The Alliance for Climate Education, also known as ACE, is a Colorado based organization formed to “educate people on climate science and solutions and empower them to take action,” according to the acespace.org website. The organization takes a modern stance on raising awareness to climate change by equipping students with the necessary resources to approach environmental issues with “justice and optimism.”
A large part of their organization is their ACE Assembly, a presentation for high school students about climate science, people affected by it, and how its issues can be solved. It makes climate science engaging and current. In addition to the ACE assembly, the ACE has multiple campaigns all with common goals.
The ACE fellowship is a program that offers training that helps students hone the skills they need to be leader in the climate scene. The “We Power Forward” campaign helps students find sources of renewable energy via technological platforms. Lastly, the “Do One Thing” is a campaign in which students can actively pledge to protect the climate. Overall, the ACE organization has received numerous accolades for the working they are doing in schools and communities across the nation.
The speaker for the panel held at at here at Malden High School on Friday March 3rd was Alan Palm, the Lead Program Manager for the ACE in the Greater Boston Area. Sciences and health classes met during period 5 five to attend the assembly hosted by Palm.
According to the acespace.org website, the ACE team in the Greater Boston Area has been active for about eight years and have been in collaboration with various organizations such as Better Future Project and Mass Power Forward. Highlighted events and achievements in this region include youth represented in the Bioneers Conference, attendance at the Jobs, Justice, Climate March which included giving speeches at the state house, and the passing of the bill that cut of Massachusetts from fossil fuels. The team was also able to organize a “Youth Divestment Action Day” in which students from petitioned the Massachusetts legislature. Other members of the New England team include National Program Director Rouwenna Lamm and Brian Stilwell, The Associate Program Director.
Overall, the panel held at here provided students with an important incentive to make change as youth are in the most powerful position to foster change and growth in the environment as well as society.
