Engaging Youth in Climate Change Solutions

Slide2:  The Will Steger Foundation (WSF) is dedicated to creating programs that foster international leadership and cooperation through environmental education and policy.  Educating, Inspiring, Empowering The Will Steger Foundation has seen firsthand the dramatic affects of global and is leading humanity to solve our climate change challenge.  Our expeditions to the Polar Regions offer a unique view of people and places at the tipping point of climate change. Global Warming 101.com is the Foundation’s Web-based initiative for expedition updates, educational programming, action and resources. Slide3:  Generation Y “Emerging Leaders” Born between 1980 and 2000, the 80 million members of Generation Y constitute the largest generation boom since the ‘Baby Boomers’ Also known as Millenials, Echo-Boomers, the Choice Generation, Civic Generation, and Internet Generation Highly networked, community focused, value driven, goal oriented, optimistic Slide4:  Emerging Leaders Program Goals To engage emerging leaders in global warming solutions To support the growing youth climate movement, locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally To connect emerging leaders with the Will Steger Foundation and Global Warming 101 for education, inspiration, and resources for action Slide6:  Greenland Expedition, May-July 2009 Steger and a team of young explorers from Norway and Canada will circumnavigate the Greenland ice cap – never attempted – a total of 2,400 miles by kite-ski for a culmination of a study on Greenland. The expedition is part of a year-long academic study on Greenland's importance in the Arctic and Global ecosystem, including a focus on summer thaws, ice surges and the risk of destabilization of the Greenland ice cap. Slide7:  Western Antarctica Expedition, November 2009-2010 Will Steger and three veteran kite-skiers from Canada and Norway will travel by kite-ski to Western Antarctica supported by Adventure Network. The team will leave from Hercules Inlet on the Ronne ice shelf. Their route will take them to Patriot Hills, over the Whitmore Mountains to the Ross ice shelf to their final destination at McMurdo Bay. The expedition includes an interdisciplinary and international K–12 educational program that fosters scientific inquiry and investigation through field-based research. A central piece of the program will promote the role of international cooperation and careers in science in collaboration with international research stations. Slide8:  Action Stories Project yourstory@willstegerfoundation.org Slide15:  and growing… Slide16:  Contact: Nicole Rom nicole@willstegerfoundation.org 612-278-7147 Will Steger Foundation 2801 21st Avenue South Suite 127 Minneapolis, MN 55407