Become a Community Climate Leader


Are you interested in supporting climate action in your community?
Join us for this workshop!

The “Become a Community Climate Leader” workshop brings together college and high school students from front line communities throughout Oregon and Washington to train, plan, and engage in community-based climate justice work.


Through this workshop, students will be supported to complete climate justice initiatives or projects that are unique to their particular communities. Students will become part of a network of diverse community leaders who support each other’s work and will take meaningful steps toward enhancing climate education and action in our region.

The 3-day workshop will be taught August 14-16, 2023, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Lewis & Clark College. Workshop attendance is free, will include meals, potential for project stipends, and will be followed by ongoing support throughout the subsequent year. This workshop is open to current high school and college students in Oregon and Washington.

Please check back for a formal detailed schedule. Please apply by July 30, as the workshop size is limited. To learn more about our curriculum or apply to participate, see the information below!

Meet our educators:

  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18277-amy-dvorak"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2136/99490_PEO-B-0922-0042.rev.1689178957.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2136" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18277-amy-dvorak"><a href="/live/profiles/18277-amy-dvorak">Amy Dvorak</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Amy is the Director of Sustainability at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon where she works to integrate sustainability into the life of the three Lewis & Clark schools with the aims of developing cross-school collaborations, broadening relationships with the community, promoting hands-on student learning and communicating the institution’s commitment to sustainability. Amy has 20 years experience working in the environmental and sustainability fields.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18279-tianna-arredondo"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,800,800/99183_1661200621992.rev.1686264963.jpg 3x" data-max-w="800" data-max-h="800" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18279-tianna-arredondo"><a href="/live/profiles/18279-tianna-arredondo">Tianna Arredondo</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Tianna works with tech, healthcare, nonprofits, higher education, NGOs, and community based organizations around environmental justice issues and opportunities. They provide strategic support to organizational teams, through coaching, facilitation, mediation, and retreats. Tianna has worked with the Power Shift Network, 350.org and SustainUS at COP Poland.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18252-annie-duan"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.JPEG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.JPEG 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.JPEG" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.JPEG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/396,371,1900,1875/99110_D9BA266E-17E1-496A-876A-94F743C21E8C.rev.1685467622.JPEG 3x" data-max-w="1504" data-max-h="1504" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18252-annie-duan"><a href="/live/profiles/18252-annie-duan">Annie Duan</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Annie Duan (she/her) is an upcoming Junior at Jesuit High School. In school, she leads Green Team, the environmental justice club, as well as Fashion Club, Crochet and Knit Club, and Asian Student Union.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18276-vasty-jean-francois"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,268,340/99181_89067_Vasty_Jean_Francois_Photo_2.rev.1686263316.webp 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,268,340/99181_89067_Vasty_Jean_Francois_Photo_2.rev.1686263316.JPG 1x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,268,340/99181_89067_Vasty_Jean_Francois_Photo_2.rev.1686263316.JPG" alt="" width="201" height="201" data-max-w="268" data-max-h="340" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18276-vasty-jean-francois"><a href="/live/profiles/18276-vasty-jean-francois">Vasty Jean-Francois</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Vasty Jean-Francois was born and raised in a small seacoast town in northwestern Haiti with the beauty of the blue sky and the sea in the distance. Vasty attended high school in Tanzania, and is an Environmental Studies and International Affairs major at Lewis & Clark.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18273-lexi-brewer"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1500,430/99180_pugetsound_79588083.rev.1686262324.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1500" data-max-h="430" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18273-lexi-brewer"><a href="/live/profiles/18273-lexi-brewer">Lexi Brewer</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Lexi has 10+ years of experience in various roles related to policy and sustainability, and consider herself a sustainability generalist. She enjoys people-centered work that thoughtfully considers a diverse array of perspectives to create solutions to complex sustainability problems.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18274-jolina-ruckert"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,586,759/99807_Jolina.rev.1691619856.webp 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,586,759/99807_Jolina.rev.1691619856.png 2x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,586,759/99807_Jolina.rev.1691619856.png" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,586,759/99807_Jolina.rev.1691619856.png 2x" data-max-w="586" data-max-h="759" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18274-jolina-ruckert"><a href="/live/profiles/18274-jolina-ruckert">Jolina Ruckert</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p><span class="il">Jolina</span> H. <span class="il">Ruckert</span> is an Assistant Professor with Term of Psychology at Lewis & Clark College. She received a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Washington (2014). Investigating the human relationship with nature for over 15 years, her current research focuses on sustainable relationships – the relationships built between humans and with the wider natural world that support human health and promote environmental stewardship. </p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18278-suzie-kassouf"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.png 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.png" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,2604,2604/99182_image.rev.1686264281.png 3x" data-max-w="2604" data-max-h="2604" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18278-suzie-kassouf"><a href="/live/profiles/18278-suzie-kassouf">Suzie Kassouf</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p dir="auto"> Suzanna Kassouf teaches social studies at Grant High School in Portland Public Schools. She is a contributor to the <a href="http://zinnedproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://zinnedproject.org/&source=gmail&ust=1686674469814000&usg=AOvVaw2e4b7UkNQ2bDi9UFXPKYty">Zinn Education Project</a> and Rethinking Schools, with a cover article in the latest issue - <a href="https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/we-cannot-create-what-we-cannot-imagine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/we-cannot-create-what-we-cannot-imagine/&source=gmail&ust=1686674469814000&usg=AOvVaw1xeI7lwXPqvxT1OsRTz50w">We Cannot Create What We Cannot Imagine: Helping Students Picture Climate Justice</a>, and is on the editorial board for the second edition of the Rethinking Schools publication A People’s Curriculum for the Earth. She is a co-founder of Sunrise Movement PDX - a youth-led climate justice movement.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>
  • <section class="profile-box"><div class="profile-box_image"><span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/18275-ari-ettinger"><picture class="lw_image"><source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.webp 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.jpg 3x" data-origin="responsive"/><img src="/live/image/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="201" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/184/width/201/height/201/crop/1/src_region/0,0,3200,2400/99805_PXL_20230704_031834189.rev.1691609527.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2400" loading="lazy" data-optimized="true"/></picture></a></span></div><h4 class="profile-box_name" href="/live/profiles/18275-ari-ettinger"><a href="/live/profiles/18275-ari-ettinger">Ari Ettinger</a></h4><div class="profile-box_meta"><p> Ari is the Climate Resiliency Program Manager for Portland Public Schools.</p></div><a class="profile-box_link" href="https://www.lclark.edu/about/sustainability/academics/summer-internship-course/climate-educators/">Meet our Climate Change Educators</a></section>

Our schedule at a glance:

Day 1: Building Support Systems

  • Building Community & Relationships
  • Emergent Strategy Framework
  • Community Focused Frameworks & Tools

Day 2: Restoring Connections

  • Engagement: Art & Ecology
  • Communication
  • PNW Community Organizations Roundtable

Day 3: Sustaining Self

  • Balancing Climate Grief and Joy
  • Connecting Self with People and Place
  • Building Community Resilience

Apply Here

For more information, please contact Amy Dvorak, Sustainability Director for Lewis & Clark College, 503-768-7794.