Empowering Youth: Launch Your School’s Summer Climate Initiative for a Healthier Future! 🌍✨

This heading captures the essence of the initiative while emphasizing empowerment and community involvement.

Empowering Youth Through Climate Education: A New Initiative for Schools

As summer temperatures rise and the new school year approaches, schools across the nation are presented with a unique opportunity to launch initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. The American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) Committee has developed a comprehensive Climate and Health Youth Education Toolkit designed to educate high school students about the health impacts of climate change and empower them to advocate for climate justice.

The Toolkit: A Comprehensive Resource

The Climate and Health Youth Education Toolkit serves as a vital resource for educators, community partners, and students. At its core is a 100-minute lesson plan that covers critical topics such as:

• Air Quality Impacts: Understanding how pollution affects respiratory health.
• Extreme Weather Events: Analyzing the health implications of floods, wildfires, and heatwaves.
• Vector-Borne Diseases: Exploring how climate change influences the spread of diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus.
• Water-Related Illness: Discussing the risks associated with contaminated water sources.
• Food Safety: Examining how climate change affects food supply and safety.
• Mental Health: Addressing the psychological impacts of climate-related stressors.
• Populations of Concern: Focusing on vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by climate change.

The lesson plan is customizable, allowing educators to adapt it for various reading levels and classroom settings, ensuring that all students can engage meaningfully with the material.

Supplemental Materials for Enhanced Learning

In addition to the core lesson plan, the toolkit includes a variety of supplemental materials designed to enhance the educational experience:

• Teacher’s Slide Deck: A visual aid to support lesson delivery.
• Next Generation Science Standards Alignment: Ensuring the content meets educational standards.
• Relay Race Activity: An interactive way to reinforce learning through teamwork.
• School Outreach Email Template: Facilitating communication with parents and the community.
• Social Media Toolkit: Encouraging students to share their learning and advocacy efforts online.
• Health Professional Recruitment Flyer: Engaging local health professionals in educational initiatives.
• Youth Take Action! Flyer: Inspiring students to take concrete steps toward climate advocacy.

The Urgency of Climate Education

The climate crisis poses significant threats to public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and communities of color. According to the 2023 Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report, the mental health of young people is increasingly at risk due to climate-related stressors. This report highlights the urgent need for educational initiatives that equip youth with the knowledge and skills to navigate these challenges.

Community Engagement and Collaboration

The toolkit encourages collaboration between schools, community organizations, and health professionals. By sharing these resources, educators can foster a culture of climate awareness and action within their communities. The APHA CEH Committee emphasizes that youth are inherently resilient and, with the right tools, can become transformative agents of change.

Additional Resources for Schools and Communities

In addition to the toolkit, educators and community members can access various resources to further support their climate education efforts:

• ecoAmerica Guide for Parents and Caregivers: A resource for building climate resilience at home.
• Mental Health and Climate Change Report: A comprehensive look at the intersection of climate change and youth mental health.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

As schools prepare for the upcoming academic year, the APHA CEH Committee urges educators to integrate the Climate and Health Youth Education Toolkit into their curricula. By empowering students with knowledge and advocacy skills, we can inspire the next generation to lead the charge in addressing climate change and its health impacts.

For more information and to access the toolkit, visit the APHA CEH Committee website.

About the Author
Dr. Callins is a member of the Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) Committee and serves as an obstetrician/gynecologist with Community Health Care Systems, Inc. in Middle Georgia. She is also a professor at Mercer University School of Medicine and a 2025 Climate and Health Equity Fellow with the Medical Society Consortium for Climate and Health and the National Medical Association.