About the Institute

The 20th Annual ISEEN Winter Institute will explore our individual and collective impact through relationships as the future of experiential education. The week-long Winter Institute provides educators opportunities to participate in another school’s experiential education programming and engage in professional and affinity spaces. This special 20th anniversary will be co-hosted by Bosque School and Sandia Preparatory School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. A rich cultural history that spans thousands of years provides a number of opportunities for place-based learning. You won’t want to miss this unique professional development experience. 
This year’s Institute will examine the following essential questions:

• What is my impact as an educator on students, local and global communities, and our shared earth? 
• How does reflection create meaning in an experience?  
• How do we build authentic relationships to impact learning?
• How do we incorporate local knowledge to build equitable communities?

 Photo Credit: New Mexico True

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, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), 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

• Curricular and co-curricular models for integrating experiential education into our schools.
• Deeper understanding of our individual and collective impact
• Exploration of how we build authentic relationships, integrate indigenous knowledge, and support equitable communities
• A professional network of experiential educators.

Register Now

 Photo Credit: Bosque School

Host Schools

The Bosque School and Sandia Preparatory School are co-hosting the 2025 ISEEN Winter Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a cultural crossroads. The rich cultural history that spans thousands of years provides a number of opportunities to learn from the place, which include trips to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Bosque and Sandia Prep are also within an hour’s drive to a variety of outdoor settings we embrace for learning which include the Rio Grande Bosque, the Sandia Mountains, Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, and a number of historical sites. The immediate access to so many cultural and natural attractions provides an excellent opportunity for attendees to see how such areas are incorporated into curriculum and support the value of learning from place.

The Bosque School was founded in 1994 as a co-educational independent, college preparatory day school that currently serves grades 6-12. Bosque’s motto, “Challenging Education,” emphasizes moving beyond traditional educational models to incorporate innovative and forward thinking curriculum that develops the whole person. Key to the effort of challenging education is the incorporation of experiential education into all aspects of the learning process. From our core classes, our emphasis on community science, to our service-learning programs, experiential and inquiry-based learning is at the heart of what we do. 

Sandia Preparatory School was founded in 1966 as an all girls independent college preparatory school. Today, it is coeducational and serves grades 6-12. “Small by design,” the cohesive community believes no one goes overlooked or unnoticed. Small by design means greater opportunities for each student to participate and grow as a leader. Students can more easily master the curriculum in a smaller learning environment where high aspirations and respectful relationships are encouraged. To foster growth toward human as well as academic excellence, Sandia Prep seeks to create balance along our Five A's - Academics, Athletics, Arts, Activities, and the school Atmosphere.

Scott Crago, Dean of Academics, The Bosque School

Molly Rennie, Director of Outdoor Leadership, Sandia Preparatory School

Experiential Education in Action Workshops

Experiential Education in Action workshops are a signature part of the ISEEN Winter Institute. They are a unique opportunity for participants to be “students for the day” and immerse themselves in one of the host schools’ many experiential offerings. 

1. The ABQ Community As Classroom
2. Art and Social Justice through Community Engagement
3. Bosque School’s Emergency Response Team: Education to Serve Others
4. Community Science: an Authentic Exercise In Developing Sense Of Place, Appreciation Of Place and a Commitment Of Stewardship To Place
5. Cross-Country Skiing and Writing: Trail Tales, a Reflective Trek
6. Dialogue Across Difference: Developing a Student-Led Dialogue Program
7. The Doors Project: Exploring Border Issues Through Art
8. Explorations of the Rio Grande Rift: The Relationship Between Geology and People In Creating Communities
9. High School Students Learning With K-8 students through Environmental Education, Art & Ecology
10. Making a Difference through Hands-on Wildlife Research
11. Last Stop on El Camino Real
12. Let’s New Mexi-Go! Self and History on the Red Rocks Trail
13. One Shape, One Location
14. Resilience from Carlisle to Albuquerque: Unveiling Indigenous Voices Through Boarding School Archives
15. Student Impact Through Adapted Toys
16. Tapping into the Power of Digital Humanities to Increase Student Engagement Across the Disciplines

Learn More

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 Albuquerque in January are between 25°F (-4°C) and 53°F (12°C).

