Youth Climate PRogram

Education
Community

Youth Climate Program

The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program works to convene, engage, connect and empower young people around the world to take action on climate change. We do that through conference-style Youth Climate Summits that focus on the knowledge and skills needed to become effective climate leaders. Summits empower youth to generate Climate Action Plans that they can implement in their schools and communities. Using our Youth Climate Summit Toolkit, this model has been replicated across the globe. Learn more about our programs and initiatives below.

Our Work

Group of Adirondack Youth Climate Attendees posing with goofy items

Adirondack Youth Climate Summit

The annual summit held at The Wild Center continues to empower young people working towards climate resilience. The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit is a two day, high energy conference-style event for young people across the Adirondacks.

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Forces For Change

Forces For Change: Youth & The New York State Climate Smart Communities Program is The Wild Center's new, comprehensive Climate Smart Communities guide for New York State's Climate Smart Communities program.

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Emerging Leaders Fellowship

The Youth Climate Program's exciting new fellowship, Emerging Leadership, is designed to open up pathways for young people in the Adirondack Region to enter the climate change movement.

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Climate Action Planning 

Young people can address climate change in their own communities through Climate Action Planning. This page has resources for creating and implementing a successful Climate Action Plan.

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Printed copy of Youth Climate Program's Summit Toolkit

Youth Climate Summit Toolkit

You can organize a Youth Summit. We give you the tools, absolutely free, so that your organization can replicate our success, without reinventing the wheel.

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Closeup of physical map of Climate Summit locations

Youth Climate Summit Map

Youth Climate Summits have been spreading across the country and around the world.

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Teenage speakers presenting their poster at Adirondack Youth Climate Summit

History & Recognition

The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program has come a long way since its inception. Checkout our timeline and history.

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Group of people outside on waterfront in circle facing each other

Educator & Student Retreats 

Click here for information on the 2022 Summer Climate Change Institute for Educators and The Youth Climate Leadership Retreat.

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Group of students in front of their display

Youth Climate Program Supporters & Partners 

Our work could not be accomplished without the help of a dedicated group of partners and supporters.

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Three students posing with beehive exhibit

Climate Education Resources

Check out a list of some of our favorite climate change education resources.

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Contact Us

Have questions? Want to collaborate? The Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program team is here to help.
Click Here to Reach Out
“The Adirondack Youth Climate Summit was an incredible experience. Not only was it a lot of fun, but I also learned so much in such a short period of time. I feel wizened about the global situation of climate change, and I was encouraged to learn that we have the capacity to deal with it.”
Samantha Martin, Saranac Lake High School alumna