EASTON, Pa. — This year’s Youth Climate summit is all about empowering the next generation.
For the sixth year, Easton's Nurture Nature center this month will hold the Youth Climate Summit of the Lehigh Valley for middle and high school students in the Lehigh Valley area.
The free event, scheduled for April 25, aims to engage middle and high school students in climate change issues, as well as seek solutions.
“Last year, it was a focus on ‘Climate Superpowers’ and having a theme was very positively received by the youth,” Nurture Nature Center Science Director Kathryn A. Semmens said.
“We thought that it would be good to open it up to the community so that they could see what youth were doing. And we also have heard that adults want the ability to connect about this issue, too. So we thought it would be a good time to try to open that up to more people.”Nurture Nature Center Science Director Kathryn A. Semmens
“This year, we wanted to do a similar thing. We're doing ‘From Global to Local’ and really trying to focus on action and positive hope for the youth.
"Because it's dire times, and we don't want them to get discouraged.”
In addition to programming for students, this year’s summit, for the first time, will includes a Community Day on April 26.
It’s an effort to showcase students’ work and connect residents with organizations focused on sustainability and conservation, officials said.
“We thought that it would be good to open it up to the community so that they could see what youth were doing,” Semmens said.
“And we also have heard that adults want the ability to connect about this issue, too. So we thought it would be a good time to try to open that up to more people.”
Registration for Community Day is on the center’s website.
‘Finding ways to engage’
The Lehigh Valley youth are very well aware of the challenges climate change brings, said Lauren Fosbenner, the center’s project specialist.
They also know they're going to have to deal with it, Fosbenner said.
That knowledge has, for many, caused fear and anxiety to bloom.
“I think that's driving a lot of the interest and energy around youth engagement too — it's like the youth are kind of demanding it.”Lauren Fosbenner, Nurture Nature Center's project specialist
A study published in December 2021 in The Lancet showed that of the 10,000 children and young people surveyed, more than 50% reported feeling sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless and guilty about climate change.
More than 45% of respondents said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, according to the study.
Seventy-five percent said they think the future is frightening and 83% said they think people have failed to take care of the planet.
“I think the tricky part is, then, not just feeling powerless and like you can't do anything and giving up,” Fosbenner said.
“But finding ways to engage with your peers or with existing groups in your community, or just ways of learning more about potential solutions and things that can be helpful in addition to knowing what the issues are.
“I think that's driving a lot of the interest and energy around youth engagement too — it's like the youth are kind of demanding it.”
‘In the end, there's hope’
Strong, early interest already has caused registration to close for student groups to attend the Friday summit — officials are expecting about 100 participants.
The day’s programming will include a “Science on a Sphere” program, followed by a performance by the Mosaic Youth Chorus.
Songs selected surround the theme of the Earth, and how it's been impacted by climate change.
“The focus there will be on ways that youth can get involved, and how the youth voice is important in those different levels of government decisions and civic engagement."Lauren Fosbenner, Nurture Nature Center's project specialist
“There's one about drought, one about rain and the last one is really about how individuals can make a difference,” Semmens said.
“And so, they are kind of trying to follow a similar trajectory like we are, which is going through the issue and how it's going to impact us.
“But in the end, there's hope, and we can take action.”
In addition to a program about the climate impacts of fast fashion and a vegan cooking demo, there will also be a panel discussion with local leaders, including: Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds; state Rep. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton; and Patrick Painter, a center research specialist who has experience working with the United Nation’s environmental and climate programs.
“The focus there will be on ways that youth can get involved, and how the youth voice is important in those different levels of government decisions and civic engagement,” Fosbenner said.
“And just trying to not get discouraged if you feel like you write a letter to your representative, and who knows where it goes — maybe you get a response, maybe you don't.
“It's not the most empowering. So kind of just to reinforce that there are ways to make your voice heard to your elected officials and to have an impact on what goes on at those different levels of government.”
A bike ride, tree-planting
The Community Day following the summit will start off similarly, in front of the center’s iconic sphere with a performance from Mosaic.
Then, there will be student presentations, aimed at spotlighting the work youth already are doing in the community.
“We are still working out the details of that, but we're hoping the students will do quick five-minute presentations about climate action they're taking at their schools or in their community or ideas they have that they're excited about,” Semmens said.
“We're hopeful some of the Mosaic students will speak, as well, because they're really motivated, engaging students who are concerned about this issue.”
Both days end with the CREATE Sustainability Expo, which will feature tables from about 20 local organizations focused on conservation and sustainable practices.
“For the most part, they're local environmental and sustainability organizations,” Fosbenner said.
“And then we also have some additional community groups and nonprofits attending, to sort of emphasize that civic engagement portion.”
Community Day ends with a bike ride, organized by Community Bike Works, from the center to an Arbor Day tree planting sponsored by the city at Lower Hackett Park.
“We're encouraging people on Saturday that they can kind of come and go as it works for them,” Fosbenner said.
“So if they're here for the morning, and then they go get lunch and come back to the expo and the bike ride and tree planting, that's great.
“If they can just come for the bike ride and tree planting, that's great. You can drop in anytime on Saturday.”