Meet Our Speakers

Opening Speaker

Trisha Moquino is a member of the Cochiti, Kewa, Ohkay Owingeh Native Nations. She is a cheer mom and a lover and writer of diverse children’s picture books. Trisha holds a BA from Stanford University and an MA from the University of New Mexico in Bilingual/Elementary Education. She is the Co-Founder of the Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC), an Indigenous language immersion Montessori school, located in Cochiti Pueblo, NM where she started working in 2006. Trisha is an Elementary Keres Speaking Guide at KCLC and the Co-Director of KCLC’s Indigenous Montessori Institute, an anti-racist teacher training program. Trisha’s Montessori Teaching credentials include: American Montessori Society-Elementary I (6-9), Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)-Early Childhood, and Orientation courses for birth-3 years and Adolescence (12-18) . Trisha is an affiliate professor for the Loyola University Maryland Montessori Education program and has written articles on the importance of Indigenous language education, Indigenous Early Childhood, Native Woman Led Non-Profit Development and social justice issues in education. Her debut children’s picture book will be published by Candlewick Press and is scheduled for release in 2028.

Closing Speaker

J’Shon Lee is White Mountain Apache from Hondah, Arizona. She is of the Butterfly clan and born of the Pinetree People. She is a mother, daughter, wife, godmother, and sister and enjoys being on the land with her family. J'Shon is currently a doctoral student in the Learning, Literacies, and Technologies program at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. Through her research, she is considering the possibilities of how social studies teachers can teach about the land, particularly by engaging Indigenous ways of knowing while problematizing settler colonialism in their curriculum and pedagogies. Before heading back to graduate school, J'Shon taught middle school social studies in New Mexico.

 Photo Credit: New Mexico True

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Schedule at a Glance

This is the basic outline of the Winter Institute schedule. Transportation is included to all ISEEN programming, unless noted. 

Note: This schedule is subject to change. All attendees will receive access to our Whova Conference App in the Fall where they will be able to view the entire comprehensive schedule and receive updates in real time.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Monday, January 27, 2025

Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Institute Opening Day
Meals included: Dinner

Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Networking and Co-Creating Knowledge Day
Meals included: Lunch and Dinner

Thursday, January 30, 2025
Experiential Education in Action Day & 20th Anniversary Celebration
Meals included: Lunch and Dinner

Friday, January 31, 2025
Meals included: Lunch

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Saturday, February 1, 2025

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Registration

Registration fee is inclusive of all workshops, snacks, two lunches, three dinners and one brunch throughout the duration of the formal institute. Additional costs include travel to/from Albuquerque, accommodation at the Hilton DoubleTree (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. 

Special Members-Only Registration - August 1 to September 1, 2024

Register Now

Important Registration Note - Three Participants from a School:

We invite schools to register up to 3 participants from their school until November 15, 2024. This is to allow more schools to attend the Institute. Should spaces still be available after November 15, schools will be able to register unlimited additional attendees.

Refund and Cancellation Policy: 

Should you need to cancel your registration you will have two options. A colleague may be substituted at no fee or, if you cancel without substituting your place, the refund policy below will go into effect.

• Cancellation greater than 61 days prior to the Institute: 90% refund
• Cancellation 60-30 days prior to the conference: 50% refund
• Cancellation under 30 days prior to the conference: 0% refund

 Photo Credit: Bosque School and Sandia Prep

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Scholarships

ISEEN is excited to offer free attendance to up to two participants through the Jessie Barrie Scholarship Fund for Experiential Educators. Information and the application can be found here. Preference will be given to public & charter school applicants. Applications are due Thursday, October 10, 2024 and applicants will be notified by November 1. 

Apply for a Scholarship

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Educational Service Providers

We hold limited spaces for Educational Service Providers (ESP) members (organizations that work alongside independent schools to deliver experiential education). The registration for ESPs is separate from our school attendees, so please read through the following information carefully.

• All ESP Attendees must be ISEEN Members prior to registering. Become a member here!
• One person from each organization may register. 
• The reserved spaces for ESPs are available until November 15, 2024. There are ten available spots and they tend to fill quickly when registration opens in August.

While ESPs gain significant value by attending the Winter Institute and the intimate networking opportunities available to them to build relationships with member schools, their primary role as an ISEEN member attendee will be that of a fellow educator. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities for greater visibility, please contact ISEEN Executive Director, Shoshanna Sumka ([email protected]).

Become a Member

Call For Proposals

While most of the Winter Institute content comes from the host schools, this is the opportunity for attendees to showcase their work at their schools and organizations and play a role at the Institute. The Model Programs & Practice (MPP) consists of four rounds of 15-minute sessions where you'll provide a short presentation about a specific innovative and replicable experiential program or practice. Typically presenters are given the option to take a round off to visit another session. Proposals will be reviewed and approved / denied as they are received. We invite all Institute attendees, first-timers and veterans, to submit a Model Programs & Practice Proposal by Friday, November 15, 2024. 

