The Will Steger Foundation is kicking off the summer with research to develop and launch an innovative mentorship program within the RE-AMP network that connects youth climate leaders with veteran staff from climate-focused non-profit organizations across the Midwest.

Mentorship is defined as a mutually beneficial learning relationship between two people that involves caring, commitment and trust. This project, which received grant funding through the RE-AMP Strategic Initiative Fund, aims to build egalitarian and intergenerational relationships that allow both participants to gain powerful new insights and perspectives.

The development of this program comes at a critical time for the environmental movement. Now over 40 years old, the environmental movement is experiencing a point of stagnancy. There is a gap between public opinion and political progress. The number of Americans who say there is evidence for global warming is on the increase and there is strong public support for clean energy; yet, climate change remains a partisan issue with very few recent political victories.

Research is indicating that we need to change our approach.

In a 2011 report, Cultivating the Grassroots: A Winning Approach for Environmental Funders, Sarah Hansen found that rather than continuing to rely on top-down strategies, we need to increase support for grassroots organizing in communities that are directly impacted by environmental harms.

“We need a holistic approach to solve the complex problems such as those our environment and climate face today. Problems in our environment stem from a long chain of complicated reactions and overlapping factors,” says Hansen. “Conceptually and practically, science is never isolated from culture, society and the economy.”

As a young climate organizer from Minnesota, I am excited to be working with the Will Steger Foundation this summer as a Research Assistant on this project. I have seen the work my peers are doing across the Midwest to engage new communities in the climate movement and create innovative solutions. They are organizing to transition their campuses from coal power to clean energy, launching initiatives to grow the green economy, and committing to inclusive organizing practices.

Young people have always been at the forefront of social movements. Today in the Midwest, they are pushing the boundaries and changing the dominant narrative around climate to focus on its impact on people, so that it is understood as more than an environmental issue. By moving the debate from protecting polar bears and ice caps to social justice, human health, and resilience of communities, they are broadening the environmental movement and spurring innovative solutions that address the systemic nature of the problem.

Across the country youth organizers are building authentic relationships with marginalized, low income, and communities of color and collaborating on local victories that strategically build political pressure for large-scale change. Many valuable insights have been formed from these experiences, and youth still have a lot to learn.

By fostering open dialogue and mutual learning between young climate leaders who are working on the front lines in their communities and veteran staff from environmental organizations, this program will increase the flow of knowledge, resources, and ideas across the generational spectrum, and lead to necessary growth in the climate change movement across the Midwest.

I see huge potential for synergy by creating a space where youth organizations and established non-profits can build relationships and share skills. A few examples include:

• How have youth organizations leveraged social media?
• What expertise do established non-profits have to offer on high-level networking?
• How are youth redefining the boundaries of the environmental movement in new and necessary ways?
• How can veteran staff support and learn from these efforts?
• How can we collaborate, leveraging relationships with key constituencies and influential decision-makers?

I look forward to seeing how this program will shape the Midwest climate movement and help us build a more powerful movement.

If you are interested in participating in the mentorship program or if you have research or ideas to share, please contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 612.278.7147.

On Friday, April 27th, over eighty middle and high school students from across the state of Minnesota gathered at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus for the YEA! MN Student Sustainability Summit.  The energy, maturity, and inquisitiveness the students brought to the event was inspiring.  I felt extremely privileged to be working with and getting to know these brilliant future leaders of Minnesota!

Happy Spring! As many of you plan action projects this spring, share your plans with us! As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.

New City School submitted this creative PSA for the Parks Climate Challenge:

Last week, the first White House Summit on Environmental Education was held. Read Richard Louv's reflections on this event and the importance of environmental literacy.

There have been various phenological indicators of this year's early spring in Minnesota such as the early return of loons. There has also been recent writing about examples of phenological changes in Concord, Massachusetts that have been documented thanks to the early phenology records in Thoreau's journals. Bring your students outside to document changes of their own! Another benefit to taking your students outside is the link between physical activity and improved academic performance that is being shown in recent research. As we are enjoying this beautiful spring season, take your students outside to connect with their place and post their observations and journal entries to the Minnesota's Changing Climate online classroom. We love seeing your students' excellent work!

Happy National Park Week-especially to our Parks Climate Challenge cohort!

Kristen and Ann

Featured Resource

Weather Underground launched a great new page on climate change. This site presents climate data in an accessible way and also features local climate data for students to explore.

Professional Development Opportunities

Interested in joining a virtual climate change education book club mostly focused on young adult fiction? Find out more. You will have to register to the ICEE forum if you would like to join the conversation!

Classroom Earth is offering professional development grants for a six week online course on wildlife conservation with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Application Deadline: April 30

The National Environmental Education Foundation is accepting applications for the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award. The 2012 award will go to an outstanding high school teacher who successfully integrates environmental education into their curriculum and engages students in interdisciplinary solutions to environmental challenges. Nominate a colleague or yourself. Application Deadline: June 8

Apply to the National Science Teachers Assocation's New Science Teacher Academy. Application Deadline: July 1

Exciting news!  The Minnesota's Changing Climate Project- which includes all of the great work you have been doing, has beennominated for a Minnesota Environmental Initiative Award.  Winners will announced at an event on May 24.  More info.

We have confirmed that Eugenie Scott,the Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education(NCSE), will be speaking on Climate Science in Schools: the Next Evolution, at our free public forum held the evening of August 6th at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Cowles Auditorium, with Will Steger. Moderated by Steve Kelley. 

For the past 30 years NCSE has primarily focused on defending the teaching of evolution in the classroom. In 2012, in response to complaints from teachers that they were coming under fire for teaching global warming and other climate change concepts, NCSE decided to support the teaching of climate change in addition to evolution.  The work of NCSE is clearly important, especially after yesterday's passage of a bill in Tennessee that allows teachers to teach that the science and issue of climate change has "two sides."  More info.