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Youth Action Resources
Alaska Youth for Environmental Action
ALASKA YOUTH for ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
AYEA is a high school environmental education and leadership program of the National Wildlife Federation. The mission of AYEA is to inspire, educate, and take action on environmental issues facing our communities. AYEA members achieve this mission through hands-on projects and skills training events on a local and statewide level. AYEA has members in over ten communities throughout Alaska. Students can join AYEA as individuals or start AYEA clubs in their schools and communities. Any teen interested in hleping the environment is welcome!
For more information email ayea@nwf.org or call 907-339-3907.
Meetings:
Anchorage AYEA meetings are held every other Wednesday from 5-6:30pm at the Alaska Center for the Environment, 807 G Street, Suite 100, Anchorage. Call 339-3907 or email ayea@nwf.org for exact dates.
To learn about AYEA meetings within your community or to start a local chapter please contact ayea@nwf.org or 339-3907.
Current Issues:
Alaska Grads To Tell An Inconvenient Truth
Two Young Alaskans selected for The Climate Project
Press Release
After running a hard-hitting global warming campaign last spring, two graduates of the Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) program have been selected to participate in The Climate Project. This project aims to reach one million people with Al Gore's message on global warming by training 1,000 activists to give his slide show to 1,000 people each.
Verner Wilson, a Yu'pik Eskimo from Dillingham who started the AYEA campaign, will attend the first training this weekend (September 24-26) in Nashville. Verner is in his second year at Brown University. Tim Treuer, an Anchorage graduate in his first year at Harvard University, will attend a December training.
"I wanted to be a part of this project because my home state and my culture are being drastically affected by climate change. My family cannot even pick berries or do many traditional things we used to because of such effects like unprecedented 90 degree weather in some summers," said Wilson.
On a brighter note, he said," There are many stories on how people around the world are being affected by climate change, but with these stories comes hope. Hope that we can educate others on how we can reduce the impacts of climate change. Hope that we will take action on a local, state, national and international level.
It is my story and the story of hope that I am excited to spread to others, and this is why I am glad to be apart of this amazing and important project."
"I'm very excited to have the opportunity to address the issue of global warming on such a level because it is the most important issue that our generation faces. Global warming has already had devastating effects on Alaska environmentally, socially and economically. It is the greatest test that we have faced and perhaps the first that humanity as a whole must address together, "stated Treuer. "The coming years will perhaps be the most important in determining whether we pass or fail the test, which is why I am eager to do whatever I can to promote awareness and do my part to help foster that unity that will allow my generation and coming generations to flourish."
AYEA teens organized an unprecedented youth campaign on global warming in the spring of 2006, engaging 8,000 youth with the issue and galvanizing the voices of 5,000 teens from 105 communities with a youth petition.
They
brought their demand for action to Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Ted Stevens, Representative Don Young, and many other Congress members.
AYEA
teens are currently planning outreach projects for 2007 to address solutions to global warming.
Past Events:
Recap of the March 20-23rd Civics and Conservation Summit
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Alaska Youth on the steps of the Capital, 2005. |
The 2005 Civics and Conservation Summit was yet another success!
Twenty-three high school students and seven adult staff from Homer, Anchorage, Kivalina, St. Mary's, Juneau, Sitka, Wasilla, Healy, and Port Lions spent four days in our state capital learning the true meaning of civic engagement and how to play a role in the environmental decisions affecting their communities.
During the Civics Summit, youth researched legislation addressing pesticide use, fish labeling (genetically modified fish), and use of university lands. They also learned about local issues in their communities like dust, solid waste, and water quality. Guest speakers from the legislature, state agencies, tribal organizations, and conservation organizations addressed the group on everything from how a bill becomes a law, to effective use of the media. On Monday, March 21, we held a community dinner for approximately fifty people, including local funders and partner organizations during which our local chapter presented annual accomplishments and guests feasted on (donated) wild Alaska salmon!
Highlights of the summit included the sharing of cultures including Samoan dancing (see pics) and interviews with the Movement Strategy Center, a nonprofit based out of California that traveled to Alaska to interview AYEA members about their involvement, leadership, and work on environmental and social issues as part of a nationwide study. Perhaps most exciting was the passing of House Bill 19, requiring increased tracking and regulation of pesticide use. Students were able to watch the bill be introduced on the house floor on the last day of the summit--and then respond when it passed out of the house!
Youth had the opportunity to speak with statewide public radio regarding the bill and the importance of youth engaging in public health issues in their communities.
The summit was a fantastic opportunity to teach our young people firsthand about the important and powerful role they play in shaping the health and future of their communities.
Much thanks goes to our program partners and funders for their in-kind and financial support of the Summit, including: Alaska Center for the Environment, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indians, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Anchorage Committee on Resource Education, Skaggs Foundation, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Leighty Foundation, Homer Foundation, Yupiit of Andreafski Tribe, Movement Strategy Center, and the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club.
By Polly Carr, Director of AYEA
YOUTH ACTION LINKS:
Idealist.org
Project Catalyst
Do something
Natural Resources Defense Council
National Youth Leadership Council
What Kids Can Do
Youth Noise
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