Sustainability & Climate Justice

Every Spring, we get to introduce Earth Month in April. And in May, we get to share some of the incredible Earthy stories from around the district.

In this issue, you'll find:

• Climate projects from 5 schools
• Events put on by SAGE and the Climate Justice Youth Advisory
• Applications for students and community to serve on the Climate Crisis Response Committee
• Exciting PPS electrification news
• And a SPECIAL visit from Jane Goodall to PPS!

Hope you let these pour over you like a glacier melt Spring waterfall!

But FIRST, if you're a student, please take the student survey found in the first story below. This is a survey by students, for students, designed to gain information about how you all are engaging with climate action at school and what the district could be doing better on climate! If you're not a student, send it to the ones you know! Big thanks in advance!

Please help PPS high schoolers gather information from other high schoolers about the state of climate action at PPS.

This is a survey for all high school students in the district, created by Tess Nestel, a junior at Grant, and Alma Valls, a sophomore at Cleveland.

It is about student's knowledge of climate action, and how the district can involve more students in climate action. We are trying to get as many responses as possible! Please share the survey with your students.

Click here to take the survey.

Thank you!

• Alma Valls (Cleveland HS)
  
• Tess Nestel (Grant HS)

Franklin High School recently hosted two events that helped shine a light on climate justice at their school!

First, Franklin students led a Climate Fair that allowed students the opportunity to interact with local organizations that are doing meaningful climate work around Portland. Students conversed with these organizations about their stories, potential careers in the world of climate action, and how they can personally get involved. Students were able to see a wide range of organizations that worked in transportation, air quality, regenerative agriculture, and even how a school district ours aims to help better the mitigation of climate change.

Next, Franklin hosted a Swap Shop event on Earth Day! Racks of gently used clothes, free books, and home-baked goods provided by a student-led club focused on social justice. Students gathered around, sharing style tips and smiles as they tried on clothes that were soon to be in their closets. The event helped share the importance of reuse and community building, essential aspects of climate justice.

We were joyed by the leadership and commitment students at Franklin to climate action. Each event brought a sense of community and a different avenue to approach climate work. It was a pleasure joining these unique experiences, and we look forward to seeing what else Franklin students come up with in the years to come!

Jefferson students, volunteers, and staff spent Earth Day beautifying the entrance of their school. The gardening club, led by Olive Altieri, helped students connect to natural diversity by planting pollinators in front of the school's entrance. Students have been growing perennials, annuals, and some seed starts since March under grow lights. They have been waiting for the opportunity to see the fruits of their labor and enjoyed a day outside celebrating Mother Earth! Many students expressed their gratitude for the gardening club as a whole and mentioned their excitement to see how the gardening club continues to transform Jefferson's landscape in the years to come.

One of our favorite stories of the year?! The Grant Climate Justice Club used their PCEF student funds to create a story about climate change for elementary students. The published book will be distributed to K-5 libraries across PPS. Students collaborated with different clubs to write the narrative, paint the pictures, and work with printers.

The book isn't out for release yet, but we have a sneak peek at some of the art!

On Saturday, April 26th, hundreds of community members gathered at Sunnyside Environmental School for their annual and iconic Earth Day Parade. Organized by Making Earth Cool in collaboration with Sunnyside, 350PDX, and BARK, the event featured vibrant costumes celebrating life on Earth, a spirited costume contest, and a live brass band leading a joyful one-mile parade. Attendees were treated to exquisite giant puppets, including a breathtaking Great Blue Heron created by a Sunnyside alum. Environmental organizations, including ours, hosted tables—our PPS Sustainability Matching Game made an appearance (learn more in the SAGE Climate Fair section below!). Sunnyside students also showcased their PCEF project, handed out seeds and sunflower starts, and sold student-designed t-shirts to help fund educational field trips.

Enjoy some photos and a short video of the costume contest finalists here!

