400+ middle schoolers attended S.F. Valley Future Green Leaders Summit

Ryan Vasquez, a 6th-grade science teacher at Sutter Middle School in Winnetka, makes climate change relatable for his students, most with roots in Central America and Mexico, by citing cultural experiences such as tortilla-making over open flames (rather than using clean electric ovens) that often place the health and wellbeing of women – mothers and abuelas – their families, and the planet, at risk. For many educators, like Vasquez, exposing students to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) careers is top of mind, and access to resources is key.

This is why, Vasquez’s students, along with more than 400 middle school students from low-income communities in the San Fernando Valley, attended a Future Green Leaders Summit STEAM career and resource fair at Discovery Cube, an interactive science-based museum located at 11800 Foothill Blvd. in Sylmar.

“This summit is about putting our students in the place of most potential to choose careers in the green energy economy,” said Emerald Cities Southern CA Curriculum Director, Francisco Parra Camacho, the summit’s lead and a former educator. “Many students are not aware of the opportunities that are available to them as we transition to a greener, more sustainable future. We want them to begin to envision a future in this growing field for themselves and their communities,” added Parra Camacho.

Held for the first time in the San Fernando Valley, the second annual event is presented by the County of Los Angeles through its Southern California Regional Energy Network’s (SoCalREN) Workforce Education & Training Sector. SoCalREN, which is administered by the County and funded by state utility ratepayers through the California Public Utilities Commission, focuses on energy efficiency and environmental awareness programs.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Future Green Leader Summit to Title I schools in the San Fernando Valley, serving disadvantaged students,” said Lujuana Medina, Division Manager, County of Los Angeles ISD Environmental Initiatives Division. “Our goal is to expose kids early, especially first-generation students and girls, to bright futures in these competitive fields so that they can pursue these pathways. We know that there is a high participation rate (34%) for girls in the ACES (architecture, construction, and engineering students) Pathway Program, but we often lose them in the early high school years. We want to help start and keep that momentum going,” added Medina.

During the interactive event, students will learned about clean energy resources that reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, and efforts to create a cleaner, greener, healthier planet. They also engaged in a rap-style “Energy Battle Royale” performance featuring dynamic energy superhero characters. The out-of-this-world show encourages critical thinking about energy technologies and raises environmental awareness.

Students also saw STEAM exhibits, resource fair booths hosted by government and industry partners, as well as a Shark Lab presented by Cal State University Long Beach and featuring shark biology, physiology, and tracking technology.Guest speakers include leaders in the energy field such as: Michael Owh, Director of the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department, Hon. Laura Friedman, Christos Chrysiliou, Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), and California State Assemblymember (D-44).

“We have a society where kids sit on the couch and binge-watch shows,” said Vasquez, the teacher from Sutter Middle School. “I want students to get up and see what’s out there by becoming immersed in hands-on activities that will provide critical thinking opportunities and a better understanding of the world,” he added.