2026 GCEE Conference
- Jul 14
- 4 min read
Just in case you're curious where I am, I'm at the Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE) conference in Atlanta Georgia. I arrived on Monday and I'm incredibly lucky because they gave me a full scholarship which flew me down, houses me and feeds me. FYI that's not the important part!!! They're also doing the most amazing economics lessons. I'm sure a few of you are saying to yourself: "Why the heck would you be there? You teach environmental science!" I do indeed, but is it not incumbent upon all of us to realize our weaknesses, and address them? I teach a lot of economics in all of my environmental science classes. Be serious, how can you talk about solving environmental problems without talking about policy, the government money, and economics??? I know my first degree was in social studies, and technically I studied Econ and am certified in econ, but unfortunately, my professors in college were not so good in this area. When this opportunity dropped into my inbox, I couldn't resist applying. What's the worst that can happen?
This is the first time that I've really been in Atlanta. I know that I'm going to have to come back, because there's so many things that I'm not going to be able to do this time, such as the Driving Miss Daisy house, the CDC, Carter Library and I'm sure 20 other things I have not learned about yet. All 24 of us arrived on time. Chris, our fearless leader, indicated this might be a kind of record. So with all in attendance on time, we went to class almost as soon as we settled in. Yes you are tired from getting up at 4am to catch a flight but no worries here, because the lessons are hands on and super engaging.
Our first class was at Georgia State University. We had to get on a bus... No not a school bus! It's Georgia in the summer!... to get from where we are staying Emory University, to our lessons. During lesson number one, we got to play with Play- Doh and in lesson number two I was a very good business trying to help out, I mean overcharge, my local friends during a natural disaster. Of course, all of the lessons are canted towards economics, personal finance and law. I'm going to have to modify them, but I know that I can do it. I may have even found a new "getting to know you activity". Those of you who know me best, know that "getting to know you stuff" is not my strong suit. I wish I had more time here to work on lessons, but I'll have to save my enthusiasm for when I get home. Amazing conferences like this, don't come without amazing partners. Georgia Pacific has a large philanthropic arm, and the GCEE, is one of their partners. As such, they were kind enough to have us to their headquarters for dinner, and of course a lesson!
If you've ever gone to a conference with a big bunch of teachers, something always galvanizes us. Ours just happened to be an elevator that just stopped working.The first time we got on it. Okay, not the entire group, hence I was able to do a little video, but about a third of the group. This bond was only strengthened by something that happened after dinner....
Dinner itself was provided by Café Momentum- Atlanta. This restaurants mission is "To transform young lives by equipping our community’s justice-involved youth with life skills, education and employment opportunities." The gentleman on the left is one of the teachers/mentors at this unique restaurant. I want to tell you a little bit more about their story, and show you some of the gentlemen who in turn there. Technically we didn't meet them until Tuesday, but I think it means more if you hear the story and see the boys themselves.
Café Momentum started in Texas. From there, they branched out to have more than five locations, either in operation or in construction, with the hope of thirty total across the US. Here is a brief explanation of their work program:
At Café Momentum, our paid internship program is a 12-month curriculum that transforms lives. It begins with orientation, where interns earn their ServSafe certification and take their first steps toward stability. During this time, our case management team works to meet their basic needs and create a strong foundation for growth.
We only stoped by the restaurant for a few minuts, because they were getting ready for a big event that night but those 10 minuts were more than enough to see the effectiveness of the program. I can't descrive it better than they do.
I know that we poked them around a bit, but that 's what teachers do. If you notice all of them, look directly at the speaker, waited for them to finish and then answered as honestly as possible. Such amazing social skills, that so many of my students have not yet mastered. Blow you can see the enterance to the restaurant and some shots with the young men.
Now that you've met some of the intern chefs I can tell you that dinner was incredibly good and consisted of several appetizers, fried chicken, with southern gravy, crunchy vegetables and a lovely mashed potato. This, of course, was paired with sweet tea and lemonade. I didn't try the dessert because it was red velvet cake. Again those who know me know, I really cannot stand eating any food coloring on cake!! After dinner our wonderful host Bev Ferguson escorted us downstairs only for the first group to discover the fate of the elevator.
Sometimes teachers are as bad as their students, and let me say we left in hysterics. If you tune in for my second day weirdly elevators come back into the story. See you tomorrow.
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