2023 PROJECT WET CONFERENCE AND TRAINING
Mon Aug. 7, 2023
to Fri Aug. 11, 2023
Hyatt Regency Cleveland At The Arcade | 420 Superior Ave Cleveland, OH 44114
The Theme: Water Rocks!
Cleveland, Ohio, a city on the banks of the Cuyahoga River (a site which helped inspire the creation of the EPA and Clean Water Act) and the shores of Lake Erie, is a perfect place for this year's Project WET Conference. The conference will offer speakers, field experiences, and presentations focusing on the progress made in protecting water resources over the last half century, as well as looking at current and future challenges. It’s an excellent opportunity to share best practices, explore local watersheds, and learn about efforts to improve water education for underserved communities. We'll also have a closing dinner at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that you won't want to miss!
The Place: Cleveland, OH 
A city is well known for its sports, art and cultural attractions, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Orchestra, Playhouse Square, the West Side Market, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the city's abundance of historical architecture. Cleveland is known for its Metro park system, hiking trails and other recreational opportunities. The city serves as an educational center, with more than 15 higher education institutions and nearly 170,000 college students. It's home to many of the nation's largest corporations such as The Cleveland Clinic, the Progressive Corporation, and Eaton Corporation. Cleveland is also the home of several professional sports teams, including the Cleveland Browns (football), Cleveland Guardians (baseball), Cleveland Cavaliers (basketball), and the Cleveland Monsters (hockey).
Note: On free night, the Cleveland Gaurdians have a home game vs Toronto Blue Jays and the musical 'SIX' is in town.
Agenda Overview
Monday, August 7th: New Coordinator Training and Opening Dinner
- This year's New Coordinator Training will be like no other year! We encourage all to consider attending.
- 9am-12pm: Educator training with Ohio educators
- 12pm-1pm: Lunch (group location but pay on your own)
- 1pm-2:30pm: First part of faciitatro training with Ohio educators continuing their training
- 2:30pm-3:30pm: Coordinator only session on running your network and Q&A
- The opening dinner will take place at the hotel on the evening of August 7th.
Tuesday, August 8th: Network Business Meeting and Field Experience
- Network Business Meetings are for Project WET coordinators only. This is time to discuss your program with other coordinators and Project WET Foundation staff, engage in advanced trainings, learn what is happening at the Project WET Foundation and help shape the future of Project WET over the next year.
- Afternoon field expereince to the Cuyahoga National Park and West Creek Stewardship Center.
Wednesday, August 9th: Network Meeting and Field Experience
- Continue with business meetings, advanced trainings, and presentations.
- Afternoon field expereince - Interactive environmental justice lesson focusing on the relationship of the local community to the Cuyahoga River. We will be taking a river cruise and exploring local neighborhoods.
Thursday, August 10th: General Sessions and Closing
- General Sessions and Advanced Trainings. Presentations and activities are submitted by coordinators and vetted by the conference planning committee. Call for Presentation information below.
- Closing dinner at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Friday, August 11th: Optional Field Experience to Lake Erie Islands
- Field Experience to the Lake Erie Islands. We will travel as a group to Sandusky and then take the Jet Express ferry to South Bass Island. From there we will take a small boat over to Gibraltar Island to explore the research center of Stone Lab, run by The Ohio State University. Afterwards, we will take a break for lunch, and finish the afternoon off with a visit to various water education sites. We will return to the hotel around 7:00pm but because we are dependent on a ferry schedule, please do not book air travel for Friday evening.
Call for Presentations
We are accepting applications to present at the 2023 Project WET Conference, they are due May 15th. Presentations will be 30-50 minutes including questions and are encouraged to be interactive and/or hands-on. Special interest in presentations that focus on expanding access to Project WET trainings and programs for diverse audiences.
Cost and Logistics
The cost for Project WET USA Coordinators to attend the entire conference is $575 and includes most meals. See agenda below for the agenda of included meals. Registration after July 3rd will be $650.
Cancellation policy: Cancellations are available for a full refund through July 3rd, 2023.
Lodging: Lodging is not included but has been negotiated at a rate of $129 per night. Participants must book their own rooms at Hyatt Regency Cleveland At The Arcade. To make a reservation use this link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/CLERC/G-PWET.
To learn more about the Cleveland Arcade Area.
Transportation: Participants must find their own transportation to the hotel. The Cleveland Airport is 12 miles from the hotel, a short 15-20min drive. Uber, Lyft and local taxis service are all available from the airport to hotel. If you are driving, please let us know. There is a daily fee of $39 for parking at the hotel or a self-park garage next door.
Limited airport pick-up will also be available by the Ohio EPA. There will be a Google From for you to list when your flight is coming into the airport. This will help us coordinate pick-up times.
There is also a train option from the airport. It is RTA's Red Line. It's simple to catch the train, and it takes less than 30 minutes to ride to or from Downtown Cleveland's Tower City Station. RTA's Airport Station is on the lower level of the terminal complex and then a short walk to the hotel.
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Scholarships 
The Project WET Foundation will offer conference scholarships for conference registration ($575) to two coordinators. Scholarships will be awarded to at least one new coordinator (of less than 3 years) who needs to attend to the New Coordinator Training. Preference will be given to applicants who are presenting or needing to attend the New Coordinator Training. Scholarships will be awarded in May. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship please submit the application form located in the documents section.
Additional Information
Whova Conference App
Project WET will continue to go as paperless as possible. We will again be using the app Whova for event management at the conference. Please download this app to your smartphone or tablet to stay connected during the conference. Please be sure to sign in to Whova before the conference and edit your information so everyone can find you! You can log in with your email or the code PWETConf23.
If you don't have a smartphone you can still access the agenda and speaker information (and print it!) through the Whova Project WET website. You must first register and have an email associated with the conference to access this site. Please note that we are still updating agendas and speaker bios and will continue to do so as chnages happen.
Access 2023 Conference Site (Some features will not be live until May 9th)
Project WET USA Silent Auction
Please bring something to contribute (and your money to bid!) for the Project WET USA Silent Auction. We are also looking at adding an online silent auction this year—stay tuned for details!
Proceeds go to providing scholarships for the 2024 Project WET USA Conference—it could be YOU needing a scholarship in 2024! Ideally, we are looking for water and other environmental education-related items (fun and functional) that can be used by educators, but anything to raise money is helpful. Think about bringing a basket representing the best of your state. Let’s make this the auction ever! Start brainstroming now, more information will be coming soon!
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