Edith Morley Park

Acterra developed a science-based climate science education and training program for Middle School students (grades 6-8) that explains climate change and outlines positive steps individuals and communities can take to mitigate negative effects. Acterra aims to partner with the California Native Garden Foundation (CNGF) to co-create an outdoor/urban garden experience that links nature, food, and planetary health to enrich the You(th) Be the Change (YBtC) curriculum that both organizations can incorporate into their educational programming. In addition to direct teaching of the enriched YBtC program in classrooms, this project includes a teacher training program to support and inspire teachers to provide students from under-resourced communities with high quality climate science education and outdoor/urban garden experiences while increasing awareness and usage of CNGF’s urban garden.

In collaboration with the UC California Naturalist Program, San Jose Conservation Corps (SJCC) is training and certifying 25 Corpsmembers as California Naturalists. As SJCC becomes a UC California Naturalist partner, the organization will have the capacity to provide the certification in-house. With support from the grant, SJCC will train 75 Corpsmembers overall and have them all receive their California Naturalist Certification. Funds are utilized for Corpsmember wages, guest speaker stipends, and training materials/supplies.

With this project, the Authority will help fund standards-based outdoor education programs to students from deep-engagement communities (DEC), Title I schools, and special needs groups for three years. Funding underwrites costs for 120 Title I field trips and 75 transportation stipends, and 24 special needs field trips and transportation stipends. Authority funds will also support training staff on distance-learning/in-person instructional strategies, best practices for working with students with special needs, & cultural relevancy and racial justice.