Join us for the 2025 Global Summit on Climate Education!
February 7-8, 2025 // San Francisco, CA
Join us for an exploration of education in the era of climate change, as schools seek to develop and empower students as active and engaged global citizens. Hosted at Drew School in San Francisco, CA in partnership with the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University
As the impact of climate change continues to be felt across the world, students and educators are increasingly looking for ways in which they can respond. Research on youth climate anxiety highlights the challenge it presents for young people but also identifies the power of climate action as its antidote. Join us for an exploration of education in the era of climate change, as schools seek to develop and empower students as active and engaged global citizens, in the classroom and beyond.
What are schools, leaders, educators, students, and community partners doing in response to climate change? How are schools rethinking traditional models to center engaged and active student learning for today’s world? Examples of innovation in the area of teaching climate action are emerging in significant ways, and this summit will provide the opportunity for educators to learn about trends, models, and tools that can directly impact their work in schools.
Educators in a variety of positions, from across grade levels and disciplines, will share how they intentionally embed student action in their learning design, and participants in this summit will learn from these case studies as well as emerging research in the field of climate education. Schools will leave with new ideas and resources on how to engage students in a myriad of ways from civic and political engagement to partnering with local artists, immersive learning experiences, and school-wide sustainability programs. Participants will also be able to connect and collaborate with each other as they consider future opportunities for their schools.
Organized by the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG) in partnership with the Klingenstein Center and hosted at Drew School, this summit will provide school leaders and educators the opportunity to build community, to share and collaborate, and to learn from scholars and leaders in the field of climate education.
General Schedule
Friday, February 7, 2025
8:00 AM Arrivals and breakfast
9:00 AM Welcome
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Panel Discussion and Breakout Presentations
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Speaker, Breakout Presentations and Networking Session
4:00 – 5:30 PM Happy Hour Reception
Saturday, February 8, 2025
8:00 AM Arrivals and breakfast
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Student Presentation, Breakout Presentations and Culminating Session
Registration
Member School and Teacher’s College Student Discount $350 USD per person / Non Member School $395 USD per person
Friday and Saturday breakfasts, Friday lunch, refreshments and reception included in the registration fee
Featured Speakers
Kelley Lê has been in the educational field for over 15 years as a high school science educator, instructional coach, and educational leader. She serves as the inaugural executive director of the UC–CSU Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects (ECCLPs), former director of the UC Irvine Science Project, Friends of the Planet NCSE Award recipient (2022), and author of Teaching Climate Change for Grades 6-12: Empowering Science Teachers to Take on the Climate Crisis Through NGSS (2021). She also serves as a CLEAN advisory board member, LEVERS expert advisory board member, and a Climate Reality Corps mentor.
Noah McQueen is queer and is a chemical engineer working to combat climate change. Noah is incredibly passionate about creating and implementing sustainable solutions to combat the climate crisis and prevent the most devastating effects of our changing climate. Climate change mitigation is about more than shifting where we get our energy or creating sustainable products – it’s about equity, justice, and restoration. Currently, Noah is cofounder and Head of Research at Heirloom – a direct air capture (DAC) company working to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air. Noah received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Colorado School of Mines in May 2018 and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in December 2021. Noah’s PhD research surrounded carbon dioxide capture and removal with a focus on carbon mineralization technologies, direct air capture systems, process development, carbon accounting, and techno-economic analysis. When Noah isn’t working, they enjoy being in nature, snowboarding, hiking, and reading.
PRE-SUMMIT WORKSHOP
The Heads Network and GEBG Session for School Leaders:
Educational Leadership in the Era of Climate Change
Thursday February 6, 2025 // San Francisco, CA
From long-term campus planning to daily mission delivery, the complexities of climate change are increasingly impacting schools and education in both visible and subtle ways. Join The Heads Network and the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG) to discuss with fellow school leaders a series of case studies developed by Dr. Clare Sisisky during a two-year study she led with The Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University involving over 35 independent schools. The case studies highlight insights from the study including how student anxiety, teacher motivation, and climate change are connected and highly relevant for our schools. They tackle issues from facilities to board relations to investment policies. Explore these challenges of school leadership and strategize with fellow school leaders through facilitated discussion. Take back to your school a new competency-based framework for engaging students as citizens in the era of climate change and a deeper understanding of how to envision your school as climate-ready.
