Registration Open for Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education Virtual Conference

Hosted by Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program

Tupper Lake, N.Y. - Registration is now open for the Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education, a virtual conference for educators across the country, hosted in partnership with Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Climate Program Office, and The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program. From July 22-24, 2020, the three-day training will provide educators with skills, tools and resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas.

"It's hard to imagine effectively addressing climate impacts and climate change without a broad, deep, educational strategy," said Frank Niepold, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Education Coordinator, who has been working as a partner with education systems and organizations for over a decade and a half. "The Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education partners have come together with an innovative model to provide resources and professional support for a robust climate change education training for teachers across the nation." 

Designed for middle and high school teachers across all disciplines, the Stay-In-stitute will encourage participants to do authentic scientific and social data collection, making observations of the world around them. In addition, the virtual conference will offer small group online experiences and optional evening events. Attendees will explore solutions to climate change, learn how to engage students in action and discover new ways to collaborate on solutions unique to one's community. 

"Climate change solutions are made in the classroom, at home, and within our communities," said Lindsey Kirkland, Climate Change Education Manager of Climate Generation. "We have been given a unique opportunity to reimagine what education can be and how we can build opportunities for climate change solutions together. Virtual learning experiences allow us to make connections across our public and at-home learning spaces that don't exist in the traditional system, and these new changes make engagement much more personal and community driven." 

The Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education merges two in-person residential teacher programs planned for this summer by two of the partner organizations. Climate Generation has hosted their Summer Institute for Climate Change Education for over 14 years and The Wild Center's Summer Institute for New York State Teachers debuted last year as the first multi-day institute of its kind hosted by The Wild Center. 

"Our current at-home situation allows us to co-develop a version of virtual climate education that is interactive, creative and builds community," explained Erin Griffin, The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program Manager. "We are excited about this partnership because everyone involved has deep experience with climate change education and is looking to think outside-the-box on what virtual experiences can look like. We all remain committed to climate change education even though our programs can't happen in-person as originally planned."

Registration for The Stay-In-stitute for Climate Change Education costs $150 and includes ongoing support throughout the year. To make the online conference inclusive and accessible to all teachers, scholarships are available for participants. Scholarship priority is given to People of Color and teachers in underserved districts. The conference counts towards 20 hours of Continuing Education and may be used towards two graduate credits (optional). The deadline for registration is July 13, 2020. 
The Stay-In-stitute is presented in collaboration with Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office, and The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program, who have partnered on climate education initiatives for years. Climate Generation's climate change education program, including the annual Summer Institute, is made possible with support from Avangrid Foundation and Olseth Family Foundation. More information about the conference, as well as registration and scholarship information, is available here: https://www.climategen.org/our-core-programs/climate-change-education/professional-development/summer-institute/

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About Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy

Established in 2006 by polar explorer Will Steger, Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy is a nationally connected and trusted nonprofit that builds climate literacy and action with tangible results in terms of awareness, direct engagement and public policy wins. Climate Generation empowers individuals and their communities to engage in solutions to climate change with a vision of a world of resilient communities with equitable solutions. For more information, visit climategen.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and view stories about our work on YouTube.

About the NOAA Climate Program Office

NOAA's Climate Program Office manages competitive research programs in which NOAA funds high-priority climate science, assessments, decision support research, outreach, education, and capacity-building activities. CPO's work is designed to advance our understanding of Earth's climate system and prediction across timescales, provide timely and authoritative climate data and information for a climate-smart nation, and to foster the application of this knowledge in risk management and adaptation efforts to help Americans plan and respond. CPO-supported research and activities are conducted in regions across the United States, at national and international scales, and globally. For more information, visit cpo.noaa.gov and climate.gov, follow NOAA Climate.gov on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to the Climate.gov newsletter.

About The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program

The Wild Center invites visitors to discover the story of the Adirondacks, and to explore new ways that people and nature can thrive in the same place. Located in Tupper Lake, NY the center uses science-based experiences, exhibits and program to open new ways to look into the relationship that people have with nature and to promote environmental best practices. Based out of The Wild Center, the Youth Climate Program works globally to convene and empower young people to take action on climate change through Youth Climate Summits. 

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