Antioch students present climate-literacy workshops to school board

Fifteen student interns from Antioch High’s Earth Team presented Climate Literacy Workshops (CLIC) to the board on May 20, describing hands-on lessons used at elementary and middle schools and tools they used to illustrate local environmental disparities.

"We were able to find disparities between the two sides of Antioch using CalEnviroScreen," student Juan Rubio told the board, noting higher pollution indicators near Antioch High and industrial areas. Presenters said the workshops emphasize solution-focused climate literacy—teaching practical steps such as water and energy conservation and promoting resilient behaviors for extreme heat and poor-air-quality days.

Students and their adviser described materials and engagement strategies used in classrooms—visual slides, trivia with small prizes, simplified vocabulary for younger students and interactive stations—that led to lively questions from younger participants during school presentations. The board and superintendent praised the interns: "You all did a fantastic job," the board president said, and trustees encouraged the district to sustain curriculum connections and low-cost implementations such as refill stations.

The presentation highlighted connections between classroom learning and community health: students demonstrated how environmental data can be used to educate peers about air quality, wildfire smoke and local pollution sources, and recommended ways the board could support continued curriculum integration. Board members asked for follow-up on prior student asks that had not been implemented due to budgeting constraints and invited staff to connect students with district leaders so the pupils can see the outcomes of their work.

Ending: Trustees thanked the students and asked staff to keep climate literacy visible in curriculum planning; the board recognized the Earth Team’s outreach at a recent STEM event and encouraged low-cost, visible steps the district could pilot.