News

Camp Cooper building project moves forward in TUSD

A donor-driven project restroom and shower building project at the Cooper Center for Environmental Learning is moving a step forward.

Earth Day Celebration

Cooper Center is very excited for its first-ever Earth Day event on Saturday, April 22 from 4pm to 8pm. This event is for students, faculty, staff, and families from our University community and open to the community as well. We'll have desert activities, live music from Kyklo, free and delicious bbq from Midtown Vegan Deli, and an amazing guest speaker, Dr. Earyn McGee

Best Wishes For Andrea

Our amazing intern Andrea has been with us since August 2021 and graduated from the UA this December with a Masters in Language Reading and Culture. She has helped staff create a more linguistically inclusive and welcoming environment. She crossed paths with Cooper staff last summer during Curso del Verano in Guanajuato Mexico and assisted with their program development internationally.

November 2022 Newsletter

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) held its 51st annual conference in Tucson this year and brought hundreds of educators and organizations from across the world together to discuss new and proven approaches to teaching environmental and social issues. Cooper Center's presence could be found throughout the four-day event...

Mariah wins Staff Award for Excellence

Please join us in congratulating one of our amazing program coordinators, Mariah, who was recently awarded the University of Arizona College of Education Staff Award for Excellence! 

This marks Mariah’s fifth year with Cooper, first as an instructional specialist and then as a program coordinator and has developed our pre-school nature programs.

Cooper at Bayer Marana

When Bayer Crop Science opened their state-of-the-art greenhouse in rural Marana, it meant that local educational nonprofits became eligible for the
Bayer Fund.

This grant awards millions of dollars to thousands of organizations in the communities where Bayer employees live. Cooper Center has received its second award from the Bayer Fund this year, supporting our field trip programs.

School Tax Credits

90% of the schools that visit Camp Cooper are Title I schools where many families are living at or below poverty levels and have little or no access to outdoor activities for children. We have never turned away a trip due to inability to pay. How? With supporters who take advantage of the Arizona School Tax Credit!

Camp Cooper Awarded for Excellence!

This year, the Arizona Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) has awarded Camp Cooper with their eeExcellence award for Outstanding Environmental Education Program! The award acknowledges the contributions Cooper has made in the area of outdoor and environmental education initiatives in Arizona.

New Camp Cooper T-Shirts

This year's camp t-shirts are available now! We've got two fun, new designs to choose from. Available in a variety of colors and styles, they make the perfect keepsake after visiting us at camp and they are a great way to show your love and support for Cooper! 

October 2022 Newsletter

We did it! With your help, we were successful in passing our goal of raising $30,000 for Camp Cooper staff and educational programs. We raised $30,840 in September, with 103 people donating. It pays for our field trips and overnight experiences and ensures even more students from Title 1 schools...

Preschool Family Nature Day

This year, Camp Cooper hosted our Preschool Family Nature Day and it was a success! We had one of our largest turnouts in Cooper history with over 200 attendees consisting of families with young children. 

The Early Childhood Education cohort from UArizona's College of Education invited kids to discover animal tracks, identifying the sights, colors, sounds, plants and animals of the Sonoran desert through fun and interactive hands-on activities, lessons, stories and games. 

Camp Cooper Education Team at NAAEE 2022

We had a blast presenting at the North American Association for Environmental Education 2022 Conference and Research Symposium (NAAEE) last week! The conference focused on the role education can play in creating healthier communities and issues of environmental and social inclusivity. Topics from climate change education and climate justice, to the benefits of connecting to nature, building a green workforce, protecting biodiversity, and centering equity in environmental education