Youth Empowerment + Sustainability Summit
A Youth Climate Leadership Intensive
“Dr. Thompson shared so many experiences that were eye-opening. We should have her come to our school!” - Fiona
This month eighth grade students Emily, Fiona, Hana, and Maggie, along with Upper School Science Teacher Alex Levin, traveled to the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY, for the Youth Empowerment and Sustainability Summit (YESS!). The three-day leadership intensive focused on finding innovative and effective solutions in three key areas: food, fashion, and energy.
There, they had the opportunity to meet with other inspired youth and adult experts alike, to brainstorm and develop actionable plans to bring back to the GUS community. They attended breakout sessions, heard from experts in the sustainability sector, and learned about the three main green jobs of the future (wind, solar, and climate tech). In particular, they enjoyed hearing from Dr. Allison Thompson, Founder, Third Wave Volunteers, and Tim Guinnee, an actor/cancer survivor who shared the emotional story of his cancer recovery, compared with statistics of climate change, that “made it feel real and personal,” according to Emily.
The group also had ample time to explore the beautiful grounds of the Ashokan Center, an outdoor education, conference, and retreat center located in the Catskill Mountains, and its forests, waterfalls, stream-fed ponds, and open meadows.
Initial plans for Earth Week 2023 at GUS!
After three days of hard work, each team left the summit with a support network and toolkit to help implement their action plans. Emily, Fiona, Hana, and Maggie plan to host a series of events during the week leading up to Earth Day in an effort to Involve, Inform, and Inspire members of the GUS community. Stay tuned for more details on their plans for a community mural project, a zero electricity day, a community thrift store, and a partner nature walk.
We are so proud of these students, who dedicated their weekend to attending this summit, and can’t wait to see what they do next!