This event is associated with the Global Summit on Climate Education organized by the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG) in partnership with The Klingenstein Center and hosted at Drew School in San Francisco on February 7th and 8th.
+ DATE: Thursday February 6, 2025
+ TIME: 12:00 – 4:00 PM
+ LOCATION: The International School of San Francisco
+ COST: $75 USD per person, includes lunch
+ AUDIENCE: Heads of school, senior administrators
POST-SUMMIT WORKSHOP
Explore the Future of Sustainability through a visit at Sonoma Academy:
A Campus Tour, Workshop and Meal in Santa Rosa, CA
Saturday, February 8, 2025 // Santa Rosa, CA
Join us for an experience at Sonoma Academy. Nestled in the heart of Santa Rosa, CA, this inspiring campus is the perfect setting for exploring solutions to climate challenges.
During this immersive visit, you’ll tour the school’s beautiful campus and learn firsthand about the technologies, systems, and design features that enable Sonoma Academy to meet its net zero goals. From solar power to energy-efficient buildings, discover how the school’s sustainable infrastructure integrates into its educational mission. We will be sure to share both the positives and challenges in meeting and maintaining a net zero campus.
The experience continues with interactive workshops led by Sonoma Academy students, faculty, and staff, where you’ll dive into topics like youth climate action, the many phases of incorporating a school garden, and sustainable technologies. These hands-on, experiential sessions will give you unique insights into how the next generation is tackling the climate crisis.
The day concludes in the Living Building Challenge-certified Guild & Commons facility, where you’ll share a delicious meal reflecting the flavors of Northern California. Enjoy this vibrant gathering space, designed to inspire connection and collaboration.
+ DATE: Saturday, February 8, 2025
+ TIME: 2:00 – 6:00 PM
+ LOCATION: Sonoma Academy
+ COST: $125 USD per person, includes transportation and dinne
Recommended Hotels
The following are hotels recommended by the school that are within a short drive or walking distance. Drew School is located at 2901 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115 and is conveniently accessible via public transportation. From the downtown area, multiple bus lines offer service near the school. If staying across the Bay Bridge, a combination of BART and bus lines can be utilized.
The Laurel Inn (part of JdV by Hyatt)
444 Presidio Ave, San Francisco, CA 94115.
Lodge at the Presidio
105 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94129
Inn at the Presidio
42 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hotel Nikko San Francisco (Japantown)
222 Mason St, San Francisco, California, 94102
Call for Proposals
Through this Call for Proposals, we are seeking educators interested in sharing innovative models of teaching and learning in the era of climate change. As schools increasingly engage their students in a myriad of ways from civic and political engagement to partnering with local artists or cutting edge science research, we seek educators willing to share their own learning journeys and examples in a community of educators committed to education as an essential component of addressing the global challenge of climate change.
+ Do you have examples of programs, courses, curriculum units, or whole school initiatives that intentionally embed student learning or action on climate issues in the learning design?
+ Have you created immersive or experiential learning experiences that engage students in climate issues?
+ Are you articulating the knowledge, skills, and dispositions you want your students to develop to support their local action on this pressing global issue?+ + Are you building new partnerships and collaborations?
+ Are you discussing and responding to student climate anxiety or apathy?
+ Are you teaching systems or futures thinking in the context of supporting our students to imagine multiple possible futures?
+ Are you providing meaningful professional learning and support for your faculty across the curriculum?
+ Are you bringing whole school initiatives to life across campus and partnering with multiple stakeholders?
We welcome proposals from classroom teachers, program administrators, and any other members of school communities. With the objective that presentations directly resonate with the event’s primary audience of school-based educators, proposals should include at least one presenter currently working in a school. Up to two presenters per selected presentation are offered a discounted registration of $275 per person.
The deadline to submit proposals is Monday, October 28, 2024.
