AEE Heartland Region 

The AEE Heartland Region

Get Courageous! 2023 Heartland Region Conference

April 14-16

Camp Courageous, Monticello, Iowa

Inclusion, Community, & Challenge in the Heartland

Register Now!

Why attend the Heartland Regional Conferece? Watch this video!

Registration Rates:

• AEE Member $140
• Non-Member $160
• Student $100
• Presenter $105
• One Day $100
• Virtual $40

Meals and Lodging :

• Meal Plan (Meal without lodging) - $60 *deadline to register for the meal plan is April 1.
• Lodging #1: semi-private , all meals inclusive - $140
  • or $80 without meals.
• Lodging #2: community : meals inclusive - $120
  • or $60 without meals.
• Lodging #3: Camping, meals inclusive - $70
  • or $10 without meals

Find lodging details here!

*if you register after April 1, you will need to bring your own meals/make alternate meal plans. The cutoff for registering for the meal plan is April 1. 

Questions? Email: heartlandaee@gmail.com

Schedule

See the workshop offerings here

Friday, 4/14

Saturday 4/15

Sunday 4/16

Keynote Speakers

Don Rogers is a professor at Indiana State University (ISU).  Don directs the university’s recreation therapy program and the Keystone Adventure program at ISU’s Sycamore Outdoor Center. Don Rogers is also a husband, father of two and an avid bass fisherman.

Laurie Frank Is a former public school teacher who has worked in the adventure and experiential education field for over 40 years. Her major focuses are community building, collaborative leadership, experiential education, and appreciative inquiry. She was a leader in designing the nationally recognized Stress/Challenge adventure program for Madison, Wisconsin. 

Join us at the 2023 AEE/ESI Pre-Conference: Universal Experiential Education through Aerial Adventures

April 14, 2023    9am-4pm

Camp Courageous Monticello, Iowa

Registration Rate: $75 per person

Register Now

This engaging full-day pre-conference workshop with Experiential Systems, Inc. will showcase active participation in an aerial adventure. Presenters will cover how to create an aerial adventure (challenge course, adventure park, zip line) program designed to include participants of all abilities. This will include program, course, training, and equipment design. Utilizing the philosophical underpinnings of developing a Universal Mindset and welcoming environment through the concept of Invitational Education will be a primary basis. This workshop is designed to expose participants to a different way of thinking when it comes to inclusion and accessibility. It will also more fully develop technical skills needed to work with people who may need additional equipment. Come prepared to dive deep into the accessibility world and come away with resources needed to assess your facility, course, and program. Though the focus of the workshop will apply to aerial adventures, much of the content can apply to other experiential education activities.

Presenters: Melanie Wills & Carla Hacker

Melanie has two decades working in the outdoor adventure industry and is passionate about using the outdoors to encourage growth, independence, and recovery in a variety of populations including those with disabilities. She loves getting out and active on challenge courses and helping others discover ways to make them be more accessible to anyone of any ability. She has experience in program management at multiple camps & outdoor centers and is currently the Director of Operations & Development/COO for Experiential Systems, Inc.

Carla has been working to provide universally accessible programming in the field of experiential education for many years and in a variety of settings. For the last 6 years she has been a trainer and universal accessibility specialist for Experiential Systems, Inc. Along with her team, she is continuing to develop and implement training curriculum and equipment design for full inclusion on challenge courses and ziplines. Carla has served on the board of directors for the Association for Experiential Education, has hosted and presented at numerous conferences both nationally and internationally, and is an active member of the ACCT.

ESI Open Enrollment Training

April 17th - April 22nd

Learn more

Register Now

Follow Us!