Now recruiting high school teams!
At high schools around southern and eastern Ohio, passionate young adults and teachers are forming Youth Climate Action Teams!
These teams work on projects that address climate change and the environment in their schools or communities. Twice a year, all of the teams meet for two days of workshops. At these retreats, students make friendships with peers from other schools, get inspired and trained by scientists and community professionals, work on their project plans, and spend time exploring the great outdoors.
Email Carrie Vieland (carrie@ruralaction.org) to participate!
Stay tuned for the next YCAT Retreat!
Students on Youth Climate Action Teams have:
- Held field days and taught environmental education lessons to hundreds of elementary school students in their districts
- Created and maintained recycling programs at their schools
- Started community gardens
- Presented to the school board on green building practices as the district prepared to build new buildings
- Competed in a media pitch competition at the Ohio University Scripps School of Journalism
- Monitored hemlock trees in Hocking Hills, Ohio for an invasive beetle, the hemlock woolly adelgid
- Turned basketball games into zero-waste events with recycling and composting.
Staff from Rural Action and Camp Oty’Okwa organize the workshops and support teams with mentorship, transportation needs, and some funding for projects. Learn more about what YCAT participants and Environmental Education staff have been up to through the Environmental Education news feed:
We are always welcoming high schools who are interested in participating. Schools will need a teacher or staff member to sponsor the team, and an interested group of students. Interested and have questions? Contact Carrie Vieland at carrie@ruralaction.org or 740.677.4047 ext. 300! We will work with you to make your participation possible.