Denver Public Schools: A Hopeful Generation of Climate Champions

Posted byJeff Horton, DuluthPosted inUncategorizedTags:

In Denver Public Schools, students have been leading the sustainability charge for the last few years, starting with meetings with the school board and, ultimately, leading to the development of the district’s own Climate Action Plan. From there, DPS launched one of the best district websites for monitoring growth and improvement in reaching their set of climate goals. 

“Climate Change and its effects are happening now. We can not take any longer to take action. I hope to inspire others, so we can all work together to take care of the only place we call home. Everyone deserves a healthy and sustainable future,” says Farah Djama, Class of 2024 and Secretary of the Climate Action Team.

The continued sustainability focus has led to numerous opportunities for the students. One such initiative, the Climate Champions Grant Program, is a testament to the power of collaboration, youth engagement, and grassroots activism in the fight against global warming. This collaboration aims to equip young learners in urgent environmental conservation and innovation efforts. 

The Climate Champions Grant Program

The Climate Champions Grant Program was catalyzed by discussions between the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency (CASR), Denver Public Schools (DPS) Sustainability Team, and students. These conversations revolved around how to actively involve youth in environmental sustainability efforts, specifically through the Denver Climate Protection Fund. Recognizing that students had innovative ideas but lacked the necessary resources to bring these to fruition, DPS and Denver CASR leveraged their unique partnership. 

To begin this process, students were provided with an application packet that outlined the project requirements, aligning with DPS’ Climate Action Plan and the allowable uses of funding from the Climate Protection Fund. This ensured that the projects not only addressed local environmental issues but also contributed to broader climate action goals. The application process encouraged a grassroots approach, where students, supported by teachers, classmates, and mentors, took the lead in developing their project ideas. Some schools conducted surveys to gauge interest in various project proposals, while others presented their ideas directly to school principals. Furthermore, DPS facilitated the process by offering pre-application assistance through virtual workshops and one-on-one support, ensuring that students had the guidance needed to refine their proposals.

Student involvement was a critical component of the Climate Champions Grant Program. They were not just participants but were at the forefront of conceptualizing, designing, and pitching project ideas. An interdisciplinary group of experts from both DPS and Denver CASR evaluated the applications based on specific criteria, reflecting the program’s commitment to environmental justice and the promotion of sustainable solutions across different school types and project categories. Despite being in its pilot year, the program received more project submissions than it could fund, indicating strong interest and the potential for future growth. The awarded grants are as follows: 

This collaboration is a great example of what it looks like to give students agency, purpose and connections to real world learning experiences. These cross sector collaborations are representative of real world learning in action.

The post Denver Public Schools: A Hopeful Generation of Climate Champions appeared first on Getting Smart.

from Getting Smart https://www.gettingsmart.com/2024/03/21/denver-public-schools-a-hopeful-generation-of-climate-champions/

Published by Jeff Horton, Duluth

As a citizen and as an educator in Duluth, Minnesota, Jeff Horton loves empowering other people to help themselves in their own lives. He’s always been a believer of the “give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for life” kind of mentality, and works passionately to help people develop the skills and the confidence they need to succeed in their own ways. For Jeff, the act of helping others is more than just performative; he’s not looking to make a difference in the lives of those around him to make himself feel better or feel like he’s accomplished something. Rather, Jeff wants to create an environment where everyone feels empowered and equipped to build their own paths.

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