Sustainability Education Forum

Earth Care International

Sustainability Education Forum

Earth Care International's first Sustainability Education Forum -Recognizing and Connecting Our Resources - attracted over 100 community members on a beautiful Santa Fe evening at the Clear Light Bookstore. Community participants included teachers, principals, parents, students, community organizations and businesses, Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez, members of the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, and Mayor Coss.





The evening began with an invigorating discussion facilitated by Earth Care International's Executive Director, Christina Selby, on the role of education and its relationship to sustainable community development. Many community members suggested that the role of education is not merely to prepare the youth of today for the jobs of tomorrow, but should engage and empower youth in the process of building a more vibrant and sustainable community.


Community members were then asked to shortly speak about projects ideas that could either be implemented in schools or in the larger community. Paula Iveland, an English teacher at Capital High and participant in Earth Care's Teacher Institute for Sustainability Education, spoke briefly about a current project called Capital Green Project (CGP). CGP is an interdisciplinary project that has swept across Capital's campus. Laetitia "Mimi" Narvaez, a teacher at Salazar Elementary and participant in Earth Care's Teacher Institute for Sustainability Education, spoke about Salazar Green, a project designed to create a environmentally friendly track and field, outdoor classroom spaces, and small classroom garden plots. Karen Sneiders, Principal at Alvord Elementary School, spoke about Alvord becoming Santa Fe's first magnet school with the theme of sustainability.


Sevaral groups were then formed using the project ideas as the central theme. These small groups, facilitated by Earth Care Staff, were asked to delve deeper into the motivation for the project - connecting the creating of outdoor spaces and garden plots to the deeper motivations of shifting the youth's relationship to the environment and cultural revitalization through the practice and study of traditional agriculture. Other groups delved into the motivations of creating efficient and effective recycling and waste management processes.

To learn more about each small groups work - click here!

You're invited to join a community forum on sustainability education!

Join Earth Care International and the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission for the first of a series of community forums to bring youth, schools, and community members together to advance our collective work to engage and empower youth in the process of building a more vibrant, sustainable community, implement the City's sustainable development goals, and meet schools' educational improvement needs.

Education plays an essential role in the transition to a sustainable society.

Sustainability serves a vital role in motivating and engaging young people in their education.

How can schools contribute to sustainable community?

How can community help schools become sustainable?

What are we already doing?

What can we do together?

Join teachers, youth, and school and community leaders from the Santa Fe area who share these passions and desire for action. Hope to see you there! Please feel free to invite your friends and colleagues.

Please RSVP to Christina Selby at christina@earthcare.org so that we may plan accordingly.

Sincerely,

Christina Selby
Program Director
Earth Care International


Community Forum on Sustainability Education

Group Discussion, Networking, Connecting Resources and Needs, Sustainable Santa Fe Plan

Date: Thursday, April 9th
Time: 4:30 - 7:30
Location: Santa Fe Complex624 Agua Fria (directions: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102521327033&e=001Qe1IeaG1WhaKX3a4RJqg1PKJHWSVuo8bCXsr8hAxUylTuUDWo0g4_ZgGi0I8N1D1u57RKBS4IuwEB__HiCVPDgRMDcwl_PxZpQchHH7VJgSwzC-qJvro9A==)

Special Guests:
Bobbie Gutierrez, Superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools
Camilla Bustamante, Chair, Sustainable Santa Fe Commission

Sponsors:
Earth Care International
City of Santa Fe's Sustainable Santa Fe Commission


Sustainability Education develops the knowledge, skills, thinking, and experience that empower people to contribute meaningfully to the transition to a sustainable society. Sustainability education sees economic viability, democratic participation, diversity, justice and equity as inextricably linked with the regeneration and health of our ecosystems.