Iowa Project AWARE 2026

Educational Program Schedule

 Programs are open to the public – bring a lawn chair

2026 Education Program Schedule (Click for PDF)

Sunday, July 12 (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)

  • 3:00 pm – Afternoon Campground Programs (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Animals of the Mississippi River – Callie B. Ritchie (National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium)
  • 4:00 pm – Afternoon Campground Programs (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Not so Driftless: The Quaternary History of NE Iowa – Phil Kerr (Iowa Geological Survey)
    • Snakes of Northeast Iowa – Jesse Matt (Clayton County Conservation)
  • 4:30 pm – Afternoon Campground Programs (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Canoe Skills and Safety Clinic – Glenn Harman (Iowa DNR Certified Instructor) Shelly Weeks, Jim Dodd, Cindy Barrowcliff, Diane and Ken Birt (Iowa Project AWARE Volunteers)
  • 7:00 pm – Welcome and Introductions

Monday, July 13 (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye) (12.0 Miles)

  • AM – Yoga – Kathy Dumont
  • 4:30 pm – Concurrent Informal Afternoon Activities (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Exploring Macroinvertebrates & Water Quality – Jennifer Shekleton (Fayette County Conservation)
    • Benefits of the Prairie – Ethan Dickey & Ella Miller (UNI Tallgrass Prairie Center)
  • 7:30 pm – Concurrent Evening Sessions (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Fort Atkinson State Preserve: An 1840s Military Post in the Vicinity of the Turkey River – Kathy Gourly (State Historical Society Archaeologist)
    • Iowa’s Lost Lichens – Jim Colbert (Emeritus ISU Professor)

Tuesday, July 14 (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye) (14.4 Miles)

  • AM – Yoga – Kathy Dumont
  • 4:30 pm – Informal Afternoon Activity (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Plants & Lichens Nature Walk – John Pearson (Iowa DNR Ecologist)
    • Wildlife Habitat Jeopardy – Angie Doughtery (Iowa 4-H Youth Program Specialist)
  • 7:30 pm – Concurrent Evening Sessions (Gouldsburg County Park, Hawkeye)
    • Discovering Fayette County: Then & Now- Jennifer Shekleton (Fayette County Conservation)
    • Fort Atkinson Neutral Ground Field Trip

Wednesday, July 15 (Elkader City Park, Elkader) (15.4 Miles)

  • 4:30 pm – Informal Afternoon Activity (Elkader City Park, Elkader)
    • Water and Wildlife in Northeast Iowa – Jim Pease (Retired ISU Professor)
    • Canoe Skills and Safety Clinic – Glenn Harman (Iowa DNR Certified Instructor) Shelly Weeks, Jim Dodd, Cindy Barrowcliff, Diane and Ken Birt (Iowa Project AWARE Volunteers)
  • 7:30 pm – Concurrent Evening Sessions (Elkader City Park, Elkader)
    • Dye tracing and water quality in NE Iowa springs.- Claire Hruby (Drake University)
    • Archaeology of the Turkey River Winnebago Subagency – Cindy Peterson (Office of the State Archaeologist)

Thursday, July 16 (Elkader City Park, Elkader) (18.8 Miles)

  • AM – Yoga – Kathy Dumont
  • 4:30 pm – Informal Afternoon Activity (Elkader City Park, Elkader)
    • Effigy Mounds and Mound Preservation – Susan Snow (Effigy Mounds National Monument)
  • 7:30 pm – Concurrent Evening Sessions (Elkader City Park, Elkader)
    • Using Remote Sensing to Investigate Iowa’s Effigy Mounds – Colin Betts (Luther College)
    • Music at the Opera House – Dave Moore

Sunday, July 12

Program Title: Animals of the Mississippi

Program Description: Mussels, snakes and beavers; each species has a niche or role in the environment. Through the use of pelts and other hands-on items, participants will explore animals that call the Mississippi River home!

Presenter(s): Callie B. Ritchie

Bio: I am the Outreach Manager for the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. I am originally from North Carolina and studied Environmental Science at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. I love all things nature.

Program Title: Not so Driftless: The Quaternary History of NE Iowa

Program Description: This presentation is an update on our understanding of the recent geologic history of northeast Iowa and its unique geomorphology and topography.

