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The new semester at La Conner Schools picked up STEAM on several levels last week.

Teacher Steve DeLeon’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) class was part of the equation at the 19th annual “Storming the Sound” conference here on Jan. 25.

The regional event drew at least 177 environmental educators, journalists, artists, college faculty, students and state agency personnel to La Conner.

An overflow crowd, including the La Conner High contingent, gathered at Maple Hall to hear keynote speaker Ginny Boadhurst, now the inaugural director of the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University. They then dispersed to the morning’s breakout sessions.

Those mini-classes, some of which were held at La Conner Methodist Church and the La Conner Civic Garden Club, provided new ideas on how best to teach environmental awareness and resource stewardship.

Topics ranged from forage fish protection and outdoor education to environmental career options and interaction with the media.

Plus much, much more.

“I’ve attended this conference before, about four or five years ago, and it’s usually just for teachers,” said DeLeon, La Conner High science teacher and soccer coach. “But we just started our STEAM class on Monday so I asked them about bringing students and they were okay with it.”

Presenters were glad to have the La Conner students in attendance. It gave the teens a chance to practice, alongside teachers, suggested classroom activities, such as creating arty and thematic class assignment booklets.

“About half of the students are really science-oriented,” DeLeon said, “and the art helps draw the others in.”

There was much less, too.

Conference coordinator Britta Eschete made this food, logistics and waste report: “We had 186 attending, but easily less than one bag of waste. I’m thinking far less than your standard sized desk trash container and that would have only been from personal items people brought. Real dishes, cloth napkins, no silverware needed, cups, huge bin of chips from Mexico Cafe (as opposed to bags), apples, warm doughnuts for dessert from 5-B’s bakery, wraps from the Co-op. Tea, coffee and water. Cream in glass bottles to avoid the little plastic piece in the lid.”

Eschete said the conference serves as a key forum for participants to share their interest and expertise in environmental education.

La Conner makes sense as the conference venue given its close proximity to saltwater, forest land and a major river system as well as being a relatively central location for attendees visiting from Seattle, the Olympic Peninsula, Bellingham, and the San Juans.

“Every fourth Thursday in January,” Eschete said, “teachers, environmental organizations, and students gather in La Conner to share their interest and expertise in environmental education.”

Plans are already afoot for a 20th gathering here next year.

For DeLeon and his students it made even more sense to take part, with the conference just a brisk hike from campus.

That, too, proved an ideal fit since one of the breakout sessions addressed non-motorized commuting.

Broadhurst, a New Jersey native, said La Conner and the entire Salish Sea region – comprising Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia – offers a splendid learning as well as physical environment.

“We need to take advantage of the opportunities available to us,” she stressed, “to learn about the culture and history here. And that rich cultural history provides an incredible opportunity for teaching.”