Re-building Environmental Education Programs on St. Criox
Photo: Rattner

Rebuilding Environmental Education Programs on St. Croix

Rebuilding Environmental Education Programs on St. Croix

Grant Type: 

  • Leadership Program

Fellows: 

Award Date: 

January 2022

Amount: 

$40,000

Location: 

St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Through the foundation of a strong and equitable environmental education program, St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA) will connect and build programs with local schools in a meaningful and sustainable way. Utilizing Switzer Fellow Olivia Walton's experience in designing and implementing environmental education programs, SEA will provide resources and interdisciplinary educational content to local teachers. This will be done by meeting with educators and assessing the needs of their classrooms and interests. Based on this initial assessment, Olivia Walton will lead the development and implementation of environmental education lessons within participating schools, and provide content to teachers. Underlying all of these goals is the commitment to ensure SEA invites and encourages participation by underserved communities on St. Croix that have long been left out of traditional environmental education programs.

Spotlight on Leadership

“Climate change will increase the global burden of infectious diseases such as malaria, Zika and Lyme disease,” says 2017 Fellow Dev Vashishtha. “We are also seeing changes in pollen patterns and increases in asthma diagnoses. We know that the poor and people of color will be the hardest hit. My interest in climate change is closely tied to my interest in public health and disease prevention.”Read more >

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