On August 12th, the world celebrated International Youth Day, with this year’s theme being green skills for youth. A green transition towards a more environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical, and depends on fostering green skills for everyone, and especially youth. Initiatives like the Alcoa Warming-Waste-Water-Watts-Wildlife (Alcoa W5) project do just that. Wrapping up the fifth phase of the Alcoa W5 project offers an opportunity to reflect on the outcomes and experiences of participating students and teachers.
Students at Liknes Primary School in Norway regularly visited a nearby stream and learned about water quality and pH levels as well as local biodiversity.
Implemented by our local member organisations, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and FEE Norway, this phase of the Alcoa W5 project involved a total of 20 schools across the U.S. (New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana) and Norway. Participating schools focused on the themes of warming (climate change), waste, water, watts (energy), and wildlife (biodiversity). The aim of the Alcoa W5 project has been to support teachers in greening Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education by engaging students in nature-based learning. The Seven Steps methodology of our Eco-Schools programme provides the ideal framework to support this type of learning through its student-centred, project-based pedagogy.
This phase of the Alcoa W5 project saw students of all ages involved in green STEM projects across all five W’s. High school students in Indiana tackled waste by developing a recycling strategy for their school that kept 30 bags of plastic bottles out of landfills, while preschoolers in Norway built birdboxes especially for the smaller, native bird species around their school. Students in New York organised an Energy Patrol contest to reduce their school’s energy consumption through heating and lighting. In Norway, students visited their local stream and learned not only about testing water quality and pH levels, but also about the flourishing biodiversity in their own backyard. A common outcome throughout all the Alcoa W5 projects was not just that students learned more about environmental issues, but that their attitudes and behaviours towards these issues changed as well.
Students from the Environmental Charter School in Pittsburgh, PA planted native pollinator species in their school garden.
“Over the past year, the Alcoa W5 project has served to support both teachers and students in exploring issues of sustainability and making connections to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG”s). This collaboration with the Alcoa Foundation, FEE and NWF has provided schools on a global level to engage in environment-based education that has led to student-led, solution-based actions at their schools and in their communities. This year in the U.S., schools in Massena, NY, Pittsburgh, PA and Newburg, IN addressed issues such as stormwater runoff, gardening for climate action and developing habitat to support biodiversity. It is always wonderful to see how this type of learning can create engaged and inspired learners,” stated Elizabeth Soper, NWF Senior Director of K-12 Education.
The impact of the Alcoa W5 projects goes beyond students, supporting teachers by providing critical resources and funding to facilitate their students’ learning both in and outside of the classroom.
Daniel Schaffer, CEO of the Foundation for Environmental Education’s CEO shared that, “The Alcoa W5 project has been a fantastic initiative that has supported hundreds of students and teachers in engaging with STEM education through an environmental lens within the holistic, project-based framework of the Eco-Schools programme. It’s incredibly rewarding to hear from teachers about how enthusiastic students are about learning and their environment when they get the chance to develop and lead their own projects.”
Students participating in an experiment at Jefferson Elementary School.
Teachers participating in a ESD workshop in Norway.
Key to the Eco-Schools programme and an important element of Education for Sustainable Development is also the engagement of the wider community to ensure long-term sustainable action. This year’s Alcoa W5 projects illustrate just that, showcasing how the environmental efforts of students and teachers are able to achieve an even greate impact with the support of community members; families, businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers.
As Marit Kjellesvik of FEE Norway said, “We see enormous value in participation of another cycle of the Alcoa W5 project. FEE Norway has been a partner in the project since 2016, and with support from Alcoa Foundation thousands of students and teachers have been supported and facilitated in interdisciplinary work with education of environmental sustainability. It has been fantastic to follow students of all ages in Farsund and Mosjøen with forward-looking approaches to highly current and very important sustainability themes. Skilled teachers have given students inspiration and room for exploration and investigation. With a high degree of student activity and collaboration with local partners, the project has contributed to creating innovation at the school and far beyond its borders. The project has made visible for the whole community the importance of education for environmental sustainability and that everyone can contribute to make a difference.”
The W5 project would not have been possible without the support of Alcoa Foundation.
“Alcoa Foundation has proudly supported the Alcoa W5 project since its inception in 2016. In addition to preparing kids globally for new STEM jobs, it has been rewarding to see how the program has contributed to an improved understanding of the world around them and inspired students and educators to be stewards in their own communities. We thank our partners from carrying out this impactful initiative.” Kayla Branch, Program Development & Communications Manager, Alcoa Foundation.
Students at Vanse Primary School in Norway sharing their work with Farsund's mayor.
Turtle Creek Elementary STEAM Academy participated in the Unwrap the Waves candy wrapper recycling program in partnership with the Loggerhead Marine Science Center.
About Alcoa Foundation: Alcoa Foundation invests where Alcoa has a presence, partnering with communities to address local needs in a sustainable manner. With our nonprofit partners, we contribute to programs that protect and preserve the environment and promote equitable access to education and skills-building opportunities. https://www.alcoa.com/foundation/en
About the Foundation for Environmental Education and the Eco-Schools Programme: Established in 1981, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is one of the world's largest environmental education organisations, with over 100 member organisations in 81 countries. The internationally recognized Eco-Schools programme developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) engages young people in quality environmental education and meaningful action. Through a simple, seven-step framework, pupils are empowered and motivated to drive change and improve environmental awareness in their school, local community and beyond. www.fee.global | www.ecoschools.global