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8 CHILDART CHANGING ENVIRONMENT WHAT YOU CAN LEARN JUL-SEP 2021 9
youth REASONS TO BE INVOLVED SOPHIE:

SOPHIE:
voices I’VE GROWN UP APPRECIATING AND LEARNING FROM THE I’VE LEARNED THAT ADULTS REALLY DO CARE ABOUT WHAT

MY GENERATION HAS TO SAY, AND THEY WANT US TO BE PART
WORLD AROUND ME, AND I WANT TO DO MY PART TO PROTECT
THE PLACES THAT I’VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE. OF THE SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS. WHILE THERE IS
NO ONE BIG SOLUTION, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US ALL TO DO
PERSPECTIVES FR OM OUR PART, WHATEVER THAT MAY LOOK LIKE. I’VE LEARNED

MORE ABOUT THE POWER OF CONNECTIVITY AND COMMUNITY,
KENNEB UNKPOR T CLIMA TE INITIA TIVE Y OUTH AMB ASSADORS
AND THAT OPEN DISCUSSIONS CAN LEAD TO POWERFUL
CONVERSATIONS AND SOLUTIONS.
Sophie and Amelie are KCI Youth

Ambassadors. They are both high school AMELIE: AMELIE:
I’VE LEARNED THAT I REALLY DO HAVE A PASSION FOR WORKING
WORKING ON CLIMATE CHANGE LETS ME BRING TOGETHER
students. Although they live more than MY PASSION FOR PROBLEM SOLVING AND MY PASSION FOR ON CLIMATE CHANGE. FOR YOUTH, THE TOPIC OF CLIMATE

CHANGE CAN GET VERY POLITICAL, BUT I DON’T THINK IT
HUMANITARIAN CAUSES.
2,000 miles apart, they are working on a SHOULD BE THAT WAY. WHEN IT GETS TOO POLITICAL, SOME
common goal—combating climate change. PEOPLE ARE HESITANT TO GET INVOLVED. IF YOU LOVE THE
MISSION OF YOUR ORGANIZATION, YOU WANT TO STAY. IF WE
Perhaps you have considered joining an CAN COLLABORATE—ALL AGES AND ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE —
WE’RE GOING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
environmental club or organization at

your school, or maybe even a starting PROGRESS AND PLANS ADVICE FOR OTHER YOUTH

a local KCI chapter. Sophie and Amelie SOPHIE: SOPHIE:

GET INVOLVED AND DON’T BE AFRAID TO USE YOUR VOICE.
I’VE SEEN KCI GROW AND I’VE WATCHED THEM GET CLOSER
share insight and advice on their TO ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS. KIDS DON’T OFTEN GET TO SEE YOUR PASSIONS, TALENTS, VOICE, AND ACTIONS DO HAVE THE
involvement in this important work. WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND KCI HAS ALLOWED US POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY
TO BE PART OF THAT PROCESS. KCI HAS HELPED ME DISCOVER
INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES; YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT KIND
DIFFERENT AREAS OF INTEREST, LIKE THE INTERSECTION OF OF DOORS IT COULD OPEN.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, FOOD SUSTAINABILITY,
MEET SOPHIIE MEET AMELIE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY. I’M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THESE
INTERESTS TAKE ME.

AMELIE: AMELIE:
KCI BEGAN AS A SMALL ORGANIZATION IN MAINE AND I’VE KEEP LEARNING! IF YOU ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT
WATCHED IT GROW. I STARTED A KCI CLUB AT MY HIGH THE ISSUES, YOU CAN IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND SPEAK UP
SCHOOL IN BOULDER, COLORADO. KCI NOW HAS REGIONAL ABOUT THEM. ATTEND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, USE THE KCI
COORDINATORS WHO ARE BUILDING OUT PROGRAMS FOR LEARNING LABS, AND TAKE SMALL STEPS LIKE COMPOSTING
STUDENTS AND YOUTH, OFFERING SO MANY WAYS TO LEARN OR USING REUSABLE BAGS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC BAGS. I DON’T

AND BE INVOLVED. I’D LOVE TO WORK WITH LOBBYING IN CONSIDER MYSELF AN ACTIVIST AT ALL—I’M JUST SOMEBODY
THE FUTURE. I WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE ISSUES, KEEP WHO CARES ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND I’M JUST DOING MY
LEARNING NEW THINGS, AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES ME. PART. THAT’S WHO I AM.
ARTWORK MARIA FERNANDA AGE 16 USA https://icaf.org