supports immersive, interdisciplinary learning that connects classroom content to real-world challenges and community impact.

Partner Schools and Organizations

Calvert School
Calvert School, founded in 1897 in Baltimore, is a K–8 independent day school known for its strong academics and commitment to experiential learning. Located on a 13-acre campus in the Tuscany-Canterbury neighborhood, Calvert blends traditional instruction with hands-on experiences that build curiosity, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills. The school’s Institute for Leadership & Purpose extends learning beyond the classroom through community outreach, civic engagement, and global awareness programs. From science labs and outdoor education to service projects and interdisciplinary work, Calvert emphasizes learning by doing while fostering character development and leadership in a supportive, close-knit environment.

Key School
The Key School in Annapolis, Maryland, is a progressive, coeducational Pre-K -12 institution renowned for its commitment to experiential learning. Founded in 1958 by St. John's College tutors, Key School integrates hands-on, inquiry-based education across all grade levels. Its signature Outdoor Education Program immerses students in activities like camping, canoeing, and environmental exploration, fostering resilience, teamwork, and real-world connections to classroom learning. Even the youngest learners engage with nature through the Nature Play & Learning Space, promoting cognitive and emotional development, cultivating independent thinkers and compassionate leaders, preparing students for meaningful, lifelong learning.

Indian Creek School
Located in Crownsville, Maryland, Indian Creek School is an innovative, student-centered day school serving students from Pre-K through Grade 12. Committed to immersive learning, the school integrates hands-on, real-world experiences across its curriculum, using its 114-acre wooded campus as a key learning space. Students engage in inquiry-based learning that builds foundational skills and a deep connection to the natural world. As they progress, project-based learning fosters curiosity, independence, and self-discovery. Signature programs like the Evergreen Institute and STEM Program help students turn passion into purpose. The new Machemer Family Creek Lab enhances immersive learning through innovation, exploration, and hands-on projects.

Friends School of Baltimore
Friends School of Baltimore, a Quaker Pre-K–12 institution, excels in experiential learning that extends beyond traditional academics. Through programs like the Extra Disciplinary Certification Program, students integrate coursework with real-world experiences such as internships, independent studies, and service projects. The University Partnership Program connects students with college researchers, enabling participation in projects ranging from neuroscience to urban renewal. Service learning is integral; for instance, students have engaged in environmental restoration efforts, such as removing invasive species at the Irvine Nature Center. These initiatives, rooted in Quaker values, foster critical thinking, empathy, and a commitment to social justice, preparing students to be active, engaged citizens.

Partner Educational Service Providers

Nobis Project
Nobis Project is a non-profit educational organization, founded in 2008, whose mission is to inspire purpose, pivot mindset, and activate agency. Nobis Project supports and collaborates with educators in developing community engagement experiences that prepare student leaders to create a more just, sustainable, and equitable world.

Insight Global Education
Insight Global Education designs and delivers purpose-driven travel and community programs for students and educators—globally and locally. Each program we craft intertwines UN SDGs with core curricular subjects, ensuring participants tackle real-world challenges through immersive, academically grounded experiences. With a focus on participant safety, meaningful reflection, and immersive global citizenship, Insight fosters transformative educational experiences that connect classrooms to communities and inspire meaningful, real-world impact.

NOLS
NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) is a nonprofit organization that offers experiential education in remote wilderness settings. NOLS has spent 60 years managing risk in wilderness environments around the world, and has worked with independent schools on expeditions, wilderness medicine, and risk management. NOLS programs equip students with practical skills for navigating and understanding the natural world, along with leadership and teamwork skills that are transferable to other areas of life.

Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School (CBOBS)
The Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School is a non-profit organization that provides challenging learning expeditions, both in and out of the classroom, to inspire self-discovery in individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and socioeconomic status. The vision of empowering youth to realize their potential through challenge-outside, guide the experience.