+ See highlighted sessions from last year’s program here
Highlighted Sessions from Last Year
Emerging Research in Climate Education Panel Discussion
This panel features researchers and authors with recent studies or publications on climate education. Panelists will share highlights of their work with a focus on practical implications for educators leading climate education initiatives in the classroom and beyond. This panel is hosted in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Futures at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Introductory Remarks
Dr. Oren Pizmony-Levy, Associate Professor, Department of International and Transcultural Studies; Director, Center for Sustainable Futures, Teachers College, Columbia University
Panelists:
Dr. Radhika Iyengar, Director of Education, Center for Sustainable Development, Climate School, Columbia University
Tom Roderick, Author, Founding Executive Director of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility (retired)
Dr. Clare Sisisky, Executive Director, GEBG; Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, Columbia University
Christina Torres, Doctoral Candidate, Research Assistant and Center Coordinator, the Center for Sustainable Futures, Teachers College, Columbia University
Facilitator:
Dr. Nicole Furlonge, Professor of Practice; Executive Director, Klingenstein Center, Teachers College, Columbia University
Featured Speaker: Karenna Gore
Karenna Gore is the founder and executive director of the Center for Earth Ethics and visiting professor of practice of earth ethics at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Karenna formed CEE in 2015 to address the moral and spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis. Working at the intersection of faith, ethics, and ecology, she guides the Center’s public programs, educational initiatives, and movement-building. She also is an ex officio faculty member of Columbia University’s Earth Institute.
Her previous experience includes serving as director of Union Forum at Union Theological Seminary, a platform for theological scholarship to engage with civic discourse and social change. She also worked at the legal center of Sanctuary for Families, which serves victims of domestic violence and trafficking, was director of community affairs for the Association to Benefit Children, which provides early childhood education and other services for New York City families living in poverty, and was an associate with the law firm of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
Karenna is the author of “Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America” (2006), and has written for numerous publications, including Slate, El Pais (Spain) and the New York Times. She serves on the boards of the Association to Benefit Children, Pando Populus, which helps local communities leverage their creative and intellectual resources for sustainability, the Sweetwater Cultural Center, an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to promoting the education, health and welfare of Indigenous Peoples and to preserve their cultures and ceremonial practiced locally, regionally, and around the Western Hemisphere, and Riverkeeper, an organization that protects and restores the Hudson River and safeguards drinking water. She is also an expert in the United Nations’ Harmony with Nature Knowledge Network, an online platform of practitioners, academics, and researchers.
Biodiversity in Action: Pathways to Rewilding Independent School Campuses
Andrea Caruso, Upper School Science Faculty and Tina Bessias, Upper School Sustainability Coordinator and Science Faculty, Durham Academy (NC)
Empowering Tomorrow’s Climate Leaders as Climate Speakers
Leopoldo Llinas, Director of Environmental Stewardship, Palmer Trinity School (FL); Diego Molina-Castrillon, Program Manager, CLEO Institute (FL)
Growing Climate Activists and Advocates – Hathaway Brown’s Fellowship in Sustainability
Torrey McMillan, Director of Fellowship in Sustainability, Hathaway Brown School (OH)
Experiential and Immersive Learning on Climate Issues Panel Discussion
Panelists:
Beth St. John, Founder and Educational Program Director, Aspire Institute (NL)
Vanessa Babinecz, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Experiential Learning, Agnes Irwin School (PA)
Peter Zdrojewski, Director of Outdoor and Global Education, The Branson School (CA)
Sara Graham, Assistant Director of the Sage Center for Global Education and Inclusion, Sage Hill School (CA)
