San Jose, CA -  The greenest thumbs are found in classrooms and school sites throughout Santa Clara County. From blooming flowers to bountiful harvests, students experience an education that includes environmental sustainability, stewardship, and vocational training from the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE). 

This work is possible with support from state resources, such as the California Climate Action Corps, a program through California Volunteers. Since the summer of 2022, nine climate fellows have supported the SCCOE’s prioritization of environmental literacy and sustainability. 

“We’ve brought the fellows in primarily to help with the greening of our campuses, which is part of our school gardens work,” said Jennifer Mutch, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator in the SCCOE’s Integrated STEAM Department. She added that most of their work takes place at SCCOE school sites – community schools and special education campuses.

The fellows are recent college graduates supporting climate resilience projects, promoting sustainability education, and inspiring students to become active participants in environmental change. And it’s working. Students are learning about ecosystem ecology, biodiversity and conservation, food webs and environmental pollution, cultural history and food shortages, watersheds, and more. 

“They’ve been instrumental in helping with projects on 13 sites,” said Mutch. 

“We work on all kinds of projects,” said Deidre Debski, a climate fellow at the SCCOE. “I really like working with them doing hands-on activities as that is when they [students] shine the most and their participation is most palpable. My favorite part, however, is when they come up to me outside of class to talk about something they have learned in the past, ask a question about something on the agenda in the future or just plain ask when is the next time we are working in the garden.”  

One of the projects Debski worked on with students is still the talk of the classroom. One student commented that their favorite project was working on a birdhouse, which now houses a hummingbird. 

Students from the Sunol Community School are learned about aquaponics and hydroponics and accessing local outdoor spaces, such as urban gardens.  Excursions to local community gardens taught students how to harvest fresh produce and the business side of farmers' markets.

“[These excursions] change their perspective on our food systems,” said Ashima Sharma, a climate fellow who has spent more than a year with the SCCOE. 

They’ve also spent time amongst the redwoods at Walden West, bringing them closer to nature and providing them with a time to decompress. Sunol students also lend support to their peers at the Hester School. 

The gardening program at the Hester School in San Jose has expanded in collaboration with the Environmental Education Program Manager, Annie Wulczynski. 

“The climate fellows have brought incredible energy and vision to the SCCOE special education department—deepening our students’ and staff’s love for the Earth, helping us grow our garden spaces and nursery in more environmentally friendly ways, and building meaningful volunteer events that foster community and sustainability,” said Wulczynski. 

Students attending Hester start the seedlings for the flower farm either through class participation or the workability program. They observe the seedling growth, learning about the life cycle of plants. 

“The exciting part of that is that students at Hester will gain vocational skills by cutting flowers and building bouquets,” said Sharma. “They’re already starting that process. Some of the flowers will be sent to some of the 13 sites to fully grow.” 

Sharma and other fellows are working to make the flower farm accessible to Hester students, who have varying degrees of mobility. The flower bouquets were purchased by SCCOE employees at a spring craft fair, organized by the SCCOE’s special education department. 

“With our special education students, this is a mental and physical outlet for them,” said Sharma. She added that students enjoy getting their hands in the dirt and watering their seedlings. 

In addition to working with students, climate fellows help strengthen the SCCOE’s community connection, according to Mutch. They help organize materials and resources for the Youth Climate Initiative, a cohort of community partnerships with the Santa Clara County Office of Sustainability and Resilience. Fellows also participate in the Environmental Literacy Summit, a space for youth and educators to learn about green career pathways, school gardens for health and education, and how to advocate in the community. 

When young people get their hands in the soil, they connect with the earth—and with each other. Thanks to the California Climate Action Corps and SCCOE’s vision, these students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re living it, one seed at a time.