Conference and Events
DREAM BIG with Design Debuts at ASLA 2023
AVAILABLE NOW! Download the DREAM BIG with Minecraft Design Event Guide
On Saturday, October 28, ASLA’s premiere Career Discovery virtual event, DREAM BIG with Design, debuted in person in the EXPO Hall of the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Thanks to a dedicated community of donors, ASLA members, staff, and student volunteers, a very special group of local elementary school students were able to experience the showcase in person.
Featured presenters held design charrettes with more than 40 students and families. Attendee were also treated to a mini-concert by award-winning children's musician, Billy Jonas. Jonas taught attendees his ASLA-hit song The Big Idea, a story about two children who discover their calling as landscape architects.
Featured presenters included:
- Walt Disney Imagineering Team led by Jennifer Mok, ASLA
- LEGOLAND, Florida Designer, Todd McCurdy, FASLA
- Chip Sullivan, FASLA
- Earthscape Play Team Melissa Quinn, ASLA and Nathan Schleicher
Read About Past DREAM BIG with Design Virtual Conferences
In 2021, ASLA launched its inaugural PreK-12 Summit which included two full days of exciting virtual sessions led by landscape architects from Legoland Florida, Walt Disney Imagineering, the Boy Scouts, the Environmental Protection Agency, and more. Program highlights included Story Time (presented in Spanish, Mandarin, and American Sigh Language), an educator session on Next Generation Science Standards from the Chief Learning Officer at the National Science Teachers Association, and a surprise appearance from award-winning children's musician, Billy Jonas who led our prek-grade 5 attendees into their conference break with his hit song L-M-N-O-P Break.
Building on the success of DREAM BIG 2021, ASLA kicked off its second PreK-12 Summit with live, interactive sessions that explored the future of landscape architecture with pollinator design, bee conservation, drone technology, and theme park design 2.0. Special guests included noted landscape architects, scientist/entomologist Dr. Samuel Ramsey, award-winning World Wildlife Fund photographer Clay Bolt, and Chip Sullivan, FASLA. In 2022, DREAM BIG with Design also launched the surprise release of ASLA's new song The Big Idea! composed by Billy Jonas.
Experience DREAM BIG with Design Now!
ASLA invites educators to experience DREAM BIG with Design and learn how to introduce landscape architecture to students. Classroom teachers, afterschool leaders, homeschool educator, families, and design professionals can access a host of sessions (at no cost) that build on interdisciplinary curricula focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM).
If you missed ASLA's Inaugural PreK-12 Summit, DREAM BIG with Design, access the free recordings at anytime.
Thank you to our DREAM BIG 2023 PRESENTING SPONSOR, Thomas J Nieman, PhD, RLA, FASLA, Professor Emeritus, University of Kentucky.
GENERAL SPONSORS:
SmithGroup
SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
Boston Agricultural College
BrightView
Confluence
Tom Mroz
John Troy
Sign up to join ASLA's growing PreK-12 Educator Network, connect with your local ASLA Chapter, and learn about educational outreach opportunities with ASLA Career Discovery and Diversity programs and resources and access ASLA Tools for PreK-12 Teachers resources!
Have questions? Email Lisa J. Jennings, Senior Manager, Career Discovery and Diversity at discover@asla.org.