By: Hadley Dermott
Photo taken at this year’s climate summit with the council members and Mayor McLean.
On March 14th, at the JUMP meeting center, over 120 students gathered, eager to make a difference in the climate of their city at the 2024 Youth Climate Summit. A council of student members called the Youth Climate Action Council had been preparing for this event since August and had put together one main speaker as well as three breakout speakers, giving the students a plethora of options to engage in this event.
The Summit consists of a variety of speakers and activities designed to educate high school students on how they can take effective climate action in our community. The goal was first, to educate with the designated speakers on a topic the student found interesting, then follow up with their school to make a school climate action plan with the information they had learned. The students at YCAC had constructed the activities with themselves in mind, trying to think of creative ways to engage students that would be interesting to themselves as well. YCAC was created by the mayor with the intention of having youth create proactive solutions with the belief that they are the future for climate action. With the experience developed planning these events and interacting with organizations passionate about their goals, the students on this council develop their life experiences and passions.
This year’s Summit theme was Climate Detectives: Finding Solutions in Education, Equity and Tech. The council had been interested in changing the typical route of how climate change is negatively portrayed to something hopeful that can be improved. YCAC had liked the idea of shifting perspectives from development and tech being harmful, to something youth can utilize positively as an asset instead.
The primary speaker, Charitie Roapti, was chosen because of her strength in all three of these primary focuses. As a speaker who had spoken for the Malala Fund and the United Nations, they were thrilled to have her speaking at this event with her diversity of experiences. Roapti also represents the Samoan community, is a Yup’ik educator, as well as a student at Columbia University. Her strengths were exhibited as she spoke on the experiences that built her resilience and how she became so passionate about our environment while educating us on the changes we can make right here in Boise.
YCAC was honored to have her speak at this event, and show that she truly is passionate about all communities whether they’re her hometown or all the way across the nation. Her activism is what YCAC hopes to inspire others and for many was the main motivator to join originally.
One YCAC member, Ava Porter, was involved in the education breakout room, and is involved in many climate activism groups, the Sunset movement being one of them. In her breakout room, she assisted in the presentation and was passionate about making her individual difference in the world. She later reported that she joined the Climate Council to “make positive change” and “share [her] passion with other people.” Ava continues to display this as she fights for her community and makes a difference in the areas she’s passionate about, embodying the purpose of YCAC.
All of the members of YCAC continue to show why youth organizations like these are such a vital element to our city as they empower youth to take control of their fate and, in turn, power is put into their hands as well. Ava Ellis, another YCAC member, says that her favorite part of this year’s Summit was “watch[ing] everyone learn” and “inspiring the youth of Boise.” The mayor created YCAC to motivate students of all ages to involve themselves in areas that they’re passionate about, and YCAC’s council members continue to do this and encourage others to do the same.
The future of our communities lies in youths’ hands and with each passing day, we have opportunities to make a difference. The Youth Climate Action Council aspires to motivate students and their peers each day, and hope that they feel emboldened to make a difference in any areas that they are passionate about is exactly what YCAC is all about. Boise is already making progress in the creation of this council and with each new year, new perspectives are involved, giving a range of ideas and solutions to continue evolving and improving Boise.
If you are interested in signing up for 2024-2025’s Youth Climate Action Council, please go to https://www.cityofboise.org/programs/climate-action/ycaf/ . Applications open June 2024! We look forward to seeing you on next year’s council!
The Bishop Kelly Newspaper 