Youth for Climate Action

Are you a high school student concerned about climate change?

Do you want to make a meaningful difference here in Rockland County?

Join the Rockland County 4-H Youth for Climate Action, where you can enhance your knowledge of the issues, develop leadership skills, and work with your peers to address climate change.

What is the Rockland County 4-H Youth for Climate Action Program?

Youth for Climate Action gives high school students an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge to address climate change in Rockland County. After a series of interactive sessions, trips, and connections with local organizations, members work together to create and implement service projects to address climate concerns and promote positive change.

Through this program, participants:

• Explore climate change issues on a global and local scale through demonstrations, talks and community science projects
• Visit local sites including a solar field, parks, creeks, piers, and more!
• Design, create, and implement a service project centered on climate change
• Connect with peers and community leaders

Who: 

High School Students (Grades 9-11) who live in or attend school in Rockland County. We are especially looking for youth who work well in a team, are passionate about climate change issues, and are dedicated to making a difference in their communities.

Where: 

CCE Rockland and various sites in Rockland County and surrounding areas.

2024 - 2025 Tentative Program Schedule:

Date and Time	Topic	Description	Location
Thurs. Dec. 19 6pm - 7pm	Orientation	Program overview and team-building	Cornell Cooperative Extension Rockland (CCER), Stony Point
Thurs. Jan. 9 6pm - 7:30pm	Local Climate Action	Connect with local environmental leaders	CCER
Thurs. Jan. 16 6pm - 8pm	Communication Skills and Public Presentations	Learn how to develop, organize, and deliver an effective public presentation.	CCER
Thurs. Feb. 6 6pm - 7:30pm	Climate Action through Art	Connect with local artists and learn how to use art to make a difference	CCER
Thurs. Feb. 13 6pm-8pm	Service Project Planning	Conduct a community needs assessment, brainstorm project ideas, and divide into groups to create service projects	CCER
Tues. Feb. 18 10:30am - 11:30am	Sustainable Fashion	Eileen Fisher Waste No More Factory Tour	Irvington, NY
Thurs. Feb. 27 6pm - 8pm	Public Presentations: Sharing with Peers	Give a 5 -10 min. presentation on a climate change topic (members can work in teams)	CCER
Sat. Mar. 1 (Optional) 9am - 12pm	4-H Public Presentation Event	Present in front of trained evaluators to receive feedback and enhance your skills	CCER
Thurs. Mar. 13 6pm - 7:30pm	Service Project Coordination	Meet with community partners for project advice	Virtual
Thurs. Mar. 20 6pm - 7:30pm	Dominican University Tour	Meet with students, faculty, and staff to learn about the college experience and Dominican's new Environmental Studies Major	Dominican University, Orangeburg, NY
Wed. and Thurs., Apr. 9 & 10, 4:15pm - (approx.) 6:15pm	The American Eel Project	Help the DEC monitor glass eels in Minisceongo Creek	West Haverstraw, NY
Thurs. Apr. 24 5pm - 6pm	Invasive Species Walk	Identify invasive species and their impact on climate
Saturday, Apr. 26	Ecosystem Monitoring		Piermont, NY
Thurs. May 1 4:30pm - 6:30pm	Composting/Waste Management and Solar Field Tour	Learn how Rockland Green composts and manages waste and how Clarkstown is using a landfill to support clean energy	Clarkstown, NY
Thurs. May 22 6pm - 7:30pm	Service Project Review & Presentations	Create a group presentation to share your service project with the community	CCER
Thurs. May 29 5pm - 7pm	Community Celebration	Celebrate the year with family, friends, and community members	TBD

Transportation:

Participants are expected to arrange their own transportation to and from all session locations. If you are accepted into the program, but cannot arrange transportation, please contact the coordinator, Kristin Ruggiero, at klf37@cornell.edu.

Cost: FREE!

Due to a generous gift from Orange & Rockland Utilities, there are no costs to join 4-H Youth for Climate Action this year.

Registration for 2025 is now closed. Information about next year's program will be released in the fall. 

Last updated January 22, 2025