Riding the Wave (Learning Festival): Youth Climate Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As an instructor for the Wave Learning Festival, I have worked closely with representatives and programming facilitated by Harvard University to provide engaging remote learning services live to 150+ students and asynchronously to 15,000+ students worldwide. In my role, I am responsible for developing curricula and teaching multiple original environmental science and college-readiness courses. These courses are titled "Our Planet is Dying," "Looking Cool for College: Tackling Admissions Essays," and "Current Topics in Environmental Justice."

Current Topics in Environmental Justice: Making a Change in YOUR Community

Dates: February 16 - March 9, 2021

Topics

• Sustainable Food Systems: Composting, Regenerative Agriculture, Supporting a Local Diet, Community Gardens

• Urban Planning & Development: Reimagining Urban Spaces, Green Architecture, Land Restoration, Alternative Building Materials

• Uplifting Indigenous Voices & Movements: Land Use, Water Rights, Climate Change, Intersections with Religious Practices

• Education: Addressing Educational Inequity, Interdisciplinary Applications of Environmental Studies, What does it mean to receive a holistic educational experience?

Course Description:

Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your community but didn't know where to start? Are you looking to be inspired by compelling stories of activism, environmental stewardship, and community engagement? If so, this course is for you! Join us as we take you on a journey to unpack current topics in environmental justice including sustainable food systems, indigenous environmental leadership, urban planning, and environmental education while providing you with the resources to tackle critical issues in your own community.

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Looking Cool for College: Tackling Admissions Essays

Dates: November 21 - December 12, 2020

Topics

• Teacher and Student Introductions; Beginning of Course Survey

• Affording Higher Education: Financial Aid, Student Loans, Scholarships, Studying Abroad

• Higher-Ed Programs and Acceptance: Private vs. Public Universities, Community College vs. 4-year institutions, Early Action, Early Decision, Deferral

• Navigating University Housing: On- vs. Off-campus, Co-Op Housing, Greek Residences

• *Interview with New York University Undergraduate Student Hayley Krey, Tisch School of the Arts BFA (*Students requested that we bring in an NYU student to discuss their admissions essays and undergraduate experience in our Beginning of Course Survey)

• Live Application Help: Personal Essay Review

Course Description:

Are you stressed about college applications? Do you find yourself worrying constantly that you’re not qualified to get into your dream school? Are you wondering how on earth you’re going to condense your life’s work and achievements (or the lack thereof) into an application essay?

Well if you answered “yes” to any of these questions we are here to help you! College application season is upon us and with the ongoing global pandemic, we understand that it’s harder than normal to connect with resources to help you perfect your applications. Through this course, our goal is to make each and every one of you an expert at marketing your skill sets and thoroughly prepare you for the college application process whether you’re using UC, common, or coalition applications. Our diverse team of instructors is ready to answer any questions you may have whether you’re planning on going to community college and transferring, wondering the difference between a public and private education, thinking about going out of state, or are "first-gen" and have no idea where to start. See you in class!

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Our Planet is Dying

Dates: August 17 - 26, 2020, October - December, 2020

*An extended version of the course was adapted into life science curriculum for 9-12th grade students at Boulder Preparatory High School during fall quarter 2020.

Topics

• Current State of the Planet: Readings and discussion inspired by "The Uninhabitable Earth" by David Wallace Wells

• Brief History of the Environment: What is the anthropocene? How has this led to global climate change?

• Climate Change Solutions (Part 1): Communication, Education, and Enviro-psychology

• Climate Change Solutions (Part 2): Geoengineering and Technological Innovation

• Climate Change Solutions (Part 3): Environmental Justice, Legislation, and Advocacy

• Group Presentations, Discussion, and Reflection: Creating approaches to mitigating climate change based on the information previously discussed in this course. Drawing comparisons from group projects to solutions outlined in Project Drawdown.

Course Description:

“We are only just entering our brave new world, one that collapses below us as soon as we set foot on it.”

-David Wallace Wells, The Uninhabitable Earth

This course is designed to give students insight into anthropogenic climate change: the man made crisis of the century. Together, we will explore a brief history of the environment, the current state of our planet, and how we can mitigate climate change by implementing real-world solutions including (but not limited to) geoengineering, political mobilization, and communication rooted in environmental psychology. Moreover, this course is meant to provide a space for reflection as to how our actions, and the actions of generations before us, have impacted the planet and climate. As this course is taught through a multidisciplinary lens, we welcome students of all academic backgrounds and interests to propagate dynamic discussions of course materials and outside knowledge.