Developing and Facilitating a Youth Run Coalition of High School Environmental Clubs to Enhance the Effectiveness of Individual Club Efforts
File(s)
Date
1998-07Author
Servais, James D.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The purpose of this project was to enhance the effectiveness of student
high school environmental club efforts in northeast Wisconsin by developing
and evaluating a truly youth driven coalition of high school environmental clubs.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recommends that
environmental ethics, citizen action skills and citizen action experience be
infused into the existing curricula at the secondary level; however these three
levels of environmental literacy are not being taught in Wisconsin classrooms
for a variety of reasons.
The environmental club at Green Bay West High School (WEC) formed a
coalition of eight environmental clubs called the Northeast Wisconsin High
School Environmental Coalition (NEWHSEC). It was "student owned", and had
advisors who acted as resource persons and as expediters when asked.
NEWHSEC chose a mission of strengthening the power of youth through
communication with each other and by educating themselves and the
community about environmental issues for a sustainable environment for future
generations.
Formed in January 1998, the club secured funding through grants,
influenced the outcome of a local land use issue, and planned acquired funding
for field trips and pilot environmental education programs in the Green Bay
elementary and middle schools. NEWHSEC members learned environmental
ethics, citizen action skills, and had citizen action experiences.
The author recommends that a program be made available to train
interested teachers how to go about establishing high school environmental
club coalitions in their own regions.