Some states now recognize climate-literate students

Skip to content (Image credit: AP Photo/Claire Rush) Transcript: At the end of this school year, some students in Maine will receive a special accolade on their diplomas. The state recently followed Colorado and launched an opportunity for students to earn an endorsement called the Seal of Climate Literacy. To receive it, students must take two climate-related science courses and complete a hands-on project. Mary Seawell, CEO and founder of the nonprofit Lyra Colorado, helped introduce the program in her state. She says the projects often relate to young people’s own experiences. For example, some students in the Boulder Valley School District had lost their homes in a wildfire. Seawell: “A lot of the kids coming out of that did their projects on building materials, on what are wildfire mitigation strategies you can use.” Other students have created videos about ways that water gets wasted at school. And some even built picnic tables with built-in solar power. Seawell: “It’s just this incredibly wide range.” So far, more than 1,000 students have earned the seal, and momentum is growing. California recently passed legislation to introduce the seal, and students and nonprofits in other states are advocating for it. Seawell: “I hope that it’s part of a larger movement to have solid climate change education.” Reporting credit: Myriam Vidal Valero / ChavoBart Digital Media