Presenter(s): Phil Kerr

Bio: Phil Kerr is a Quaternary Geologist at the Iowa Geological Survey and has spent over a decade producing geologic maps around the state. Due to these efforts, the glacial history and landscape of Iowa are his expertise.

Program Title: Canoe Skills and Safety Clinic

Program Description: Learn the basics of paddling and learn new skills. This clinic is for folks that have never put a paddle in the water and for folks that would like to improve their paddling skills. Two sessions will be held at 2:30 and 5:30 pm. Each session can have up to 20 people.

Presenter(s): Glenn Harman, Shelly Weeks, Jim Dodd, Cindy Barrowcliff, Diane and Ken Birt

Bio: The evening clinic will be instructed by Glenn Harman, an ACA Level 4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor through the American Canoe Association and a member of the Iowa DNR River Programs team. Shelly, Jim, Cindy, Diane, and Ken, lifelong paddlers and longterm Iowa Project AWARE volunteers, will assist Glenn and lead the afternoon program.

Monday, July 13

Program Title: Exploring Macroinvertebrates & Water Quality

Program Description: Dive into the world of stream life as participants explore and study macroinvertebrates (small aquatic organisms that help tell the story of water quality). Using hands-on sampling and identification, learners discover how these macroinvertebrates reveal the health of a stream.

Presenter(s): Jennifer Shekleton

Bio: Jennifer Shekleton is a seasoned educator with a strong focus on conservation and environmental stewardship. As the Environmental Educator for Fayette County, she strives to inspire people of all ages to understand, appreciate, and protect natural resources. She is passionate about fostering a conservation ethic, promoting sustainable practices, and connecting communities to the outdoors through meaningful educational experiences.

Program Title: Benefits of the Prairie

Program Description: The Tallgrass Prairie Center strives to empower people to restore resilient and diverse tallgrass prairie across Iowa. Learn about the importance of prairie on the landscape, including on rivers and streams, and the restoration and conservation work being done at the Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Presenter(s): Ethan Dickey & Ella Miller

Bio: Ethan Dickey and Ella Miller are Green Iowa AmeriCorps members serving at the Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa. In their time at the Tallgrass Prairie Center, they have had the opportunity to work on many different restoration and conservation projects concerning prairies, and are instrumental in organizing volunteer and education events for the center.

Program Title: Fort Atkinson State Preserve: An 1840s Military Post in the Vicinity of the Turkey River

Program Description: This program will provide a brief history of the Fort and describe recent work to preserve this significant historical and archaeological site.

Presenter(s): Kathy Gourly

Bio: Kathy Gourly is an archaeologist from central Iowa. She spent most of her career at the Des Moines branch of the State Historical Society. Her main research interest focuses on Iowa’s Territorial Period and the forced movements of Native American Tribes.

Program Title: Iowa’s Lost Lichens

Program Description: The diversity of lichens in Iowa is often under appreciated. We’ve lost some of Iowa’s native biodiversity. Do we still have all of our lichen biodiversity?

Presenter(s): Jim Colbert

Bio: Jim Colbert grew up in Cedar Rapids and graduated in biology from Iowa State University. After completing M.S. and Ph.D degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison he was on the faculty at Colorado State University for a few years before returning to Iowa State. He was the Director of the Iowa State Biology Program for 15 of his 33 years at Iowa State and has previously participated in Project AWARE. Some of his research focused on the diversity and distribution of lichens in Iowa.

Tuesday, July 14

Program Title: Plants & Lichens Nature Walk

Program Description: Nature walk through the habitats of Gouldsburg Park.

Presenter(s): John Pearson

Bio: Ecologist with Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 1985-present. Based in Des Moines with statewide responsibilities for threatened & endangered plants and oversight of the State Preserve Program. Expertise with identification of plants, lichens, and insects.

Program Title: Wildlife Habitat Jeopardy

Program Description: Join Angie, a 4-H Youth Program Specialist, to test your knowledge of the habitats of wildlife.

