Our Future Starts in Their Classrooms

Dear Community members,

My name is Cherice Greene. I am an EcoRise Board Member, an assistant principal in DC Public Schools, and have been a high school science educator in public and public charter school systems for twenty-five years. I come to you as an educator who has personally seen EcoRise programs activate students as climate and sustainability leaders. Today, we’re launching our annual giving campaign, where our goal is to raise $40,000 to connect teachers and students to resources that will help them navigate and thrive in our rapidly changing world.

Throughout my career in Washington, DC, I have seen curriculum and education fads come and go. I have seen people come and go as political parties change and tell us what and how we should teach. I’ve learned from experience that it’s most important to put students first, give them ownership of their learning, and embody values that they can develop in their own lives.

In 2008, I helped open a new STEM high school in an under-resourced community in Washington, DC, supporting the design of CTE career academies so that students could graduate prepared for jobs of the future. I was searching for a curriculum that would support career learning, integrate the importance of sustainability, and allow students to become agents of their learning and advocates for the community. I found EcoRise. Using the curriculum for over six years, I’ve been amazed at the level of support that the EcoRise team provides—from top-notch professional development to classroom grants that bring student sustainability projects to life. I enjoyed the program so much that I became a Teacher Ambassador to help connect more educators to these opportunities. I even had a full circle moment when a former student graduated, became a teacher, and started to use the EcoRise program, too.

EcoRise programs gave a voice to 173,992 students last school year. The organization awarded over $80,000 in student grants, enabling students to actualize their ideas and address needs in communities across the U.S. This school year, our work matters more than ever before. You can join our movement by making a donation today and supporting a classroom like mine in the new year. Your gift will go twice as far, thanks to our Leadership Circle Matching Fund, which provides dollar-for-dollar matches for donations received this month!