Educators and club advisers are encouraged to have students participate in the New Jersey climate challenge, which is free and open to all New Jersey public schools serving students in grades six to 12.
Teachers register to participate and integrate the Climate Challenge into their classroom or club activities. Students identify and complete a school or community project to address a cause or impact of climate change. The students then create a short digital story video to highlight what they have accomplished. To support and inspire student action, educational sessions are offered for students and teachers.
Students are invited to participate in virtual sessions that focus on local actions they can take to address the climate crisis. Participants hear from New Jersey experts and student activists who discuss case studies of local climate action and share the resources available to support student action.
Expert teacher educators guide teachers from across content areas on ways to identify the big ideas of climate change and to integrate those climate concepts into the curriculum using high-quality and free educational resources. Strategies for scaffolding and supporting student-centered action projects are shared.
Schools with first, second and third place winners will receive a grant ranging from $500 to $2,500 to advance their climate education initiatives. The students and their teachers will be recognized at an awards ceremony hosted by the Drumthwacket Foundation with Gov. Phil Murphy and Tammy Murphy, the first lady of New Jersey.
Atlantic City Electric and the Exelon Foundation are proud to support the New Jersey Student Climate Challenge as part of their commitment to powering a cleaner and brighter future for customers and communities in New Jersey. The effort is also supported by Sustainable Jersey and the Drumthwacket Foundation.