Presenter(s): Angie Doughtery

Bio: Angie is a Clayton County native with an interest in the outdoors, horticulture, gardening, and teaching others. She serves as an Iowa 4-H Youth Program Specialist in Northeast Iowa for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Program Title: Discovering Fayette County: Then & Now

Program Description: Explore the rich history of Fayette County, from its early settlement days to the communities we know today. Discover how the land, people, and industries have shaped the county over time. Along the way, we’ll highlight unique stories, local landmarks, and moments that make Fayette County special.

Presenter(s): Jennifer Shekleton

Bio: Jennifer Shekleton is a seasoned educator with a strong focus on conservation and environmental stewardship. As the Environmental Educator for Fayette County, she strives to inspire people of all ages to understand, appreciate, and protect natural resources. She is passionate about fostering a conservation ethic, promoting sustainable practices, and connecting communities to the outdoors through meaningful educational experiences.

Wednesday, July 15

Program Title: Water and Wildlife in Northeast Iowa

Program Description: This presentation will be an interactive presentation on wildlife of NE Iowa and the importance of rivers in their survival. Come prepared to participate and even sing (or at least make animal noises!)

Presenter(s): Jim Pease

Bio: Former Extension Wildlife Specialist and professor of interp at ISU. Has paddled 2200 miles of Iowa rivers all over the state for the IDNR water trails program. Though retired, is still active speaking, traveling, and writing.

Program Title: Canoe Skills and Safety Clinic

Program Description: Learn the basics of paddling and learn new skills. This clinic is for folks that have never put a paddle in the water and for folks that would like to improve their paddling skills.

Presenter(s): Glenn Harman, Shelly Weeks, Jim Dodd, Cindy Barrowcliff, Diane and Ken Birt

Bio: The evening clinic will be instructed by Glenn Harman, an ACA Level 4 Whitewater Kayak Instructor through the American Canoe Association and a member of the Iowa DNR River Programs team. Shelly, Jim, Cindy, Diane, and Ken, lifelong paddlers and long-term Iowa Project AWARE volunteers, will assist Glenn and lead the afternoon program.

Program Title: Archaeology of the Turkey River Winnebago Subagency

Program Description: Excavations at the 1840s Subagency site revealed intact archaeological deposits still remain preserved here, despite its current use as a modern farmstead and cultivated farm field. The U.S. government’s activities at the site were varied and aimed at deterring the Ho‑Chunk from returning to their Wisconsin homelands, encouraging assimilation into Euro-American lifeways, and discouraging their traditional practices. These efforts included distributing annuities, providing job training and blacksmithing services, and operating a school for Ho‑Chunk children.

Presenter(s): Cindy Peterson

Bio: Cindy began working at the Office of the State Archaeologist in 1992, with one of her earliest projects taking place at the Turkey River Subagency. After many years serving as an archaeologist, Cindy became an OSA Research Director in 2019. Her BA is from Wartburg College and her MA in Anthropology is from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Thursday, July 16

Program Title: Using Remote Sensing to Investigate Iowa’s Effigy Mounds

Program Description: Effigy mounds are among the best known and least understood aspects of Iowa’s cultural heritage. This presentation documents how Luther College’s recent research at three effigy mound sites in Iowa’s Driftless Area has provided novel insights into the complex nature of effigy mound construction.

Presenter(s): Colin Betts

Bio: Colin Betts teaches anthropology at Luther College. His primary research interests involve the use of remote sensing methods to investigate pre-contact and early post-contact archaeological sites in Northeastern Iowa.

Program Title: Effigy Mounds and Mound Preservation

Program Description: This presentation will provide a brief introduction to the mound-building era and focus on various philosophies and methodologies for preserving mounds in Iowa.

Presenter(s): Susan Snow

Bio: Susan Snow is the superintendent at Effigy Mounds National Monument since 2022. She has over 25 years of experience in the National Park Service. Prior to that she worked at the Iowa Office of the State Archeologist. Susan served as the coordinator for the San Antonio Missions’ quest for UNESCO World Heritage status from 2006-2015. The site was formally inscribed on July 5, 2015. Since that time, she has been an invited expert for several potential world heritage sites in the U.S., Mexico, and Brazil. She received the U.S. Department of Interior Honor Award for Superior Service in 2015. She has over 40 years of experience on both pre and post-colonial archaeological sites in the United States and Latin America.