On a Tuesday in Kelly Walter’s Business classes at Broomfield High School, students collaborate in scavenger hunts relating to cognitive bias, open surprise miniature products to create marketing campaigns, pay simulated bills and balance mock bank accounts. You would never guess that these classes are only one week into a new semester.

This year’s graduation season is extra special at BVSD because the District had its first class of students who obtained the Seal of Climate Literacy. In April, as a fitting tribute to Earth Month, twenty students representing numerous BVSD high schools presented portfolios that illustrated their “green trailway” during their time in the district and then received their Seal of Climate Literacy certificates, medals (made of sustainably sourced wood) and bamboo cords to wear at graduation. 

A traditional high school diploma signifies a student has achieved the basic requirements of course completion and state performance measures in math and language arts. This graduation season, many students have gone above and beyond the standard requirements of a diploma thanks to BVSD’s Grad Plus framework.

In the Boulder Valley School District, preparing students for the future means more than college and career preparedness at the end of high school—it means starting career exploration early, building curiosity, and connecting classroom learning to the world that awaits our students.

BVSD is thrilled to offer a new diploma endorsement to sustainability-minded BVSD students beginning this year. The Seal of Climate Literacy is a new high school diploma endorsement that connects educational knowledge with the real challenges and opportunities that climate change brings to each of our communities. It offers students a chance to engage directly with issues that impact their local environment and communities through coursework and hands-on learning.