This Fall with the Institute for Sustainable Schools
A sampling of the workshops, celebrations, and learning experiences the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools has been a part of this fall, in support of extraordinary educators and students around the world.
A new semester of Burlington City and Lake, now with its ninth cohort, is in full swing.
Wednesday, September 21, Burlington, Vermont. BCL is a partnership of Shelburne Farms and the Burlington School District. As part of students’ onboarding to the program, which uses the city as a classroom, we introduced Burlington High School students to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Students visualized a thriving community, then prioritized the goals based on what they thought was most vital to achieve that community. Opinions differed; some groups said Climate Action should be at the top ("You can't fix the planet if you don't have a planet," said one student) while others picked Peace and Justice.
Learn more about options for requesting a school program.
Celebrating Farm to School Month.
Tuesday, October 4, Duxbury Vermont. October is Farm to School Month, and communities all over the country are celebrating. On October 4, students, school staff, and the Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood Network gathered at Crossett Brook Middle School to thank U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy for his leadership and commitment to the farm to school movement. “Farm to school is now nationwide, and where did it start? Here in Vermont,” said Senator Patrick Leahy. “We may be the second-smallest state, but we’re number one in good ideas.” Farm to school is a strategy that supports youth in connecting the dots of where their food comes from and how their food choices impact their bodies, the environment, and their communities at large.
Read more on the Vermont FEED website. Vermont FEED is a partnership project of the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools and NOFA-VT.
Friday, October 7, Portland, Maine. What do you imagine when you hear the words “climate data?” You might picture complex charts and bar graphs, presentations that can be overwhelming and, at times, frightening. Earlier this month, climate data artist Jill Pelto invited educators to envision a new approach to inspiring climate action and instilling hope: through art. “Art can have a powerful role in bringing emotions to science. With art, we’re often able to interact with data in new ways,” shared Jill. The workshop was part of the Climate Resiliency Fellowship, a year-long program offered by the Institute for Sustainable Schools. 2022-23 fellows are an interdisciplinary group of educators from around the country who’ll gather throughout the year to build a foundation in teaching about climate solutions, and will craft strategies to engage their students in service learning. Guided by Jill, Climate Resiliency fellows created their own artwork inspired by climate data of their choosing. One educator illustrated Atlantic herring spawning from 1970–2010. Educators will bring this and other inspiring ideas back to their classrooms across the U.S.
Interested in joining us? Request to be notified when applications are available for our next Climate Resiliency Fellowship cohort.
Sustainable schools are places where students build their ability to make a difference and are challenged to apply what they learn to improve wellbeing for their schools and communities. Read more about the Institute for Sustainable Schools.
Educators, tell us in the comments: what’s happening in your classroom that you’re excited about this fall?