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2026 Design Academy Returns for K-12 Educators

David Rubin, FASLA Leads Franklin Park Renovation Tour

Lisa J Jennings

The ASLA Design Academy for K–12 Educators is back for 2026!

After an inspiring inaugural year, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is bringing is popular hands-on professional learning experience back to help teachers integrate design thinking, landscape architecture, and real-world problem solving into their classrooms.

In 2025, over 150 educators from across the country applied to take part in ASLA’s inaugural design academy. In July, over 30 participants came together to explore creative, student-centered approaches to learning - developing projects that connected design, environmental literacy, and community impact. The results were powerful, practical, and immediately classroom-ready.

Now, we’re building on that momentum.

Participants of the 2026 design academy will:

  • Learn how to incorporate design-based learning across subjects
  • Collaborate with a national network of educators
  • Develop engaging, real-world projects for students
  • Gain tools to foster creativity, critical thinking, and stewardship

Date: Sunday, July 12 - Thursday, July 16.

Location: ASLA Headquarters

Help ASLA spread the word by sharing with your local school community and encourage interested educators to complete the registration interest form by May 1 - https://bit.ly/4thvV0h

If you’re curious to see what participants experienced last year, explore highlights from the 2025 Design Academy for K-12 Teachers.

ASLA's Design Academy for K-12 Educators would not be possible without the generous support of the ASLA Fund and its donors. If you’d like to join our sponsor community, contact Judy Mehlman at [email protected].

Please direct questions about the Design Academy to Lisa J. Jennings, Senior Manager, Career Discovery and Diversity at [email protected].

2025 Design Academy Donors included:

PREMIER SPONSOR 

  • Maglin

LEADERSHIP SPONSORS 

  • Confluence 
  • OJB 

CHAMPION SPONSORS 

  • Corvus Design, Inc. 
  • Craig Bergmann Landscape Design Inc 
  • Donnelly Partners 
  • Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation
  • Four and One 
  • Restaino Design Landscape Architecture 

SUPPORTING SPONSORS 

  • Angela Dye 
  • Anonymous Donors 
  • DirtworksLandscape Architecture
  • Emma Kelly Landscape, LLC 
  • Nicholas Reed 
  • Phyto Studio LLC 
  • Rodney Swink 
  • Steve Spicer 
  • SuLin Kotowicz 
  • SupermassStudio
  • Upland Design Ltd 
  • Urban Play Studio LLC 
  • Wendie McAllaster