SUNY Cortand, Homer High School hosting youth climate summit

Ladeen Case, a teacher at St. Mary's School, teaches students how to pronounce their vowels (Cortland Voice file photo).

SUNY Cortland’s New York State Master Teacher Program and the Homer High School Environmental Club are hosting a one-day conference designed to inspire students to create positive change in their schools and communities aimed at slowing climate change.

The Second Annual Central NY Youth Climate Summit will be held Saturday, Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Homer High School.

Students and teacher mentors will engage in workshops on topics such as The Plight of the Monarchs, Weather and Climate Change in CNY, Sustainability of the Onondaga Lake Watershed, Organic Farming, Green Architecture and Design and many, many more.

Following the workshops, student teams will create a "climate action plan” to bring back to their school communities.

This summit is sponsored by the New York State Master Teacher Program in partnership with The Wild Center, a 115-acre destination that showcases and explains the Adirondack wilderness. SUNY Cortland serves as the Master Teacher Program’s hub in Central New York.

By involving students in the coordination of this event, the summit helps to promote the idea of education by students for students.

More than 20 school teams from districts throughout Central New York are expected to register and participate in the summit.

To register, or to learn more about the program, people should contact Robert Nasiatka, a Homer High School science teacher and environmental club advisor, at [email protected].