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 Purchase, NY - This July, Manhattanville College will host two sustainability workshops led by the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF).
One of the most comprehensive sustainability professional development programs of its kind in the U.S., the annual CELF Summer Institute is designed to provide the technical and scientific background, the curriculum framework and materials necessary for integrating sustainability education into K-12 schools. Now in its fourth year, the CELF Summer Institute for Sustainability Education will take place July 14-18th at Reid Castle on the Manhattanville campus.
Richard Berman, Manhattanville President said “Manhattanville College is committed to fostering a social awareness of preserving the environment. Naturally, we are pleased to host these conferences. The information that will be presented will enable educators to better address climate change and promote sustainable development.”
The 5-day Institute is an intensive workshop that provides teachers with strategies, resources, and guided planning to enhance curriculum and instruction through the lens of sustainability. Teachers work in grade level groups to create curriculum “makeovers” using content within the environmental, economic and cultural contexts shaping students’ lives.
The Institute focuses on six crucial areas of sustainability: Ecological Footprint - fundamentals of human/environmental interactions; Food Systems - economics, human health and the environment; Sustainable Communities; Ecological Economics - linking science, social studies, and civics; Climate Change; and Systems Thinking and Youth Action.
Content experts from the U.S. Green Building Council and an alternative energy consulting company, Juice Energy, will join sustainability educators to provide the most current thinking in these respective fields.
According to CELF’s Executive Director, Katie Ginsberg, the ultimate goal of the CELF Summer Institute is to “contribute to the preparation of today's K-12 students for the environmental, social and economic challenges and opportunities they will face tomorrow.”
Prior to the Institute, on July 10-11, CELF will offer – for the first time in New York – “Designed by Nature” - a 2-day workshop for middle school science, social studies and technology teachers. Focused on materials science, product life cycles, resource use, energy, and the environment, “Designed by Nature” wraps effective pedagogy around relevant, rigorous content that is sure to engage students.
"Designed by Nature" integrates life science, physics, chemistry and earth science; topics presented include biotic and abiotic materials; energy use, recycling, and the laws of thermodynamics; life cycles, food chains and biomagnification; and polymers, biodegradation, and materials transformation.
The program also introduces students to career pathways in engineering, design, materials science, and public policy. Students gain not only increased scientific knowledge, but also an understanding of why science matters.
“CELF’s approach to education will make our children think …about our earth and the way that we are all interrelated and dependent upon one another,” said State Assemblyman Adam Bradley, an advocate of sustainability education and continued supporter of CELF.
Registration, program overviews and presenter profiles are online at www.celfoundation.org.
About CELF
The Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (“CELF”) is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that collaborates with public school districts and individual teachers to raise awareness of sustainable development and to help incorporate related principles into K-12 curricula and programs. Visit www.celfoundation.org for more information about CELF’s programs and initiatives and partnerships.
About Manhattanville
Manhattanville College offers a rigorous academic experience within a nurturing environment. 1,500 undergraduate students from more than 37 states and 53 countries enjoy the suburban location along with the resources of New York City, which is just 30 minutes away. There’s a strong social justice and community service focus at Manhattanville — last year students at our small school logged over 27,000 community service hours.
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