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Use the filter menu and interactive map to explore the past competitions offered and grants awarded through the Environmental Literacy Program.

To learn more about project findings and outcomes, view the summaries of our grantees’ summative evaluation reports.

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HEARTForce: Hazard Education, Awareness & Resilience Taskforce

Funding: $500,000
Year: 2018
Communities in Colorado are increasingly experiencing major disruptions from environmental hazards, such as wildfire, flood, and drought. With this rise in hazardous events, there is a pressing need for communities to increase their resilience. An interdisciplinary team from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education & Outreach Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder has developed and implemented an innovative, action-oriented youth engagement project that targets rural Colorado students, teachers, and communities.

Communities in Colorado are increasingly experiencing major disruptions from environmental hazards, such as wildfire, flood, and drought. With this rise in hazardous events, there is a pressing need for communities to increase their resilience. An interdisciplinary team from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education & Outreach Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder has developed and implemented an innovative, action-oriented youth engagement project that targets rural Colorado students, teachers, and communities. Our engagement model 15 empowers youth i) to envision community resilience through immersive scenario-based role play based using a solid understanding of the relevant science, ii) to learn about natural hazards through engaging place-based lessons, iii) to initiate conversations about hazard preparedness from within communities, and iv) to develop and implement student-led resilience action projects and participate in community resilience expos. A needs assessment disseminated to Colorado teachers guided the project team in the development of all instructional materials and allowed for customizing the content to teacher needs. The project team developed three units (one of wildfire, flood, and drought) for middle and high school students that consist of three parts: place-based data-focused lessons to introduce the hazard, a scenario-based role-play game with a focus on youth empowerment, and a design challenge for students to develop an idea for a resilience action project. Teachers can choose to teach any or all parts and invite community resilience stakeholders and practitioners to share their work with their students, and support students in designing and implementing action projects. Some teachers and students chose to host a Community Resilience Expo, where they invited the public to learn more about the hazard and what resources exist in the community to help prepare for the hazard. The project aimed to accomplished the following three objectives: 1) Increase Colorado secondary teachers’ knowledge and confidence to teach about local natural hazards, and to facilitate discussions about community resilience; 2) Increase Colorado youth’s understanding of natural hazards, their community’s vulnerability, and their involvement in resilience planning efforts, and 3) Enhance the capacity and empowerment of young people in Colorado to engage in dialogue with their peers, families, and community stakeholders about community resilience issues and identify, develop, and implement resilience actions. The project evaluation explored the efficacy of the program model and studied the impact of the project activities on students and teachers. The project filled a critical gap in Colorado’s resilience planning which does not include teachers and youth. The project was guided by partners from the NOAA RISA program Western Water Assessment, seven NOAA science advisors, and was implemented together with over 40 community partners, school partners and collaborators from across Colorado. Over the course of the four-year program, the project trained and supported 88 teachers, engaged nearly 2,000 students, and resulted in 9 Resilience Expo events across rural Colorado.

Award Number: NA18SEC0080007
Grant Dates: 10/01/2018 to 10/31/2022
PI: Anne Gold (Reuther)
State: Colorado   County:   Boulder District: CO02
Partners: Earth Force · NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) · Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks / The Wild Center · NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO) · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Boulder, Colorado Forecast Office · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Grand Junction, Colorado Forecast Office · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Pueblo, Colorado Forecast Office · NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) / NOAA Planet Stewards · Foothills United Way · City of Boulder / Office of Emergency Management · University of Massachusetts (UMASS) Lowell / Climate Change Initiative · Wild Rose Education · Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1 / Glenwood Springs Middle School · Montrose County Re-1j School District / Montrose High School · Gunnison Watershed Re1J School District / Gunnison Middle School · Early College of Arvada · St. Vrain Valley Re 1j School District / Westview Middle School · Estes Park R-3 School District / Estes Park High School · Estes Park R-3 School District / Estes Park Middle School · Garfield County / Community Development · Gunnison County / Office of Emergency Management · City of Arvada / Office of the City Manager · City of Longmont / Public Works & Natural Resources · Larimer County / Office of Emergency Management · City of Boulder / Resilient Boulder · Colorado Department of Public Safety · Colorado Department of Natural Resources · Colorado Department of Local Affairs · University of Colorado Boulder / CIRES / Education & Outreach · Mountain Studies Institute · University of Colorado Boulder / CIRES / Western Water Assessment · Adams State University / Luter Bean Museum / Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center · Northeast Colorado BOCES · Western Colorado University · Republican River Water · Colorado State University / Colorado Water Center (CoWC) · Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District · Grand County Wildfire Council · Upper Colorado River Watershed Group · NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) / Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL) · NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) / Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) · Boulder Valley School District RE-2 ·

Building Environmental Resiliency Leaders (BERL)

Funding: $449,991
Year: 2020
Among the most geographically isolated islands in the world, Maui’s fragile environment is highly vulnerable to sudden (hurricanes, flooding) and prolonged (drought, ocean acidification, sea-level rise) environmental changes. The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College seeks to build an environmentally literate and resilient community equipped to address, manage, and mitigate the challenges associated with environmental events and hazards.

