Working for a more sustainable future: BVSD seniors ready to take on the climate challenges of their world

This month, 51 BVSD seniors will proudly wear natural cotton cords and medals made of sustainably sourced wood at their graduations, signifying they earned the Seal of Climate Literacy. 

“We are thrilled to see the number of seniors earning the Seal of Climate Literacy more than double this year,” BVSD sustainability and energy officer Dr. Ghita Carroll commented. “It illustrates the passion students have for this work and the need for climate education.”

The Seal of Climate Literacy (SCL), established through Colorado Senate Bill 24-014, is a high school diploma endorsement that connects educational knowledge with the real challenges and opportunities that climate change brings to each of our communities. The State has guidelines that all students must reach, but it is up to each District to create a process for what obtainment looks like. At BVSD, the process for obtaining and receiving the Seal has a high bar, and was co-designed with the Green Youth Council. 

At a celebration event in April, as a fitting tribute to Earth Month, students from nearly all BVSD high schools presented portfolios that illustrated their “green trailway” during their time in the district, then received their Seal of Climate Literacy certificates, along with the accessories to wear at graduation.  

See photos from the event on our BVSD Facebook page.

The portfolios featured posters, digital presentations, and even a model house construction to showcase five learning experiences related to a local climate issue and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability over time. Students shared their work in a science fair-like forum, where parents, district partners, and school and community leaders could learn about and celebrate their work. The room was abuzz with enthusiasm from presenters and community members alike.

In addition to the learning experiences, to earn the SCL, students must fulfill all of BVSD’s standard graduation requirements, complete a high school science course and another course that incorporates climate literacy. The learning experiences can include additional coursework and certifications, volunteer or internship work, co-curricular or extra curricular activities, and/or leadership related to their local climate problem. 

Lack of climate education for students and adults was a common theme in the portfolios and is an issue that the Seal of Climate Literacy aims to remedy. 

“The Seal of Climate Literacy program and BVSD's sustainability goals prompted us to do a system-wide audit of courses available in our middle and high school course catalogs to see where sustainability topics were already being taught and identify opportunities to expand,” BVSD K-12 science coordinator Erin Greenwood explained. 

“Based on student input and the findings of the audit, we have added new specific climate literacy courses for middle and high school. We also offer newer high school concurrent enrollment courses that provide college credit while students learn about sustainability and climate change. All of these courses promote student learning, stoking hope and taking meaningful action related to local climate problems,” Greenwood added. 

Some of the local climate problems and solutions that this year’s graduating class focused on included biodiversity, protecting pollinators—especially bees, drought and wildfires, the relationship of climate change and invasive species, sustainable building, how rising temperatures affect water systems, and more.

The portfolios showcased experiences such as working as a Junior Ranger or Boulder County Youth Corps member, cleaning up Boulder Creek, planting a pollinator garden, redesigning a park, conducting a transportation study, exploring biomimicry, building a biofuel car, organizing an event that explores how all careers can incorporate sustainability, participating in Trash the Runway (a recycled materials fashion show), testing a local stream for microplastics, volunteering with Wilderness Restoration Volunteers, and other impressive accomplishments. Students linked all five of their activities and coursework to their identified climate issue and how these opportunities expanded their learning and understanding. 

After high school, some graduates plan to stay on their sustainability paths with relevant college majors or work to incorporate sustainability into other fields, a topic that Fairview senior Soren Firestine explored in her portfolio.  

Firestine interned with local non-profit ALL Careers, which promotes the idea that all careers can be viewed through a sustainability lens and support the development of a sustainable future, and spread the word of her work in a guest opinion for the Daily Camera.  

As part of BVSD’s Grad+ college and career readiness framework, the SCL works to connect climate literacy to post-graduation careers. 

“The SCL is a perfect fit for BVSD students, since it naturally aligns with our greenBVSD efforts. It also leverages Grad+ (BVSD’s career and college readiness framework) and BVSD partner relationships,” Greenwood explained. “We are committed to creating opportunities for every student to graduate with climate literacy and college and career readiness.” 

Hundreds of students have signed the interest form to participate in the program and be future recipients for Seal of Climate Literacy. For the first time this year, five middle schools offered the junior Seal of Climate Literacy, and 20 students earned the honor. 

Congratulations to all of our Seal of Climate Literacy recipients. We are excited to see what your futures hold.

Learn more about the Seal of Climate Literacy at the links below: 

BVSD graduates can earn new Seal of Climate Literacy

BVSD Seal of Climate Literacy website