34. Changing a Family, One Girl at A Time

The Green That School (GTS) project is designed to engage a diverse, multi-faceted audience, encompassing local and global stakeholders. The project merges students from the Daraja Academy in Nanyuki, Kenya, and the Merced Union High School District in California in the United States. The initiative aims to empower young women by addressing critical issues such as gender violence, quality education, and arranged marriages while expanding their educational and professional horizons through Career Technical Education and advocating for women's involvement in STEM fields. The project amplifies efforts with international organizations like the United Nations and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Rotary, and the US Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools program. Doing so aims to promote environmental and socially sustainable practices globally and nationally. The GTS project includes the worldwide nonprofit sector and educational institutions while modeling collaboration, curriculum development, and place-based learning. It enables others to enhance their academic goals and offer hands-on learning experiences. Its efforts resonate with individuals interested in various social and environmental issues and civic engagement by introducing them to societies with harsh social norms. The student-driven activity provides an accessible platform for anyone looking to engage, support, and promote the initiative's mission to impact care locally and globally. Jeff Rivero is a US history and digital media teacher at Yosemite High School in Merced, California. He has integrated environmental and social equity education into a curriculum that requires civic engagement to advocate for policy changes, behavioral and procedural modifications, and equity in social, economic, and environmental issues. Mr. Rivero was selected as a United Nations Ambassador for the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2019 and advised students to lead an after-school program called the Junior Ambassadors. Rivero's innovative approach to integrating the SDGs, career technical guidance, history content standards for California, and environmental studies into the high school classroom has led to several awards, including the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Education, the US Green Building Council K–12 Educator Award, and the Green California Schools Leadership Award. Take Action Global, a nonprofit organization focused on curbing climate change selected Mr. Rivero’s class for its School of Excellence awards. Prince William of Wales addressed the students virtually to recognize their work. To learn more about Daraja, go to: https://daraja.org/ ⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠    Website: ⁠⁠Rotary.cool⁠ Meetings’ ⁠⁠Video Archive⁠⁠ YouTubeChannel⁠⁠  How to become a member in ⁠⁠this online Rotary eClub⁠⁠ ⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠www.Rotary.org⁠⁠ Find a ⁠⁠local Rotary club⁠⁠  Find an ⁠⁠online Rotary Club⁠⁠ Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠ Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