Among the most geographically isolated islands in the world, Maui’s fragile environment is highly vulnerable to sudden (hurricanes, flooding) and prolonged (drought, ocean acidification, sea-level rise) environmental changes. The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College seeks to build an environmentally literate and resilient community equipped to address, manage, and mitigate the challenges associated with environmental events and hazards. Building Environmental Resiliency Leaders (BERL) has three main goals: 1) Develop environmental hazards modules specific to Hawai’i that can be integrated into high-school curriculum; 2) Strengthen students’ understanding of environmental hazards and build self-efficacy in being contributors towards community resilience; and 3) Create community awareness of and ability to prepare for environmental hazards. By partnering with all 10 Maui County public and private high schools, BERL seeks to empower 200 environmentally resilient high school youth leaders —including Native Hawaiian, underrepresented, and low-income students in grades 9 through 12— throughout the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lanaʻi. The BERL project will develop the Environmental Resiliency Youth Leaders certification program with curriculum to engage students in active learning through innovative Problem-based Learning (PBL) group projects where students select a research topic informed by climate resiliency educational modules and consult with community subject matter experts; including partners from the National Weather Service, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant, Maui Emergency Management Agency, Maui County energy Commissioner, and Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency. Specifically, curriculum will integrate and align: 1) Overview of environmental events & hazards: tropical cyclones/hurricanes, drought/fires, ocean acidification, and seal level rise/flooding ; 2) Local scenarios & experiential outdoor learning; 3) US Climate Resiliency Toolkit; and 4) Development of resiliency plan to work towards either a) utilizing school as resiliency hub site; or b) addressing long-term resiliency to prolonged environmental changes. As a culminating event, students will present their final projects and host workshops to the broader community at local or regional events with a potential reach of 90,000 annually over three project years. In addition, BERL will hold an annual Resiliency Awareness Day, reaching 1,000 students annually, to build community awareness and resources. Amidst the threat of COVID-19 and necessary safety measures, BERL is prepared to mobilize an online curriculum for students with online presentations and virtual events to reach the broader community. BERL aligns with NOAA’s mission to educate and motivate individuals to apply environmental science to increase stewardship and resilience to environmental hazards by creating a cadre of youth environmental resiliency leaders, trained educators, and broadly reaching over half of the Maui County population. The project employs a culturally relevant, place-based, and PBL approach where 40 teams of students engage in research projects to build environmental literacy at their high schools and the wider community. In alignment with NOAA's Education Strategic Plan (2015-2035), BERL seeks to “educate and inspire people to use Earth system science toward improving ecosystem stewardship and increasing resilience to environmental hazards."

Award Number: NA20SEC0080011
Grant Dates: 10/01/2020 to 09/30/2024
PI: Lui Hokoana
State: Hawaii   County:   Maui District: HI02
Partners: National Sea Grant College Program / University of Hawaii System / Hawaii Sea Grant · National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) / Hawaii Humpback Whale · The County of Maui / Emergency Management Agency · The County of Maui / Office of Economic Development / Energy Office · University of Hawaii at Manoa / Hawaii State 4-H Program · Hawaii Farmers Union United · Pacific Disaster Center · Hawaii Emergency Management Agency · Hawaii Department of Education / King Kekaulike High School · Hawaii Department of Education / Lahainaluna High School · Kamehameha Schools · Sustainable Pacific Consulting · Pa’ia Youth & Cultural Center / Maui Hero Project · Hokonui Maui · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) / Pacific Region · University of Hawaiʻi Maui College / Upward Bound · Kauahea Inc. / Paeloko Learning Center · University of Hawaii at Manoa / East-West Center · Kihei Charter School · University of Hawaiʻi Maui College / Water Quality Lab · University of Hawaiʻi Maui College / Office of Extended Learning & Workforce Development · University of Hawaii at Manoa / Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) · Kipahulu Ohana, Inc. · Parley for the Oceans · Windward Community College · Stormwater Maui ·

HEARTForce: Resilient Colorado

Funding: $500,000
Year: 2022
Communities in Colorado are increasingly experiencing major disruptions from environmental hazards, such as fire, flood, and drought. Low-income housing neighborhoods and vulnerable community members in under-resourced rural areas are often disproportionately impacted by these hazards. With the rise in hazardous events across the state under a changing climate, there is a pressing need for communities to become more resilient through better preparation and planning.

Communities in Colorado are increasingly experiencing major disruptions from environmental hazards, such as fire, flood, and drought. Low-income housing neighborhoods and vulnerable community members in under-resourced rural areas are often disproportionately impacted by these hazards. With the rise in hazardous events across the state under a changing climate, there is a pressing need for communities to become more resilient through better preparation and planning. The Hazard Education, Awareness and Resilience Task Force (HEART Force) program, facilitated by the NOAA Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education & Outreach group at CU Boulder, empowers rural secondary students and teachers to act as the change agents to build community resilience against natural hazards. With continued funding, we will continue to support teachers statewide to implement HEART Force curriculum, a place-based curriculum that uses authentic data sources, scenario-based role-play games and the Earth Force process to inspire civic action. We will also be supporting four classrooms across Colorado to go deeper with the curriculum through a quarter or semester-long elective course, by selecting a vulnerable neighborhood to partner with and planning action steps together with more support from CIRES staff, community partners, and local emergency managers.

Award Number: NA22SEC0080002
Grant Dates: 10/01/2022 to 09/30/2025
PI: Anne Gold (Reuther)
State: Colorado   County:   Boulder District: CO02
Partners: Earth Force · NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO) · NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) Boulder, Colorado Forecast Office · University of Nebraska-Lincoln / High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC) · Gunnison County / Office of Emergency Management · University of Colorado Boulder / CIRES / Education & Outreach · University of Colorado Boulder / CIRES / Western Water Assessment · Western Colorado University · Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition · The Health Partnership serving Northwest Colorado · University of Colorado Boulder / Natural Hazards Center · Williford, LLC. · La Plata County / Office of Emergency Management · Las Animas County / Office of Emergency Management · Moffat County / Office of Emergency Management ·