Submit a MPP Proposal

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Call for Facilitators

We invite ISEEN Winter Institute 2025 attendees with strong facilitation skills to apply for a facilitator role for the Institute! This is an amazing leadership opportunity for you to tap into your skills in the wonderful, collaborative space that is the ISEEN Winter Institute. We welcome any Institute attendees to apply, even if this is your first time at the Institute. We especially encourage those with experience in social justice education to apply.  ISEEN provides the curriculum and meets with facilitators for a one hour orientation prior to the Winter Institute. Please submit Homeroom Facilitator, Identity Affinity Group Facilitator, and/or Professional Affinity Group Facilitator applications by Friday, November 15, 2024.

Submit a Facilitator Application

Homeroom Facilitators
Homeroom facilitators are key to building community and reflecting on the Winter Institute theme of What’s our Impact? Relationships as the Future of Experiential Education. Homerooms are groups of 10 people from all over North America and beyond, 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 & White Anti-Racist Co-Conspirators Facilitators
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. 

Professional Affinity Group Facilitators
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. This year, we’re offering 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; and Teachers: Ex Ed in the Classroom.

Submit a Facilitator Application

Pre & Post Institute Workshops & Activities 

Pre-Institute Workshops & Activities - Taking place Saturday, January 25 to Tuesday, January 28

To enhance your Institute experience, we’re offering some exceptional, hands-on workshops to gain skills that you can take back to your school or organization. Additionally, we’re offering pre- and post-Institute social/outdoor activities to engage even more deeply with the region. Below are brief descriptions (titles, facilitators, cost and timeframes) of the various offerings.

Pre-Institute Workshops & Activities

Ethical Global Engagement Track Note: To encourage participants to register for both Pre-Institute Workshops "What is Responsible Travel?" and "Cultivating Connections", which dovetail nicely with one another on Global Education, DEIB, Ethics, and Community Engagement, you will receive a package discount of $550, saving a total $150.

Post-Institute Activities - Taking place Friday, January 31 and Saturday, February 1

To enhance your Institute experience, we’re offering some exceptional experiences and outings for those planning on extending their stay in Albuquerque into the weekend.

Post-Institute Activities

Hotel & Travel

Hotel

Events and lodging will be at the conveniently located DoubleTree Hilton in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We’ve secured a discounted rate of $159/night for a standard, queen 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 Icon Bistro. 

Included in your stay: 

• Free shuttle to the hotel from Albuquerque Airport. Call the hotel at 505-247-3344 x 0 requesting a shuttle pick up when you arrive at ABQ. For return shuttle flights we recommend making a reservation the day before at the front desk. ISEEN & the Host Schools provide transportation to and from official ISEEN programming.
• Discounted hotel parking at $12/day, based on availability.
• Access to all of the hotel's gym facilities. Please note that the pool is closed for the season from October 2024 to May 2025. 

Book early, there are limited rooms available at the discounted rate. The deadline to book this hotel room is December 15, 2024. 

Book Your Stay

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.

If you are securing your own transportation to the Institute, please make sure to be at the Albuquerque DoubleTree Hotel by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, January 28th and plan on departing the hotel no earlier than 12:00 PM on Friday, January 31st. 

Planes

The Institute hotel is accessible from the Albuquerque International Airport. 

• Shuttle: The Hilton DoubleTree offers a free shuttle to/from the airport to the hotel, depending on driver’s availability. Call 505-247-3344 x 0 requesting a shuttle pick up. 
• Uber / Lyft: The airport and the hotel are 10 minutes away from each other. 
• Public transportation: There is a public bus that takes about 30 minutes door to door. 
• Rental Cars: This is an option for those who want to stay longer or are coming earlier. 

Trains

•  Amtrak
•  Rio Metro Regional Transit System

Automobiles

For driving directions, we recommend using Google Maps for the most efficient driving directions and traffic information. We will be providing shuttles to/from the school 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!

2025 ISEEN Winter Institute Planning Committee  

Molly Rennie (Host School Convener, Sandia Prep)
Scott Crago (Host School Convener, Bosque School)
Shoshanna Sumka (ISEEN Executive Director)
Mary Barber, not pictured (ISEEN Director of Professional Learning and Programs)