other_kidsedu.210Empowering young people is the hope of our future. Greening Greenfield aims to infuse the concept and practices of sustainability into the schools. To date we have participated in teacher training workshops, seccured grants so that we have worked with the Middle School on an Expanded Learning Time program on climate change solutions, worked with students to decorate the new recycling bins in Town, and worked with the Town to find financial resources to do energy audits and upgrades to school buildings.

In 2011, we offered a Science and Sustainability Expo for 5-12 graders, in collaboration with Susan Reyes, science educator. We are presently working with the public schools on composting, and helping to bring climate change solution resources to the students. To learn more about our efforts to work with youth click here.

Following are some useful links:

Greenfield Public Schools for school calendars, school committee information, links to specific schools, teachers, and classrooms, and a journal from Dr. Susan Hollins, Superintendent. To reach the Greenfield Public School's volunteer coordinator email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Greenfield Recreation Department offers  programs year-round for people of all ages.

YMCA offers many programs for youth, including summer camps.

    Teachers – Green Curricula and More

    Many exciting programs are already happening in Greenfield Schools. Our goal is to shine a light on these programs, and help teachers find the resources they need to bring the information and resources young people need to feel empowered and make informed decisions about their future and their world!

    Greenfield Schools – What’s Happening

    GCC/GHS connection – Greenfield High School students are offered the opportunity to both take courses that prepare them for Greenfield Community College’s courses on sustainability – especially those that can lead to jobs as an energy auditor or solar installer. Students can also receive HS and GCC credit for several of these courses.

    Green Wave – During 2008-2009 school year, a group of high school students formed a club and promoted the use of cloth shopping bags instead of disposable ones. They printed up bags and sold several hundred!

    Curricular Resources

    Finding useful curricular materials can be challenging! But each year it gets easier. Following are some materials and organizations that we have found helpful. If you know of any great resources, please let us know!

    Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) offers curricula for students of all ages that explores sustainable energy. NESEA also offer professional development on its curricular units such as Energy Thinking, Wind Wisdom, Cars of Tomorrow and the American Community etc.

    The Hitchcock Center for the Environment’s mission is to foster a greater awareness and understanding of our natural world and to develop environmentally literate citizens.  They offer natural history programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, teacher training and more!

    The Alliance for Climate Education offers FREE assemblies for High School students and an active blog where students can find like-minded students and take action, and other resources.

    Several local organizations offer programs on sustainable food production:

    Seeds of Solidarity offers many programs for young people and others that aim to provide inspiration and practical tools to use renewable energy and grow food in their communities. The farm itself is in Orange.

    Red Gate Farm is in Buckland, MA. Visitors to the farm experience hands-on learning about agriculture and the natural world.

      Earthwork Programs offers many programs for children including summer camp with the goal of offering people experiences in nature that will introduce them to a new awareness of themselves and the natural world around them.

      Green Teacher, in Toronto, publishes a quarterly magazine (Green Teacher) that aims to help youth educators enhance environmental and global education inside and outside of schools. They also offer several useful books with lots of classroom activities. Following are for middle school students: Teaching Green -the Middle Years, and Teaching About Climate Change.

      Focus the Nation is a campaign created in 2008 to empower college students to engage in political action around climate change and other environmental issues.

      Bibliography – A 4-page annotated bibliography compiled in 2008 for Teaching the Future, a one-week course for high school teachers. The bibliography focuses on climate change and transportation resources. (download PDF)

      If you know of any great resources, please let us know!

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