Our team recently had the pleasure of participating in the Vision 2030 Climate Solutions Fairs. The fairs were hosted at Robert Gray, Harriet Tubman, and Roseway Heights, and over 1,300 PPS students engaged with amazing community organizations promoting their work in sustainability!!

With collaboration between the Climate Justice and Energy & Sustainability departments at PPS, Senior Advocates for Generational Equity (SAGE), and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), along with 20 other organizations across Portland, students were able to see first hand what it means to work towards a better future.

The energy and excitement we saw from the students were yet another reminder of why we continue to pursue climate justice and sustainability at PPS. We were impressed with the students' engagement and understanding of the importance of each exhibitor. Student-led groups also had a big role in connecting the younger students to the fairs. We had five student groups from McDaniel High School represent their various clubs and teach middle schoolers about their own passion for climate justice. Additionally, we had a group of courageous middle school students from Roseway Heights present their thriving Garden Project. These students set the tone for the fair as a whole and showed us their commitment to climate action.

If you want to see what PPS had to offer at their exhibit, click the link to play our PPS Climate facts matching game!

The Climate Justice Youth Advisory (CJYA)’s Climate Connections event was a success! Student representatives on the PPS Climate Crisis Response Committee (CCRC), the McDaniel Naturalists Club, and the Cleveland Climate Club shared about current projects and how to get involved in climate action at school. In the form of an art contest, the CJYA is challenging all PPS students to utilize their creativity to the fullest to create art that spreads awareness of the environmental issues they see in the world. Keep an eye out for more updates about how to participate!

Over a hundred elementary, middle, and high school students from across the state came together at Lincoln High School last month to celebrate the work of Dr. Jane Goodall and to present about the environmental projects they’ve worked on. Students from Sunnyside Environmental School K-8 shared about their outdoor learning space project that will allow them to engage with nature while learning.

Known for groundbreaking studies on chimpanzees and her dedication to conservation work, Dr. Goodall is an inspiration to many. In the face of the climate crisis and when hope feels lost, she encourages everyone to take action in their communities and that small actions together can have a positive impact. In closing, Dr. Goodall encouraged students to, “remember every single day, you make an impact and you can choose what sort of impact you make."

Learn more about Dr. Goodall's work and teachings at the Jane Goodall Institute.

Each month this year, a different group of Lent 5th graders participated in a climate activism project to promote leadership skills and provide climate change education to our younger students.

This month, check out a great video made by Lent climate leaders about their school composting program!

PPS is currently planning a decarbonization roadmap that will help us plan how to reach our climate goals in efficient, equitable, and affordable ways.

Simultaneously, we're taking big steps toward meeting those goals. This year, PPS completed 2020 bond projects to electrify four school HVAC systems at Kelly, Harrison Park, Lent, and Bridger. Electric systems are cleaner and healthier for students, and they remove onsite combustion of fossil fuels and lower carbon emissions.

In our jobs, we get the pleasure of seeing the immediate data impacts of this. Take a look at the graph below, which shows Kelly's natural gas usage. The blue line shows last year's use; the yellow line show's this year's! Interested in more PPS energy data to use in your classroom? The PPS energy dashboard has everything you need.

If you are a passionate student or community member that wants to make a difference at PPS, apply to join the Climate Crisis Response Committee! This is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education. On the committee you will:

• Learn about how PPS is making progress towards the goals in the Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice and Sustainable Practices Policy
• Provide input and recommendations to the PPS Board on how to better support PPS staff as we advance these policy goals
• Connect with other passionate members of our PPS community from diverse backgrounds, knowledge areas, and lived experiences.

No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required! Volunteer experience, lived experience, and a passion for this work are all just as important.

PPS students: Click here to apply to be a 2025–2026 CCRC Student Representative

PPS community members (adult):Click here to apply to serve on the Climate Crisis Response Committee for the 2025–2027 term.

Deadline to Apply: June 6

Learn more about the Climate Crisis Response Committee here!