YES Summer Program: Climate Change Curriculum

Context: A global issue with serious local impacts, climate change can be a daunting topic to tackle. The lack of community resilience uncovered by the COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted the urgency needed to respond and prepare for local threats. From transportation to reliable and affordable energy, climate concerns touch every part of our lives, often leading people to feel overwhelmed.

The team of five students focused on climate change this summer immediately recognized that awareness and education were the most important factors in helping their communities take action. The self-named Climate Action Warriors partnered with the City of Detroit’s Green Task Force and local consultants to distill the most important information about climate change into several mediums, including social media posts, flyers and a climate guide. Students shared this information with their partners and presented it to a group of over 75 teachers and community educators as an example of how they could address climate change through their curriculum, even in a remote environment.

Check out the group's slideshow presentation here and for a collection of resources on the impacts of climate change and effective ways to take action compiled by the Climate Action Warriors, click here.