Facilitator: John Hughes, Director of Experiential Education, The Lawrenceville School (NJ)
Climate Change Across the Curriculum Panel Discussion
Panelists:
David Lindo, Physics Teacher and Sustainability Coordinator, The Dalton (NY)
Carolyn McGrath, Art Teacher, Hopewell Valley Central High School (NJ)
Karina Baum, Director of Global Education K-12, Buckingham, Browne, and Nichols School (MA)
Yen-Yen Chiu, Director of Content Creation, SubjectToClimate (NY)
Climate Action Leadership Diploma at Pearson College UWC: Innovative learning for concrete social change
Emily Coolidge, Director of the Climate Action Leadership Diploma, Pearson College – United World College (BC)
Teaching Climate Change via Understanding, Connection and Empowerment
Kate Schafer, Science Department Chair Sequoyah School (CA) and Director of Children’s School of Science (MA)
From Spark to Flame: Cultivating a Sustainable Green Team
Kelly Finn, Director of Innovation and Advanced Interdisciplinary Education Sarah Holmes, Science Teacher and Green Team Leader, St. Theresa’s Academy (MO)
Weaving Climate Action into Elementary Classrooms
Ina Patel, Director of Teaching and Learning, Christina Perez, Third Grade Teacher and Sarah Wyllie, Kindergarten Teacher, Brimmer and May School (MA)
Partnering with Schools in Climate Education Panel Discussion
Panelists:
Peter Milne, Founder, Target 4 Green / Beyond COP21 Symposium (UK)
Jeff Sharpe, Executive Director, Sustainable Learning (NY)
Sylvia Watts McKinney, CEO and President, Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center (MA)
GItanjali Paul, Education Program Manager, Compass Education
Workshop on Strategic Planning for a More Interconnected Future
Marley Matlack, Director, Alvord Center for Environmental and Global Studies; Jeff Dyreson, Director of Sustainability, The Loomis Chaffee School (CT)
Youth Empowerment through Sustainability and Climate Action Learning
Ana Romero, Head of Sustainability, Wellington College, UK
Climate Change and Storytelling: Interdisciplinary Possibilities in Science and the Humanities
Margo Andrews, Science Faculty and Nathaniel Van Yperen, Religion Department Chair, The Pennington School (NJ)
Opportunities and Challenges in Whole School Sustainability Initiatives Panel Discussion
Panelists:
Liz Cutler, Sustainability Consultant / Retired from Princeton Day School (NJ)
David Kramer, Director of Green Programs, Boston Green Academy, Boston Public Schools (MA)
Stephen Laubach, Director of Sustainability, The Lawrenceville School (NJ)
Nicola St George, Director of Sustainability and Regeneration and English Faculty, Appleby College (ON)
Facilitator: Lindsey Lohwater, Director of Sustainability, St Mark’s School (MA)
Climate Action in Middle and Lower Schools Panel Discussion
Panelists:
Megan Greene, Fourth Grade Teacher, Ross Elementary School (DC)
Cushman Gillen, Green Dean and Middle School Science Teacher, The Gordon School (RI)
Laura Fleming, Environmental Sustainability Manager, Polytechnic School (CA)
Henry Clark, Middle School Humanities and English Teacher, Brooklyn Friends School (NY)
Featured Speaker: Luca Martinez
Luca Martinez is a nature and wildlife photographer and videographer from Miami, FL. It was likely destined, as Luca wanted to be outside from sunrise to sunset when he was a little boy. He couldn’t wait to be in nature and growing up in South Florida meant he could be outdoors almost every day of the year.
His love for ospreys took him to the Everglades where he’s been shooting regularly for the past three years. Lost for hours and days at a time, he draws inspiration from the subtropical wilderness among the grasses, cypress trees, and wildlife. Luca spent months wading through remote cypress domes and sloughs. It was the crystal clear water and vibrant green aquatic plants that kept him going back. But only seeing it from above wasn’t enough. His curiosity took him below the surface where he realized the world underwater in the Everglades is just as extraordinary and alive as its dry reflection.
Luca has introduced the beauty of a rarely experienced Everglades to more than 110 million worldwide viewers through viral cinematic videos on social media, primarily on Instagram and Tik Tok. Both platforms have proven to be instrumental in reaching his generation and cutting through the clutter to raise awareness about conservation and inspire action. Through his videos and photography Luca captures not just the beauty of the Everglades and our wild places but also shares the threats and demonstrates their impact on our ecosystems.