Established in 1986, CBOBS serves the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, offering outdoor education programs for youth and adults. CBOBS has led thousands of students into the mountains of the Appalachian Trail, the waters of Chesapeake Bay, and the forests of Leakin Park in Baltimore City to experience learning in a non-traditional setting. CBOBS’ facility located within Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, is home to their 1,216 acres campus, which includes administrative offices and a nine-element high-ropes Challenge Course.

Jake Rainey, Student Life and Leadership Coordinator, Key School

Jake Rainey is the Student Life and Leadership Coordinator at The Key School in Annapolis, Maryland, where he also serves as head coach of the boys’ varsity soccer team. Since joining Key in 2023, Jake has been instrumental in enhancing the student experience by facilitating experiential education programming that promotes leadership, resilience, and personal growth.

Prior to Key School, Jake ran a project-based learning program at Vail Mountain School in Colorado, where he was also recognized as 2A Coach of the Year for Boys Soccer. At Acton Academy West Austin, he served as the lead guide and helped the montessori-based middle school open up their very first High School. His background includes experience with Outward Bound and Telluride Academy, reflecting a deep commitment to experiential education that blends academic, athletic, and outdoor experiences to cultivate well-rounded leaders of tomorrow.

In addition to his work at Key, Jake runs Living At Peak, a small organization that creates fully-customized retreats and empowering experiences for teams, groups, and individuals.

Experiential Education in Action Workshops

Experiential Education in Action workshops are a signature part of the ISEEN Winter Institute. They provide a unique opportunity for participants to be “students for the day” and immerse themselves in place-based experiential learning led by the educators through ISEEN’s partners. 

Learn More about ExEd in Action Days

1. Building Bridges: Designing Meaningful Partnership Programs for High School Volunteers

2. From Roots to Real-World: Sustainability and Student-Centered Learning

3. Diverse Voices of Annapolis: A Walk Through Place and History

4. From Legacy to Action: Cultivating Justice and Food Equity in Baltimore

5. Global Goals in Action: Experiential Strategies Through Play

6. Stitching Stories: Art, History, and Social Justice Through Fabric

7. Economic Empowerment: The Enduring Legacy of African American Achievement in the Face of Systemic Oppression

8. Connecting Classrooms and Landscapes: How Place Shapes Curriculum and How Curriculum Transforms Outdoor Experiences

9. Initiatives and Questioning- A Meta Level Exploration

10. Learning in the Wild: Experiential Education in Action at the Maryland Zoo

11. Risk Management for School Outdoor, International, and Immersive Program Leaders

12. The City as a Canvas: Connecting Art, Place, and Purpose in Urban Spaces

Note: During registration, you will be asked to rank your top three Experiential Education in Action Workshop options. Read the descriptions carefully to ensure you understand the physical requirements. For outdoor activities, dress accordingly as the average temperatures for Baltimore during January is typically cold, with average high temperatures around 43°F (6°C) and average low temperatures around 26°F (-3°C).

Learn More about ExEd in Action Days

Meet Our Speakers

We’re excited to partner with local speakers of diverse backgrounds. More information will be shared soon!

Registration

Registration fee is inclusive of four days of programming, all workshops, snacks, three lunches, and two dinners throughout the duration of the Institute. Additional costs include travel to / from Baltimore, accommodation at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court in Baltimore, Maryland (reduced rate booking link below), and optional pre-institute workshops and post-institute activities.

Please reach out to ISEEN’s Executive Director, Shoshanna Sumka if registration costs are a financial burden for your institution. Discounts are available for international and small schools, in addition to two full scholarships.

Special Members-Only Registration - July 31 to August 31, 2025

Become a Member

Photos from Nobis Project, Insight Global, and NOLS.

Call For Proposals

Share your facilitation skills and program practices with the ISEEN community! This is the opportunity for attendees to showcase their work at their schools and organizations and play a role at the Institute. We invite all Institute attendees, first-timers and veterans, to submit a Model Programs & Practice Proposal by November 14, 2025. 

What to Expect:

• The MPP consists of four rounds of 15-minute mini-sessions.

• You'll give a short presentation about a specific, innovative experiential program or practice.

