Recently, 90% of Republican senators voted against an amendment declaring climate change real and influenced by human activity, even as 97% of climate scientists are telling us that climate change is real, directly related to human activity and has potentially devastating consequences. However, while members of Congress are continuing to bury their heads in the sand, young people in New York understand both the science and the urgency of climate change and are actively working to make sure their community is equipped to fight against it. That is why New York students are working with ACE and Global Kids to pass Resolution 0375-2014, calling upon the New York State Department of Education to include lessons on climate change in K-12 curriculum.

While 13 states have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards, including the teaching of climate science, the US public is still split when it comes to climate change. Even as we see an increase in intense storms, record-breaking droughts and rising sea levels, the scientific consensus is drowned out by denial and mudslinging. Once Resolution 0375-2014 is passed, ACE Action Fellows will work with Global Kids and allies on the New York City Council to leverage the power of the Resolution and get climate education in the classroom at the city and state level: providing the next generation the scientific knowledge they need to fight climate change.

To pass this resolution, ACE and Global Kids’ students will build on the momentum gained last year and continue working with Council Members Costa Constantinides and Donovan Richards to build support, both from the public and the City Council for this resolution. The students will be participating in campaign planning and strategy sessions, organizing and attending demonstrations and gathering and potentially presenting petition signatures. They will also be working to engage the public with the City Council: organizing phone banking, letter-writing and social media campaigning. Not only will this work lead to a greater public understanding of climate change, it’s also affording students in New York an incredible opportunity to take a direct, hands-on role in the campaigning to better their community.

About Global Kids:
ACE and Global Kids have been working together since 2012 to support New York City youth leadership to confront climate change and drive solutions. In the past, we’ve partnered to organize youth conferences, including Act Now Environmental Conference and Sustain-A-Mania and sent students to PowerShift 2013. In 2014, ACE and Global Kids worked together to kick off the Action Fellowship, including a week-long summer institute in August 2014 to provide students an opportunity to lead for change.

The premier nonprofit educational organization for global learning and youth development – Global Kids works to develop youth leaders for the global stage through dynamic global education and leadership development programs. Global Kids inspires underserved youth to achieve academic excellence, self-actualization and global competency, and empowers them to take action on critical issues facing their communities and our world.

Reaching over 14,000 youth and educators each year – Global Kids operates in-school and out-of-school time programs in New York City and Washington, D.C. public schools and at our headquarters.

Global Kids Human Rights Activist Project (HRAP):
Global Kid’s HRAP program supports young people to protect human rights by practicing community organizing to create campaigns that win or impact large-scale change. HRAP focuses on environmental and climate activism since 2010.