GLADE: Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems

04/26/2026

Within each participant GLADE fosters and facilitates environmental awareness, leadership excellence, career opportunities , lifelong friendships, a generation of conservation and community minded activists, hope for the future, and joy for today!
Contribute joyfully to this integrity and character building academy at the link below
and feel great about making a positive impact in your community and beyond!

https://givebutter.com/goas-birdathon-2026-7hte4z/

04/23/2026

Do you believe in conservation and want to build a new generation of community and conservation leaders? This spring GOAS chapter members and friends are raising money for GLADE (Green Leadership Academy for Diverse Ecosystems) through the annual Birdathon event.
Glade is an incredibly impactful youth conservation leadership development project of the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society currently in its 16th year!

Your contribution is a sound investment in the future of the Ozarks, whether you donate $5 or $500.

The GLADE mission is to develop the next generation of community and conservation leaders for the Ozarks. The week long residential camp and year long community program is offered free of charge.

Pitch in today to build a better future! Every little bit helps.
A drop-down menu at the link will allow you to select the team of your choice.
Thank you for your support!

Help Us Develop the Next Generation of Conservation Leaders in the Ozarks!

04/23/2026

Two years ago Ann Wallenmeyer retired after an amazing career with Springfield Public Schools. GLADE is so fortunate to have her take on the role of Director this year.
Read on to get a feel for the passion and commitment that she continues to bring to the educational community!
Welcome, Ann!

Faces of SPS

Meet Ann Wallenmeyer, coordinator of science.

Q: "In your role, how do you help meet students’ and staff members’ needs?"

A: "My role is to support students and teachers by providing aligned curriculum, resources and lab materials. This includes collaborating with groups of teachers for professional development, writing curriculum for seated and Launch courses, integrating content, solving problems and analyzing data. Another aspect of my role is to provide materials, field trip opportunities and to help facilitate partnerships between teachers and community members. I try to share my passion for learning and science with everyone I come in contact with, whether it be adults or students. I think that passion spreads and inspires others. Education is a gateway to opportunities. I want our students to be successful, so that they can pursue their dreams."

04/23/2026

Featuring Jackson Byrd, 2023 GLADE grad and 2026 Residential Coordinator for this summer’s upcoming academy.
Jackson is currently President of the Conservation Federation of Missouri’s Conservation Leadership Corps and serves as an outstanding role model for the next generation of conservation and community leaders.

04/23/2026

Congratulations to Darby Nugent, 2024 GLADE graduate, for receiving a Missouri Birding Society scholarship to ABA’s Camp Colorado. Darby is a top youth birder in the state and a great example of the type of young person that GLADE strives to develop into one of many of the next generation’s community and conservation leaders.

11/22/2025

Being the Director of GLADE has been one of the very best part of the last three years of my life. I have enjoyed building relationships with GLADErs, Audubon supporters, and all the people that make GLADE an impactful experience, but it is time to pass the torch. I could not think of a more qualified and respected person than … Ann Wallenmeyer! Annie retired from education after 32 years in June of 2024. She taught for 12 years then became the SPS K-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator for 20 years. She helped with the development of the WOLF program, school gardens, and the Environmental Science pathway at Hillcrest Highschool.
In 2022, Ann became a Master Naturalist and received her pin in 2025. Her qualifications and connections are great but her best quality is that she loves working with students, sharing her love of the natural world! Please help me welcome Ann Wallenmeyer as the new 2026 GLADE Director!

11/18/2025

Looking forward to seeing you Thursday night at the GOAS meeting at the Nature Center, join us at 5:30 for cookies and cider, 6:15 to meet the 2025 GLADErs and hear about their experience and how GLADE has changed the way they see the world! Bring a friend!

11/12/2025

GLADE is honored to receive the Missouri Environmental Education Association’s Youth Organization of the Year Award for our commitment to environmental service learning, career exploration, and youth leadership across Missouri! Encourage your nature loving teen to apply asap at: https://www.greaterozarksaudubon.org/glade and come meet these students at the GOAS meeting on Nov. 20th.

06/23/2025

Just getting a chance to post a few photos from 2025 GLADE. We got to band birds with Dr. Andrew George from Pittsburg State. We banded a common yellowthroat, male and female cardinals, female red wing black bird, indigo bunting, orchard oriel, a brown headed cowbird and got to hold a Belted King Fisher but we did not have a band big enough for him. A great experience for these GLADE students! Thank you to Dr. George and Heather, such a great gift of time, thank you for sharing your passion for birds! And frogs, turtles, bats..... snakes. The list goes on!

06/11/2025

GLADE 2025 is off to a great start with the help of JRBP, MDC, The MO Prairie Foundation, the Shoal Creek Confluence Watershed and a multitude of conservationists who have dedicated time guiding these young naturalists!

04/21/2025

15-17 year olds! Apply for the 2025 GLADE summer academy today! It will change your life! And, you’ll receive a full scholarship to attend!

High schoolers interested in nature and conservation have until the end of the month to apply for a free, weeklong summer camp.

04/19/2025

Making a difference for our lands, waters, air, and people! Building conservation-minded communities in the Ozarks!