• Presenters typically take one round off to visit another session and learn from fellow educators.

• Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis, though early submission is encouraged!

Submit a MPP Proposal

Call for Facilitators

Submit a Facilitator Application

Homeroom facilitators are key to building community and reflecting on the Winter Institute theme of Justice for People and the Planet through Community Action. Homerooms are groups of 10 people from all over the globe, from different schools and organizations, and typically with different discipline backgrounds that come together as a touchpoint throughout the week. Homeroom groups reflect together daily on the experience and dive deeper into the work. 

BIPOC Experiential Educators’ Affinity Group is designed for Experiential Education professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to gather in community for support and idea sharing. The White Anti-Racist Co-Conspirators is designed for white educators and allies to reflect on actively embracing anti-racism work at their institutions and beyond. Depending on the size of the groups, we may split larger groups into smaller ones for more engaging conversations. 

Often, we are the only ones in our role at our school or organization, which can make problem-solving and program design feel isolating or siloed. Professional Affinity Groups (PAGs) are spaces for colleagues to find inspiration, talk through challenges, share resources, and be with “our people” who get it. 

You may select one of the following Professional Affinity Groups: 

• Community Engagement/Service-Learning
• Directors of Experiential Learning
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Practitioners
• Global Education: Global Competencies and Travel
• Outdoor & Adventure Education
• School Administrator/Leadership
• Student Leadership
• Social Emotional Learning
• Sustainability & Environmental Justice
• Teachers: Ex Ed in the Classroom

Submit a Facilitator Application

Hotel & Travel

Hotel

Events and lodging will be at the conveniently located Royal Sonesta Harbor Court in Baltimore, Maryland. We’ve secured a discounted base rate of $159/night for a Standard Deluxe room, not including taxes and fees. Breakfast is not included at this rate, but there are several options within walking distance from the hotel, including the hotel’s grab and go coffee shop in the lobby. 

Included in your stay: 

• Hotel self-parking at $28/day, based on availability.

• The amenity fee is waived for all guests, which includes access to a Yoga studio, dry sauna, indoor pool, and indoor racquetball. 

• Free wifi is also included throughout your stay.

Book early, there are limited rooms available at the discounted rate. The deadline to book this hotel room is January 6, 2026.

Book Your Stay

If for any reason you’re unable to make the booking online or have questions, please contact the hotel directly at 410-234-0550 and let them know that you’re with ISEEN.

Travel

As many ISEEN long-timers know, ISEEN isn’t like other conferences. It isn’t even a conference! It's a fully immersive (and intense!) four (or more) days together. Because of that, we value your participation immensely and we ask that when you make your arrangements, you’re able to participate in the full Institute-- beginning to end! We believe that participating in all of the Institute activities enhances the quality of your experience and that of your peers. If you know that you cannot manage the full schedule, perhaps consider joining a future Institute. Local attendees should also consider that you will have very full days and will want to plan accordingly.

Planes
The Institute hotel is accessible from the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), as well as Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), though BWI is the closest airport! 

• Shuttle/Transit: The hotel recommends booking a shuttle at Jayride or you can reach the hotel by public transit.
• Uber / Lyft: BWI and the hotel are 15 minutes away from each other, while DCA and IAD are about 1-1.5 hours from the hotel. 
• Rental Cars: This is an option for those who want to stay longer or are coming earlier (note there is a parking fee at the hotel). 

Trains

• Amtrak

Automobiles

Please Note: there is a parking fee at the hotel

For driving directions, we recommend using Google Maps for the most efficient driving directions and traffic information. We will be providing free shuttles to/from off site locations every day as well as transportation for Experiential Education in Action experiences. 

Questions

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the Institute. Email us at [email protected] or call us at 206-209-5288. We are excited to see old friends and meet new ones!

2026 ISEEN Winter Institute Planning Committee  

Mary Barber, ISEEN Director of Professional Learning and Programs
Shoshanna Sumka, ISEEN Executive Director
Jake Rainey, Baltimore Area Convener