Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit 2023

Willow Bend Environmental Education Center and the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program would like to invite educators and your students to participate in the annual Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit. The Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit will take place at Fort Tuthill County Park on April 4th, 2023, from 9:00AM-2:00PM.

To participate in the summit, students must work on a team to complete one of three challenges:

the KidWind Challenge
the Solar Structure Challenge or
the Climate Action Challenge

It's FREE to participate with lots of support from us! Plus, your students can win fun prizes.

The Solar Structure Challenge allows students to explore the power of solar by building and their own object that is powered by the sun! Your team needs to build a solar powered thing; it can be a house, a ferris wheel, a phone charging tree, a machine, a car –it is up to your team! Your solar device will be evaluated on your thoughtful, creative, and resourceful design, the innovation and complexity of your circuitry, your reflections on the construction process and what you may have learned about solar power.

Learn more about the Solar Structure Challenge here.

The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program supports community climate action through the Climate Action Challenge, a project-based service-learning program for Flagstaff youth, during which they plan and implement a meaningful climate-related project, gain practice with community organizing, and develop leadership skills. The Climate Action Challenge is an ideal opportunity for youth to build capacity for climate action in their neighborhoods, schools, and communities.

Learn more about the Climate Action Challenge here.

Who Can Participate?

Any group of students in 4th-12th grade is eligible to enter a team in the KidWind, Solar Structure or Climate Action Challenges. Teams can include students from public and private schools, home schoolers, after school clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, etc. As long as you have an adult coach, you can participate! Each Team can have 2-5 students, and the team must have an adult mentor. The mentor will be responsible for registering the team for the competition and managing the team's progress. A teacher/group leader can mentor multiple teams (for example, if you have a whole class or club participating).

How will teams compete?

Teams will gather at the regional event to present their projects and compete with all other teams . If you aren't able to attend the Summit, we can schedule to visit your school to see your projects. You can also opt out of the school visit and independently submit your team's projects to KidWind's monthly Online Wind Challenge or Online Solar Challenge.

What is the timeframe of the challenges?

Testing and judging of projects will happen in the spring, but you can do a renewable energy unit at any time during the school year to complete your projects.

How to Get Started:

Fill out our interest form and we will get in touch with you.

Or if you are ready to register,click here!

KidWind Project Teacher Trainings

Are you an Arizona educator thinking about doing the AZ KidWind or Solar Structure Challenge with your classroom or club, but don't know where to start? KidWind Project has upcoming (virtual) Teacher Trainings. We often have scholarships available for these trainings.

Questions?

Check out the KidWind Challenge Rulebook or e-mail info@willowbendcenter.org with any questions.

What is the KidWind Challenge?

What is the Solar Structure Challenge?

What is the Climate Action Challenge?