CRC’s Resilient Education program aims to increase awareness and understanding of climate change and its impacts in frontline communities, particularly among youth.

The program has two main components: the EarthWise Kids curriculum and a Youth Climate Collective Fellowship program.

EarthWise Kids

In 2019, CRC partnered with Oxford Day Academy, Green Ninja project, San Mateo County’s YESS program, Grassroots Ecology, and Stanford University to pilot the EarthWise Kids program. This interactive, hands-on curriculum illustrated East Palo Alto’s climate change vulnerabilities through class and field work while also emphasizing student organizational and leadership skills. CRC has also aimed to build youth capacity and leadership through engagement with other projects, such as a climate change survey and community vulnerability assessment.

CRC has adapted this week-long curriculum to daylong and half day field trip formats and we work with K-12 teachers to adapt the program to the age and educational needs of the group. If you’re interested in developing an EarthWise Kids field trip for your group, please reach out!

Youth Climate Collective

CRC’s upcoming Youth Climate Collective program provides opportunity for youth from East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, and Belle Haven to join a six-month cohort to take part in interactive field trips, advocacy workshops, student presentations, and discussions to learn about environmental justice topics. The YCC program aims to give students a voice in the climate change conversation and show them they are capable of making a difference in their communities. Students will also be connected with mentorship and internship opportunities to continue their work on climate change after the program concludes.

This program comes out of over a year of focus groups and listening sessions where high schoolers shared their vision for a program — one that is sustainable, links directly to vocational opportunities, and creates space for connection.