Celebrate and learn from the next generation of climate leaders and advocates at Confluence Park on May 17th
SAN ANTONIO (May 10, 2022) – Join San Antonio-area students, educators, the City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability, EcoRise, and the National Wildlife Federation to celebrate local student climate leaders and K–12 student innovation on May 17th. The 2nd Annual Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives Showcase, and the 4th Annual San Antonio Student Sustainability Showcase will both take place from 5:30–7:00 pm at Confluence Park. The showcases will feature the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives and students who received grant funds from EcoRise’s Student Innovation Fund or the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes Grant program.
2nd Annual Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives Showcase
The Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives mobilizes San Antonio’s next generation of climate champions and provides them with the tools they need to become effective advocates in their community. The second cohort of the council will present the culminating projects of their academic year in the indoor classroom at Confluence Park from 5:30–7:00 pm on May 17th. The Council’s projects, which include a recycling exchange program, a Little Free Pantry initiative, a community health event to share resources with residents of San Antonio’s west side, and a community garden initiative, combine council member passions, what they’ve learned about environmental justice and civic engagement, and support for the City of San Antonio’s first Climate Action and Adaption Plan.
4th Annual San Antonio Student Sustainability Showcase
Local K–12 students participating in EcoRise’s Eco-Audit Grant program and the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes Grant program will showcase their data-driven, STEM-based, sustainability projects under the Confluence Park pavilion. Students from local public, charter, and private schools have used grant funds to create pollinator habitats or to solve a social or environmental issues in their school community. Students will present their ideas and projects, including outdoor classrooms, Monarch Heroes gardens, water and energy conservation efforts, and plastic waste reduction initiatives.
“I am extremely proud of the work that the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives has accomplished over this school year. These students are showing that they are leaders in the community, actively making San Antonio a more sustainable and resilient city, and am looking forward to celebrating these accomplishments and to seeing the careers and advocacy of these young leaders bloom,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
“We are proud to activate passionate young leaders in San Antonio through our school programs and Student Innovation Fund where K–12 students learn a foundation of sustainable thinking, and through the Mayor’s youth council where students become civically-engaged leaders,” said EcoRise Executive Director, Jon Stott. “We can’t wait to provide the opportunity for the community to connect with, learn from, and celebrate these young changemakers on May 17th.”
“We are so excited to celebrate the accomplishments of the Monarch Heroes teams and other young change-makers in the City of San Antonio – A Mayor’s Monarch Pledge Champion City,” said Karen Bishop, Texas Education & Engagement Manager for the National Wildlife Federation. “These students are taking action in their community for people and wildlife now, and for the future!”
EcoRise and the National Wildlife Federation are grateful to the community partners that make programming in San Antonio possible. The Mayor’s Youth Council is led and facilitated by the sustainability education non-profit, EcoRise, with support from the City of San Antonio Mayor’s Office and Office of Sustainability, and the Hollomon Price Foundation. Financial support for EcoRise’s Student Innovation Fund is provided by the City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability and H-E-B. Funding for the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes program in San Antonio is generously provided by the H-E-B Tournament of Champions, H-E-B Environmental Affairs, the Joan & Herb Kelleher Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Amy Shelton McNutt Charitable Trust.
To RSVP for the Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council for Climate Initiatives presentation on their community impact projects, please visit https://myecci-showcase.eventbrite.com. To learn about local K–12 student sustainability projects and to RSVP for the 4th Annual San Antonio Student Sustainability Showcase, please visit https://sashowcase22.eventbrite.com. Learn more about the 2021–2022 Mayor’s Youth Council click here.
