YES! 2023 Tentative Details
At the Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!), Delaware high school students explore
many of the most pressing state, national and global environmental issues and engage in steps they can take on campus and beyond.
● Thursday March 2, 2023 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
● At the Clayton Hall Conference Center, 100 David Hollowell Drive, Newark DE 19716
● Free for Delaware high school students and educators who are advisors to school teams and includes lunch and morning snack
● Registration opens on February 1st and pre-registration is first-come no later February 24th. Attendance is limited this year to the first 360 registrants. All teams must include a adult advisor who agrees to serve as the point person for the team. More details about registration can be found on the registration tab.
● The Summit will follow CDC guidance for Covid19 protocols.
The summit will bring together high school students from across Delaware. Planned by students, YES! inspires youth-led action and environmental leadership through keynote speakers, breakout workshops, and nonprofit and agency exhibitors.
The inaugural conference in February 2020 was attended by student teams from more than twenty Delaware schools representing all three counties and more than 270 students. In 2020, a virtual summit had more than thirty Delaware high schools represented. More than 360 students and teacher/advisors from more than twenty public and private Delaware high schools attended in 2022.
YES! was created by a coalition of representatives from educators at Delaware schools, non-profit environmental organizations, and public agencies to provide the opportunity for teens to meet, learn, and share their ideas on environmental issues of concern. “Our goal is to inform, inspire, activate, and empower students for environmental change,” said lead student organizer for YES!, Neha Veeragandham, from the Charter School of Wilmington.
Notable guest speakers and topics may include:
● Keynote Speakers to be announced
● Pathways to Green Schools, Renewable Energy, Factory Farming, Reducing Plastic in Schools, Environmental Justice, Climate Resiliency, Electric Vehicles, Our Diet’s Impact on Climate Change, Environmental Advocacy, Developing your Climate Action Plan, and so much more (full breakout schedule below)!
Although today’s younger generation is often referred to as the environmental stewards of tomorrow, the reality is that they are the environmental leaders of today. YES! aims to give them information and tools to be even more effective advocates and leaders.
EXHIBITORS:
tbd
Complete your Exhibitor Scavenger Hunt and win Raffle Prizes Donated by:
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FORMS NEEDED/LINKS:
PERMISSION
Schools should use their own permission forms to release students to the Summit
BRING TO SUMMIT CHECK-IN ON MARCH 2nd
RELEASE
All participants must download, complete and submit the Liability and Photo Release Form SUMMIT RELEASE FORM BRING TO SUMMIT CHECK-IN ON APRIL 14th
WORKSHOP SELECTIONS
In order to get the most out of this summit, school team members should coordinate with each other so that one member is able to attend each breakout session option in the three session timeslots. Having all members of a school team attend the same breakout sessions is discouraged.
BREAKOUT SESSION SELECTION tbd
PRE-SUMMIT GREEN SCHOOL SURVEY
Access the Green School survey HERE to begin thinking about the current "green" status of your school campus. The day of the Summit there will be opportunities to reflect on what has been learned and begin planning next steps for your campus to make your school even more green and sustainable. DO TOGETHER AS TEAM ON CAMPUS PRIOR TO MARCH 2nd
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FORM FOR TEACHERS & OTHER PROFESSIONALS
