| Year | Success |
|---|
| 2008 to 2020 |
PSS started in 2008, with our Hope in Action youth conference. This bi-annual conference continued to inspire and empower over 600 students per year until the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Each event successfully connected over a dozen local non-profits in the Eugene/Springfield area to approx. 300 students from our local schools.
- Keynotes (past and present): former Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, superintendents from the 4J and Bethel districts, student leaders, teachers, storytellers, and many others.
- Workshops educators (past and present): BRING, City of Eugene, EWEB, Friends of Trees, Lane County Waste Management, MECCA, Stand for Children, Seeds of Peace, Safe Routes to School, School Garden Project, University of Oregon and many, many others.
|
| 2009 to present |
PSS became the Oregon Green Schools coordinator, for schools in the Lane County region, in 2009.
- We help schools with the OGS application process, and assist them in completing green projects.
- Schools in Lane County that certify at the Entry-level, or upgrade to the Merit or Premier levels of the program, become eligible for a $500 incentive grant from Lane County Waste Management Division.
|
| 2009 to 2020 |
PSS developed two in-class educational programs:
- Cool School Challenge climate education (2010 to 2012). Working with the University of Oregon, PSS created standards-based climate lessons for 3rd through 8th graders. This curriculum was used for 2 years in many local schools.
- Green Partnership Schools (GPS) program (2013 to 2020); standards-based lessons for 4th/5th grade students covering resource conservation, environmental science, making healthy choices, and a variety of other sustainability-related topics. Our GPS program educated over 1,600 students each year in 34 participating schools within Lane County.
|
| 2021 to Present |
In 2021, PSS created a network of high school students across Oregon, learning about leadership and addressing climate change and climate justice:
- The Our Future youth leadership network is focused upon climate action and climate justice. The core of the program is run by a team of "Regional Leader" students who meet throughout the school year, and there are 2 representatives from each participating school on this team. They determine and develop projects related to resource conservation, legislation, fundraising, and communications. These students also actively recruit students at their school to be volunteer "members" who can choose to be involved in a variety of activities and events that the Regional Leaders host.
- Students interested in being involved can learn more at: www.ourfutureoregon.org
|