Episode 51: Designing Climate Solutions With (Not For) Students

Hosted by Vince Meldrum, President/CEO of Earth Force, this episode is a replay of a 2025 EAC Week event. It features Cory Manning, previously at the City of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency and Kelly Moses from Denver Public Schools’ Sustainability Office. Together, they unpack a youth-led climate grant program funded through Denver’s Climate Protection Fund and designed in partnership with Earth Force. The conversation explores how students—many at the elementary level—are driving real climate solutions in their schools through human-centered design, project-based learning, and authentic collaboration. From school gardens and waste reduction efforts to conference travel and new green teams, the episode highlights what’s possible when young people are trusted with resources, decision-making power, and support to lead climate action in their communities.