Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems

Experiential, place-based learning where the Ozarks meet the Prairies.

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Announcing the GLADE 2025 Season—June 8-14

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A focus on science and inquiry inspires curiosity and learning.

What Happens During GLADE Week?

Guided by highly qualified staff, 16 motivated 10th and 11th-grade students work with various environmental professionals. They participate in group problem-solving and leadership-building exercises, hands-on conservation educational experiences, and spend one day doing a service project habitat restoration.

GLADE grads may apply for a LEAD grant of up to $500 to work with an adult mentor and tackle a conservation project of their design. They recruit a mentor and volunteers, write the grant, develop a budget, plan for the sustainability of the project, and account for fund expenditures.

Teens learn about conservation and environmental career paths from professionals.

Nurturing the Next Generation of Conservationists

GLADE is our chapter's flagship educational program. The Greater Ozarks Audubon Society developed the GLADE project, which is a place-based, week-long residential camp on the prairies of the western Ozarks. We work with groups like the Prairie Foundation, Missouri Department of Conservation, Shoal Creek Watershed, professors from Missouri State, and the Joplin Master Naturalist group to provide hands-on and impactful conservation experiences.