Rustic Pathways Program Teaches Teens to Combat Climate Change

MENTOR, Ohio, Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rustic Pathways announced today the conclusion of its first Climate Leaders Fellowship, a two-month online program for high school students across the world. The leadership development program targeted students aged 14-18 who are interested in stopping the harmful effects of climate change. The group of international students researched the effects of climate change in their own communities then found ways to combat the problems locally.

"Like-minded students from all over the world learned how to build a local action plan from start to finish, gaining real-world skills and global friendships," said Patrick Ziemnik, Team Leader, Client Experience at Rustic Pathways, and one of the program's facilitators. 

This program followed the Global Youth Climate Summit, a collaboration between the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford University, the Rustic Pathways Foundation and Rustic Pathways.

With the support of facilitators, the program participants contributed over 500 hours of service and launched 17 projects, collecting more than one ton of food and $5,000 in funds from hundreds of donors.

The contributions helped communities hit hard by wildfires, flooding, and other intense climate-related weather events in the United States, Canada, Japan and Thailand.

Participants noted the following program highlights: 

• Students connected with a global network of like-minded students.
• Students researched a local climate-related problem, planned an action strategy, and implemented a project in partnership with local nonprofit organizations.
• Students gained leadership, organization, and communication skills.

Founded in 1983, Rustic Pathways started with rugged, off-the-beaten-path trips that took adventurous, pioneering teenaged travelers on eight-week Australian Outback experiences. Over the next four decades, Rustic Pathways built on its legacy by coupling adventure travel with service learning to help young people learn, collaborate and build solutions to change lives and the world. The company's launch of its Climate Leaders Fellowship is part of a long-term strategic growth plan that includes investing in programs that can expand and enhance Rustic Pathways's global impact.

"The Climate Leaders Fellowship is part of Rustic Pathways's long-term plan to enhance the global impact of our programs, support local communities, and develop future leaders," said Ziemnik.

The next Climate Leaders Fellowship will take place February 28 to April 30, 2022. The program is sponsored by Rustic Pathways and offered free of charge to participants. The deadline to apply for the next cohort of the leadership program is February 4.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Rustic Pathways