MarinSEL Student Retreat: Fostering Eco-literacy and Equity Knowledge

By Nia Jones and Sean Youra

After a difficult school year of adjusting to learning virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marin School of Environmental Leadership (MarinSEL) students finally got a chance to engage with one another this summer in some hands-on learning prior to the start of the new school year. 

MarinSEL students were reunited during the summer retreat 

Hosted by MarinSEL staff and supported by wonderful parent volunteers, the retreat held in China Camp State Park provided the opportunity for students to reconnect with their peers and with nature while engaging in activities that helped foster their teamwork and leadership skills, as well as enhance their environmental and equity knowledge. 

Over 100 students in the MarinSEL program participated in 14 different activities ranging from an exploration of personal collaboration styles to a team challenge to build the tallest freestanding tower possible using just spaghetti noodles, masking tape, string, and marshmallows. The activities were designed to focus on the “Four C’s” that represent important elements of the MarinSEL program: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity.

Students work on constructing the tallest tower possible 

Environmental and Sustainability Emphasis 
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An environmental and sustainability emphasis was central to many activities, just as it is in the MarinSEL curriculum that students undertake through this four-year program. For example, the Design Thinking activity involved students working in groups to redesign a consumer product such as shampoo or cleaning wipes. Students learned about the design thinking process by going through an accelerated version to develop a sustainable product idea. 

A student group presents their idea for reusable cleaning rags during the Design Thinking activity

Equity Focused

This year’s retreat had a timely addition to the schedule of events centering equity, social justice, and implicit bias. The students were led by Dr. Jeremiah Sims & Rachel Sims of Rooted in Love. Over the course of two days, the students were instructed to define key terms such as racism, prejudice, implicit bias, and stereotype. In addition, the students were tasked with deconstructing their prior knowledge in order to develop a critical consciousness about issues involving race. While MarinSEL students came to the retreat with a strong knowledge of these topics, they were able to walk away with new and valuable insights. 

The students were also led in an activity that simulated the boardgame, Life, to understand how racial and class division appears in everyday life. Overall, it was enlightening to learn from the folks from Rooted in Love, and these learnings will follow the students as they matriculate through MarinSEL, and beyond. ​​

​The retreat is just one example of how the MarinSEL program is advancing eco-literacy and equity knowledge both within and outside the classroom. It is critical that students have a solid understanding and background in these areas so they can be best equipped to solve the challenges we face today and in the future.

Rachel Simsteaches students about the disparities in wealth based on race, gender, and sexual orientation