“The education system is so fundamental to our cultural narrative, so if we want to make a paradigm shift happen, to move from the status quo to sustainable lifestyles, we have to make sure the education system is on board.”
Andra Yeghoian
This week we spoke with Andra Yeghoian, the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator at San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). Andra has moved from serving 1,200 students at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, CA, to leading the environmental literacy initiatives for SMCOE.
Andra’s ability to scale and create impact from the classroom to the county level is a testament to her work as a Green Leader.
In our interview, Andra breaks down how she got her start in environmental education, and how the work she does now at the county level is creating pathways for future leaders in the space.
Hear more from Andra here:
Andra provides insight on how environmental education can expand from the classroom to influence our cultural experiences. Read more here.
Relevant Links
Bishop O’Dowd Commitment to Sustainability
Awarded the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School and a Bay Area Green Certified Business in 2016 under Andra’s leadership. Learn more about Bishop O’Dowd’s sustainable work on campus in energy, water, transportation, waste, food and dining, air quality, and construction and renovations.
ELSI Environmental Justice Resources
Developed by SMCOE Environmental Literacy Initiative, this repository contains environmental justice resources for teachers and students to customize and adapt to their classrooms.
Institute for Humane Education
The Institute for Humane Education helps educators teach about human rights, environmental preservation, and animal protection to create a world where all can thrive.
National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
Hosted on the Green Schoolyards website, you’ll find the National COVID-19 Learning Initiative’s ever-growing body of work. SMCOE is one of the leaders driving this project.
Based on learning from the BedZED eco-village, Bioregional created the One Planet Living sustainability framework – comprising ten simple principles and detailed goals and guidance – and developed it together with WWF.
SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative
Explore Andra’s site for the San Mateo County Office of Education. You’ll find a seemingly endless amount of useful resources and information on the work SMCOE is doing. These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities.
Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Educator Fellowships
These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities.
Ten Strands is the leading field catalyst in the state of California and key partner of SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative.
News and Events
7th Annual Environmental Education Symposium: Justice, Literacy, Wellness
Feb. 25-28, 2021 Environmental Education Collaborative
Attend a multi-day event filled with networking and skill-building as you interact with environmental educators throughout Riverside and San Bernardino.
Conservation Education Conference on Virtual Learning
Mar. 2-4, 2021 NAAEE
The public audience that we serve will continue to expect having online options for learning, and we can reach a broader audience in doing so. Learn about great tools and methodologies that your peers have implemented.
Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge
Deadline Mar. 1, 2021 Biomimicry Institute
The Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a free, hands-on, project-based learning experience that provides classroom and informal educators with a new framework to introduce biomimicry and an interdisciplinary approach to science and environmental literacy.
5 Environmental Stories To Look Out For In 2021
Feb. 3, 2021 EARTHDAY.ORG
From policy, to plastic, this year holds a lot in store for Restoring our Earth. Here are five topics to keep a lookout for this year.
We need action on environmental equity — not just words
Feb. 11, 2021 The Hill
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important access to the outdoors is for our health and well-being. This is especially true for lower-income communities of color that have borne the brunt of the pandemic and often lack access to good parks…
COVID-19 Was Preventable, Now We Must Tackle Future Challenges Systematically – Here’s How
Feb. 12, 2021 Forbes
Experts warned of a pandemic decades ago. Why weren’t we ready?
Reimagining Science Education with Climate Change
Feb. 16, 2021 Ten Strands
Educator Kelley Le writes about her journey from being a student growing up in the inner cities of Los Angeles, to becoming an advocate for climate science education, with a focus on social justice and environmental inequities, and now, soon to publish her book.
Four Steps President Biden Can Take to Ease the Extinction Crisis
Feb. 17, 2021 Sierra
Conservationists want the administration to do more to tackle biodiversity loss…
Pollution kills 160,000 in world’s most toxic cities
Feb. 18, 2021 The Times
Pollution was behind 160,000 early deaths in five of the world’s biggest cities last year, an environmental report has found, despite huge improvements in air quality as traffic congestion fell during lockdowns…
Climate Change: How much did it cost US economy in 2020?
Feb. 19, 2021 BBC News
The year 2020 saw a record number of costly hurricanes, wildfires, and storms, resulting in billions of dollars in damages. Since records began in 1980, billion-dollar climate disasters have become much more frequent…