Sign The Declaration of Independence from Fossil Fuels
Start an Action Team
Official ACE Action Teams: 109
ACE Action Team Members: 9,614
We know high school students are pretty awesome, and naturally will lead the charge in the fight against global warming. Our Action Teams help you connect with classmates to start projects in your community with two simple and important - goals: lower your emissions and raise your voice.
Here’s a quick FAQ about Action Teams:
- What are Action Teams?
- How do I start an Action Team?
- What do you recommended for Action Team Projects?
- How do we submit finished projects and how do we earn star rewards?
- What is an ACE Ambassador?
- What forms do I need?
- What's the deal with Facebook?
- Who can I talk to at ACE about this?
1. What are Action Teams?
Action Teams are student-led, school-based groups working to green up their school and raise awareness. They can be pre-existing environmental clubs or they can be brand new teams.
Bottom line: Students are the visionaries, lead organizers and action starters – and ACE provides the support.
2. I'm in! How do I start an Action Team?
It's simple! Create an Action Team, complete projects, and earn rewards!
Create an Action Team: Once you and a couple other students decide you want to get a team going, all you need to do is follow these easy steps. (Already have an awesome environmental club on campus? Skip to Step 4 to register your team with ACE.)
- Find a teacher sponsor.
- Hold the first meeting.
- Get at least 10 fellow students to join.
- When deciding on team leadership roles, make sure to elect an ACE Ambassador. The ACE Ambassador will be responsible for keeping ACE up-to-date on what the team is doing.
- Fill out the Get Official form with all this information.
- Submit the Get Official form to your Regional Action Team Coordinator. (The ACE person in your area that works with Action Teams)
Once these steps are complete, your team will become an Official ACE Action Team and will recieve its first Star Point!
3. Complete Projects:
After the team is up and running, it’s time to get to work.
Check out our Action Toolkit for useful project ideas. Of course, if you don't see a project you like, feel free to create your own!
When your team has completed a project, have your team’s ACE Ambassador fill out the Take Action-Get Stars form and submit it to your Regional YEP Coordinator.
4. Share Your Finished Projects and Get Rewards!
As soon as your team completes a project and submits it's first Take Action-Get Stars project completion form to your Regional Action Team Coordinator, you start getting rewards! ACE gives Action Teams Stars for every project they complete and the more Stars you collect, the more rewards you get!
Rewards for Action Teams
- 1 STAR: Starter Kit - important info for Action Teams and chance to apply for $250 in ACE Action Team Starter Funding
- 3 STARS: Climate Hero Resources - a collection of the latest hits from science gurus around the world
- 5 STARS: Climate Hero Gear - 5 T-Shirts and 5 water-bottles for your team (plus discount if you want more)
- 5+ STARS: Major Climate Hero Rewards - opportunity to enter your team into drawings for sweet prizes like a flip cam for your team, concert and event tickets and more!
5. What is an ACE Ambassador?
An ACE Ambassador is somebody elected by your Action Team that is responsible for communicating with ACE about your team's progress. It can be anybody on the team: secretary, treasurer, the green enforcer, whoever you'd like! Contact your Regional AT Coordinator if you would like to learn more about becoming your team's ACE Ambassador.
6. Wait, so what forms do I need?
The four most important forms your team will need are:
- Sign Up!: Fill this form out to officially register your team with ACE
- Green for your Green: Once your team has become an Official ACE Action Team, have your ACE Ambassador fill this application out and send it to your Regional Action Team Coordinator for the chance to get $250 in starter funding from your team.
- Take Action-Get Stars: Have your ACE Ambassador fill this out when your team completes a project and submit it to your Regional Action Team Coordinator in order to get Star points.
- School Grant Application: Is your team ready to tackle a BIG project? Need some cash to do so? Get your team to fill out the School Grant Application - we're going to be dealing out grants of $2,500 and $5,000 in the spring of 2010.
7. What's the deal with Facebook?
ACE uses Facebook causes to help you connect with students in your school and around the country that are interested in making a difference, just like you.
Why? Well, you're probably already on Facebook, and it's a great way to connect and stay in touch with others. If you're not on Facebook yet, you can sign up for free here. (And you should totally friend ACE while you're at it!)
All signed up and logged in? Perfect. Now join your school’s ACE Action Team through our Facebook Causes account.
- If you're on this page because ACE did a presentation at your school, we already set up an Action Team for you. Check out all our Action Teams on Facebook and find your school
- If you’re on this page but ACE has NOT given a presentation at your school, and you want to start a team on Facebook, email Ashlee Jensen here at ACE and she’ll give you the hookup
8. Is there someone at ACE I can talk to about this?
In each ACE location, there is an ACE Educator who is ready and excited to help you get started. We call them our Regional Action Team Coordinators. Find your gal or guy below and contact them today!
National and Northern California Coordinator:
Ashlee Jensen
ashlee.jensen@climateeducation.org
Southern California Coordinator:
Sophie Korn
sophie.korn@climateeducation.org
Texas Coordinator:
Fei Ji
fei.ji@climateeducation.org
Mid-West Coordinator:
Annie Laurie Cadmus
annielaurie.cadmus@climateeducation.org
Atlanta Coordinator:
Lonna Dawson
lonna.dawson@climateeducation.org
New England Coordinator:
Julian Rodriguez-Drix
julian.rodriguez-drix@climateeducation.org
New York/New Jersey Coordinator:
Elana Santana
elana.santana@climateeducation.org