 G.O.A.T Totes is a green business created by juniors of Marin School of Environmental Leadership. Only 21 percent of teachers feel "very informed" about climate change, according to a recent survey conducted by the North American Association for Environmental Education, leaving 79 percent of educators less confident.
Recognizing this challenge, SEI’s Energize Schools program is excited to announce a recently updated course: the Sustainable Enterprise Course Curriculum. This high school course is designed to equip educators climate-related coursework so they may become more informed and confident facilitating meaningful conversations with their eager students.
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By Matilda Peck  Cathy Johnson has been teaching the UC Climate Stewards course to SEI Climate Corps Fellows since 2023. What does it mean to teach climate stewardship? I asked Cathy Johnson, an instructor of the UC Climate Stewards course. Johnson administers the course to SEI’s Climate Corps Fellows as a key component of their professional training. “I want Fellows to finish the course with confidence to talk about climate change,” Johnson said. “And with hope — that they are part of the solution and that everything they do matters, every step, every conversation, every action.”
By Isaí Rea  Graduates of the Tesla START program at Rio Hondo College, an Energize Careers partner, in 2023. Solving the climate crisis can feel insurmountable, but we know that it’s possible – with the right people. Currently, there’s a massive workforce gap in the energy efficiency sector and other green workforce industries. Simply put, there aren’t enough skilled people to fill these jobs.
 Corey Robinson, SEI Project Coordinator supports with Dr. MLK Jr. Academy’s National Bike to School Day event. Giveaways and raffle prizes were available for any student that walked or rolled to school. The end of this 2023-2024 school year was an exciting milestone for SEI’s education team: a successful first year of the Youth Leading Active Communities (YLAC). Working with four elementary and middle schools in Marin County, our pilot program utilized a student leadership model, empowering students to identify opportunities for active and sustainable transportation in their communities.
By Matilda Peck  Anna Oliva at the June 2024 launch of Drawdown’s Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area, a climate solutions short documentary series. "My climate story matters and can impact other young professionals beginning their careers,” said SEI Climate Corps alumni Anna Oliva. A year after concluding her Climate Corps Fellowship, Oliva is one of seven Bay Area climate heroes featured in Drawdown’s Neighborhood: San Francisco Bay Area, a climate solutions short documentary series presented by Project Drawdown.
 Andrew Hurtado and Evelyn La visited MEarth to conduct research for their internship projects. This semester, exciting things are happening at California State University, Monterey Bay. Two Energize Colleges interns, Andrew Hurtado and Evelyn La, are driving climate projects under the guidance of Daniel Fernandez, Professor in the Department of Applied Environmental Science.
Strawberry Point Elementary School's Remarkable Journey to Platinum Zero Waste Certification11/27/2023  Student Green Team members were awarded with Zero Waste Stewardship certificates. In the heart of Mill Valley, California, a school community was buzzing with excitement, and the air was filled with cheers of triumph. This was a day to celebrate, as Strawberry Point Elementary School accomplished something extraordinary—they became the very first school to earn Platinum Certification in the Zero Waste Marin Schools Program. “This means we’ve been incredible at sorting our trash!” a student leader announced to her community during the all-school assembly. “Let’s keep it going!”
By Matilda Peck  2023-2024 CCEO Fellows gathered during orientation in Golden Gate Park. On a hot day in August, I wandered through the San Francisco Botanical Garden, slightly lost. I’d come to meet the Climate Corps Education Outside (CCEO) Fellows, a group of passionate garden educators, in the midst of orientation for the 2023-2024 school year. Just as I was doubting my navigation, I heard laughter and excited voices up ahead and knew I’d come to the right place. The trail opened to a large clearing where thirty-six CCEO Fellows were gathering for lunch.
 High Tech High students created environmental art installations on campus. On a typically sunny San Diego afternoon, I met Dawn Wirts, a 9th grade physics teacher at High Tech High International, to drop off her air quality monitoring classroom kit. She offered me a campus tour and excitedly showed me around the school’s bright entryway, greeting almost every student along the way. During this first visit, the hallways were empty of the environmental murals and activism art that would soon fill them as a result of Dawn’s students’ participation in Energize Schools' annual People and Planet Challenge and Air Quality Program.
 Marin County School custodians make zero waste initiatives possible. In partnership with the Zero Waste Schools Program, SEI helps schools in Marin County, California, reach their zero waste goals. Our schools compost organic materials, recover edible food, and educate students about waste sorting practices. But none of these initiatives would be possible without our zero waste superheroes: the custodians!
Helping with waste reduction, sorting, and pick up, custodians are the people who make zero waste initiatives possible and move them forward behind the scenes. We are so grateful for their work. Our team is proud to spotlight three custodians who are doing an outstanding, above-and-beyond job supporting students on their waste sorting journey. |
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