Eno Climate Champions: Building Climate Connections, Session #1

FREE program for teens ages 12–17! Earn volunteer hours, build leadership skills, and help your community take action on climate change. Eno Climate Champions is back with a brand-new, FREE opportunity for local TEENS! For this program series, participants will be tasked with designing an engaging, interactive climate education table for the Eno River Association's community events this spring! As a local land trust dedicated to protecting the Eno River, ERA recognizes that climate resilience is an important part of protecting our river and the surrounding environment. We believe young people bring valuable perspectives, creativity, and ideas to conversations about climate change, and we want to give local teens a meaningful role in shaping how we engage our community. What will you do? Participants will form a Teen Advisory Council to help plan, design, and facilitate fun, accessible educational materials and activities that aim to inspire conversations with community members about climate change and its connections to the Eno River. Throughout the program, you'll collaborate with other teens, share ideas, and help bring your vision to life! The program will culminate in opportunities to represent the ERA’s Climate Champions at public community events, including Creek Week at the Confluence in March and the Earth Day Festival for the Eno in April. Participants will help facilitate the activities they designed and share what they've learned with community members. What skills will you build? Through hands-on activities and collaborative planning, participants will have opportunities to develop skills in: • Environmental education and curriculum design • Science communication and public speaking • Event planning and activity development • Environmental advocacy and community engagement • Leadership, teamwork, and collaboration • Networking and working with a local nonprofit Session Details The tickets that you reserve on this Eventbrite page are for the first session of the program series. The second session is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 6th, and the dates of the third and fourth sessions are TBD. Links to reserve tickets for future sessions will be sent at a later date. Participants are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible, ideally all four (but not absolutely mandatory), to help carry the project from initial brainstorming through final event preparation. Recommended ages 12-17 years. Snacks will be provided at each session!