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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 93F. Winds light and variable..
Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable.
Updated: September 16, 2026 @ 3:17 pm
Teachers participate in hands-on learning along the Falling Water River at City Lake Park during a retreat in Cookeville last week.

Teachers participate in hands-on learning along the Falling Water River at City Lake Park during a retreat in Cookeville last week.
The Cumberland River Compact hosted a two-day Teacher Retreat in Cookeville last week, focused on water quality, environmental education and place-based education. Twelve middle and high school teachers from none counties — including four educators from Cannon, Coffee, White and Warren counties — convened at Tennessee Tech’s Oakley STEM Center to deepen their understanding of local water resources, explore human impacts on water quality, and discover how to bring these critical lessons back to their classrooms.
Organizers say the retreat is part of the Cumberland River Compact’s larger mission to improve water quality in the Cumberland River basin through education and engagement. By supporting teachers, the Compact can create transformative classrooms that prepare the next generation to be future water stewards.
During the retreat, teachers participated in hands-on learning along the Falling Water River at City Lake Park and toured a wastewater treatment plant to learn more about how communities protect local waterways. They also convened in the classroom to participate in science activities and explore instructional strategies they can use to help students ask questions, investigate problems, gather evidence, and communicate their findings.
“The Compact’s annual Teacher Retreat gives educators the opportunity to learn from one another and experience high-quality environmental science instruction firsthand,” said Catherine Price, Education and Engagement Director at the Cumberland River Compact. “When teachers can connect science to the water resources and environmental challenges students see in their own communities, they can make learning more meaningful and empower students to become future water stewards.”
The retreat also demonstrated how strong science instruction can help students develop skills that extend beyond the classroom. Asking questions, exploring ideas, gathering evidence, and communicating conclusions are essential not only to learning science, but also to understanding and addressing the environmental challenges facing Tennessee communities.
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