Breaking Barriers: Open-Access Planetary Health Education for All
Emilie Christine Solomon, High School Science Teacher, The Benjamin School (FL)
Buckley Climate Conference and Tipping Points Science Class
Anat Fernandes, Science Department Chair and Coordinator of Environmental Initiatives, The Buckley School (CA) and Kari Bosworth, Science Department Chair, Oakwood School (CA)
Climate Change Awareness Through Theatre Arts
Laurie Sales, Director of Theatre and Dance, The Groton School (MA)
Down to Earth: Stories of Two Teachers who See the World Through the Eyes of Young Children
Cristy Athas, Lower School Teacher; Annie Collins, JK-5 Science Teacher, North Shore Country Day School (IL)
Frontiers of Climate Change: Iceland Global Travel Program
Kerry Linderoth, Director of Sustainability and Dan Murray, Director of Global Studies, Rye Country Day School (NY)
Keeping Tahoe Blue: A Global Field Studies Program Addressing Climate Change and Overtourism
Gillian Johnson, Assistant Director of Experiential Education and Spanish Teacher and Bailey Farrell, Upper School Chemistry Teacher, The Pingry School (NJ)
Identity and Climate Change
Sarah Jeanne Shimer, PK-12 Sustainability Coordinator, Science Department Co-Chair, Berwick Academy (ME)
Nothing Makes Institutions Listen like Well-run, Student-led Projects
Will Willis, Director of Environmental Initiatives and Teacher of Advanced Studies: Environmental Science, Mercersburg Academy (PA)
Inclusion and Entrepreneurship in High School Climate Education
Mark Eastburn, Science, Research, and Engineering Teacher, Princeton High School (NJ)
Bard College’s Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week
Dr. Eban Goodstein, Vice President, Environmental and Social Leadership; Director, Graduate Programs in Sustainability, Bard College (NY)
PREVIOUS SUMMITS
Global Summit: Climate Education
January 2024 // New York, NY
This summit provided participants with the opportunity to engage in expert and practitioner-led sessions in program design and curriculum, student travel learning competencies and outcomes, emerging risks, collaborative travel models, partnership development, ethical considerations of travel, in addition to vetting Spanish-language and travel-program providers, connecting with existing and potential partner schools, and to participating in discussions and cultural activities.
Featured speakers included Karenna Gore is the founder and executive director of the Center for Earth Ethics and Luca Martinez is a nature and wildlife photographer and videographer.
Global Summit: Reimagining Travel Programs
November, 2022 // Buitrago, Spain
This summit provided participants with the opportunity to engage in expert and practitioner-led sessions in program design and curriculum, student travel learning competencies and outcomes, emerging risks, collaborative travel models, partnership development, ethical considerations of travel, in addition to vetting Spanish-language and travel-program providers, connecting with existing and potential partner schools, and to participating in discussions and cultural activities.
Reimagining Travel Programs
October 2021 // Online
Travel can be one of the most effective and powerful ways to teach global competencies, yet even as travel restrictions are lifted and interest surges, many difficult questions remained:
- Should we travel with students? If we do, what will be different?
- How might we reimagine programs while still developing their clear student learning outcomes?
- What partnerships within your school could support new virtual, local, domestic, and international programming?
- How can we effectively manage diverse and potentially conflicting needs from various stakeholders, including parents?
- How might we reasonably manage risks associated with off-campus programming?
- Which planning strategies can help us to navigate uncertainty and evolving risks, in addition to our own stress?
Global STEM and Sustainability
June 2021, Online
This Summit provided participants with the opportunity to learn about innovative work being done in the field at their own pace and in accordance with their own schedules.
Teaching Global Writers
February, 2021, Online
This Summit featured dialogue, interactive sessions, and workshops on bringing more global voices and perspectives into the curriculum and empowering the voices of our students through writing. Highlights included:
- Keynote address from author Naomi Shihab Nye
- An educator panel on decolonizing the curriculum
Designing and Assessing Intercultural Learning
February, 2020, Chicago, USA
This Summit was an in-depth look at evolving research, engaging questions, and exemplary school models around developing and implementing global curricula in our schools.
Effective Partnerships for Global Education
November, 2019, Madrid, Spain
This Summit explored how best to build, grow and sustain effective cross-cultural partnerships through a series of discussions, speakers, and panels of educators as well as opportunities to network and build new partnerships.