Dear Friends,
As EcoRise board chair, I continue to be inspired by the unwavering commitment of our staff and teachers, whose work empowers youth in classrooms across the nation, in urban communities like New York City and rural towns like Luling, Texas. As we know, the climate crisis threatens us all and requires–as the United Nations has asserted–bold, decisive action at every level of society. I am so proud of the work EcoRise is doing to heed this call.
The year 2019 has been an amazing one at EcoRise! We are now serving over 3,000 teachers and mobilizing a generation of young innovators across the U.S. with K–12 programs focused on environmental literacy, design, and social entrepreneurship.
Thanks to donors like you, teachers are delivering leading-edge environmental education programs that are first of their kind. In 2018, EcoRise launched a new Green Building Program that supports the entrance of graduating high school students into the workforce with relevant green career skills and experience. This year, we were thrilled to see the 10th student graduate with their LEED Green Associate credential, making them among the first high school students in the world to be LEED credentialed. As a result of this program, EcoRise was a finalist for the prestigious UL Innovative Education Award. This year, in partnership with Eversource, we expanded to 10 schools across Massachusetts as well as to schools in Washington, DC; New York; and Texas.
Help us keep the momentum going and fuel us toward our goal of reaching 250,000 students by 2020–21. Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, is happening December 3, 2019. And to celebrate, I and several members of the EcoRise Board of Directors and Advisory Council are going above and beyond, matching the next $10,000 in donations to EcoRise dollar for dollar. Your donation, whether one-time or monthly, will go a long way in helping empower youth who are creating environmental and social change in their communities. So please consider making a gift to EcoRise today.
Thank you all for being a part of the EcoRise community and for your continued support.
Together, #WeRise!
Amie Throndson
2019–2020 EcoRise Board Chair
