WATER AND CLIMATE STEWARDS
Climate change is perhaps the most pressing environmental challenge faced by today’s youngest generations. We believe that to empower them as future leaders to take on this urgent global issue, we must equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to understand and address the causes of climate change in their own communities.
ABOUT WATER AND CLIMATE STEWARDS
Our Water and Climate Stewards project was developed to facilitate students’ understanding of the connections between climate and water science. By utilizing guided lessons and hands-on activities, the program empowers students and provides them with tools to take action to address globally-scaled problems like marine debris and climate change at local, community-oriented levels. Students participate in powerful discussions about single-use plastics and their role in our water and climate issues. After raising awareness and providing skills to support change, we invite and challenge students to advocate for change by examining and addressing habits in their daily lives.
USING WATER AND CLIMATE STEWARDS
The resources available through Water and Climate Stewards are perfect for everyone from climate science novices to more advanced learners. Educators can conduct the presentation on their own using the resources provided, or they may request a guided lesson from our education team.
CASE STUDY: MARSTON MIDDLE
Of our many education success stories, Marston Middle School is one of our favorites. Inspired by the information they learned through Water and Climate Steward presentations, Marston students developed their own project to delve deeper into the issues of plastic pollution and climate change.
After the Coastkeeper education team visited Marston Middle School in the start of the 2017-18 school year, the school’s sixth grade students not only implemented the Climate Action Project, but proactively created a plastic reduction and climate mitigation movement in their whole school. In a remarkable show of enthusiasm and ingenuity, Marston sixth graders analyzed their plastic use for a month and implemented real-life changes. They created plastic reduction PSAs (which you can view here and here), designed educational posters, hosted an assembly to motivate other students, and even created a school-wide spirit week to encourage their peers to refuse a different kind of single use plastic item each day. Marston students even stepped us as role models for younger kids and developed coloring books to educate elementary students about how climate change and plastic pollution affect local ecosystems. Their comprehensive and innovative action project won them an award at the 14th Annual CCTE Showcase, a district-wide exhibition of student work hosted by San Diego Unified School District’s Office of College, Career & Technical Education.
Marston Middle School is an example of how one project can inspire students and teachers to make positive changes to help our environment while using a multidisciplinary approach to address a science problem. They practiced valuable real-life skills including writing, public speaking, research, evaluating sources of information, collecting data, and teamwork. Through this project, Marston students united their school community to find collective solutions to water and climate issues.