The power of young people has never been more evident – or important – as it is today. In honor of International Youth Day, I want to take a look back at some of the remarkable change driven by Earth Force young people. Back in 1999, the United Nations endorsed this day as a dedication[…]
Guest Post: Jan Sneddon, Director of GM GREEN at Earth Force We have so much to be thankful for here at Earth Force. Through this GM GREEN Series, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on the unique people and places that make this program tick. Last month, we met a long-time Detroit educator who is[…]
I am traveling today, and everywhere I go I see the same headline: Trump 49% / Clinton 48%. But those numbers don’t reflect the reality of American civic society. Just about 59,450,000 voted for Mr. Trump – which is roughly 26% of the 231 million eligible voters in the U.S. Whether you are excited about[…]
Last week, I read a great article discussing why science education is important for democracy. We’ve explored this topic before on the Earth Force blog, talking about why civic skills matter in STEM education. The author of the piece, Arthur Camins, argues that, “Great science and engineering education engages students so that they develop the[…]
In September, we traveled to Langley, British Columbia to explore the strengths that the Langley Environmental Partners Society brings to GM GREEN. This month, we’re heading to Detroit, MI to meet a dynamic educator and partner who have teamed up to do big things through GM GREEN. Longtime educator Tracy Ortiz from Clippert Academy has[…]
On the 25th anniversary of GM GREEN, Earth Force formally expanded the program into Canada, welcoming seven new Canadian communities, many with unique climates, environmental challenges, and educational approaches. One such community is Langley, British Columbia, sitting on the edge of urban and rural landscapes. Langley is located on the border of Washington state, just[…]
Getting youth to be engaged in their communities and the environment is a lot like making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You just need three quality ingredients: knowledge (the peanut butter), skills (the jelly), and motivation (the bread.) I think most of us can remember making a really great peanut butter and jelly sandwich[…]
Guest Post: Jan Sneddon, Director of GM GREEN Our partnership with General Motors takes us to amazing communities – from Kapuskasing, Ontario to Spring Hill, Tennessee; Baltimore, Maryland to Langley, British Columbia. Over the past 27 years, we’ve met some outstanding people and organizations that make these communities ripe for bringing youth to the table[…]
World Environment Day is coming up this Sunday, June 5, and serves as an opportunity for us all to reflect on how we are being an “agent of change” when it comes to the environment. World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection[…]
I was talking with a Wells Fargo volunteer at the Denver Youth Summit last week, and he said something that stuck with me: Every student needs to learn to think big. An Earth Force student wanted to create a ‘trash trap’ to put in Cherry Creek, the local river, to help filter trash out of[…]