Applications are now open for a yearlong leadership program for high school students in San Mateo County who are interested in learning about climate change and motivated to take action within their schools and community.

The Youth Climate Ambassadors (YCA) Program is offered by San Mateo County’s Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Citizens Environmental Council of Burlingame, which piloted the project in 2018; the county’s Office of Education; and Peninsula Clean Energy. Students in the 9^th through 12^th grades are eligible. The deadline for applications is Monday, September 5.

The program is offered from October 2022 through May 2023, with twice-a-month Thursday meetings on Zoom and three in-person retreats on Saturdays. Students will build their knowledge of climate change, explore various climate solutions and develop a final project to create positive environmental change in their school or local community. The schedule and online application are available here.

The Youth Climate Ambassadors will receive a stipend of up to $500, and additional funds will be available for students living in households with limited financial resources. Students who are part of the program can also apply for funding of up to $500 for their final project.

Details are available at https://tinyurl.com/SMCYouthClimate2022. For more information, email Kamille Lang at klang1@smcgov.org.