Youth Programs
PJDSN is a proud supporter of Earth Charter Indiana (ECI), a nonprofit corporation (501C3), which proclaims fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the twenty-first century.
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Climate Camp is one of our signature programs. Our Camps provide the opportunity for young people, ages 5 on up to dig deep on climate change and climate solutions. Every camp is different, but we always mix science, art, nature connection, service-learning and civic action. In addition to our weeklong camps featured here, we offer drop-in and day camps to partner organizations who want to take climate action with their youth.
Contact us if you are interested in hosting us!
Climate Camp is a collaboration between Youth Power Indiana, Peace Learning Center and HEART, and (usually) hosted at the Peace Learning Center in Eagle Creek Park, and is open to students ages 5-17.
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In April, 2019, National Public Radio announced results of an NPR/Ipsos poll regarding attitudes toward teaching climate science. Important findings included:
“More than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change… Whether they have children or not, two-thirds of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats agree that the subject needs to be taught in school… A separate poll of teachers found that they are even more supportive, in theory — 86% agree that climate change should be taught.”
Yet respondents emphasized their frustration in finding climate curriculum to teach to their students or share with their children. Earth Charter Indiana and HEART decided to do their part to fill this gap, and provide the content you'll find on this Toolkit.
If you have come across effective climate literacy tools in your experience, please share them with us here.
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The Indy Thriving Schools Challenge is a green schools certification program for Marion County K-12 schools. 2021 we are piloting ITSC to go statewide. A small percentage of our program funding will go to support schools outside of Marion County.
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Zero Waste Cafeterias achieve a lot, including waste reduction (plastic and cardboard), food rescue and food waste compost.
The project reduces waste and greenhouse gas pollution, while promoting systems thinking and problem-based, youth-empowered learning experiences.
We hope the Zero Waste Cafeteria will inspire children to achieve zero waste at home and elsewhere, while teaching them about important concepts like circular economy and climate recovery.
For Zero Waste Cafeterias, we use Cafeteria Culture as a starting point. Thanks to a grant from Service Learning Action Fund, we launched our first Zero Waste Cafeteria at IPS School 91, also known as Rousseau McClellan.
