CA Youth Environmental Data Leadership Program

Focus: Build shared understanding of why environmental and climate action in schools matters and introduce core data literacy skills

Key Topics

• The environmental and climate emergency

• Why TK–12 schools are key spaces for climate action and resilience

• Whole-systems framework: campus, curriculum, community, culture

• Introduction to data science and community (citizen) science ethics

Skill Development

• Systems thinking

• Basics of data science and field data structures

• Public speaking and cohort collaboration

Deliverables

• Pre-learning modules and reflection

• Pre-assessment of school site context

Focus: Apply field research methods to gather and prepare school-site data.

Key Topics

• School walk audit methods and documentation

• Survey and interview techniques

• Data cleaning, standardization, and organization

• Creating summary tables and initial visualizations

Skill Development

• Field data collection

• Spreadsheet organization and coding

• Descriptive data visualization

• Public speaking and cohort collaboration

Deliverables

• Completed school site assessment dataset

• Cleaned data spreadsheet

• Initial summary visuals (charts, tables, maps)

Focus: Turn data into insights, develop recommendations, and communicate findings.

Key Topics

• Identifying patterns, gaps, and opportunities

• Using the 4Cs whole-systems framework

• Storytelling with data for different audiences

Skill Development

• Evidence-based reasoning

• Framing strategic recommendations

• Visual and verbal communication

Deliverables

• Final School Environmental & Climate Action Baseline Report

• Case study and presentation shared at the virtual capstone showcase