1. Climate Action by Flagstaff Students
Hello, my name is Larrea Cottingham and I am an AmeriCorps VISTA serving with the City of Flagstaff Sustainability Section in the Climate and Energy Program. I am part of the STEM VISTA program with is co-operated by Northern Arizona University and STEM City, an organization that provides STEM education opportunities for students and teachers across Flagstaff.
In the City Sustainability Section, I work in the Climate and Energy programs working to develop outreach and education programs. In Energy, I help manage the Home Energy Efficiency workshop series, and in Climate I have been assisting with community engagement for the cities Climate Plan. Additionally, I have added a new program- the Student Climate Action Challenge, which I will talk to you about today.
Larrea Cottingham, climate and energy VISTA
City of Flagstaff Sustainability Section

2. Flagstaff, Arizona Founded in 1882 Population 67,500
Elevation 7,000 ft.
Largest contiguous ponderosa
pine forest in the world
STEM City
Dark Sky City
Before getting into the Challenge, I’d like to give you a bit of context for our region and community. I’m here in Flagstaff, Arizona, at 7000ft and approximately 100 miles away from the Grand Canyon. We are surrounded by the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the world. In addition to access to this fantastic outdoor classroom, we also have incredible access to life zones from the Sonoran desert to alpine terrain above 12,000 ft.
Flagstaff was founded and is greatly advanced by science, technology, engineering and math and is the home to Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered and observations for redshift were made). Our forests and surrounding ecosystems have made NAU a leading institution in forestry and natural sciences. We’re home to W.L. Gore, and numerous science and environmental education organizations, and student robotics clubs.
Flagstaff is America’s first STEM Community, and was made the first International Darky Sky City.

3. Climate Projections
Because I’m here to talk to you about the Student Climate Action Challenge, I just wanted to give you a bit of background on the climate projections for Flagstaff and the Southwest. I apologize if this is review for some of you.
For the Southwest, and Flagstaff in particular, the main change that expect is changes to precipitation patterns.
We expect to have increased intensity storms, but with reduced frequency.
This may look like less snow and more rain.
This will lead to changes to snowpack, runoff and flooding regimes.
Drier forests will also likely lead to changes to our fire season.
One thing that’s important to note is that we are already seeing the effects of climate change.
The West has already seen longer and more intense wildfire seasons; The average temperatures in Arizona are already rising. (SNOW MAP)
So in many ways, there's not really a debate over whether or not the climate is changing. The question now is how can we as a city adapt to a changing climate, and make sound investments to protect both our assets and Flagstaff residents.
Changing precipitation patterns: intensified storms, reduced overall snowpack
Extreme runoff and increased risk of extreme flooding
Drier forests
Changing fire regime
Impacts: Economic, tourism, public health, infrastructure, services

4. 2017-2019 Flagstaff City Council Goals
Goal: Take meaningful climate change action.
Develop and implement a climate action plan.
Become a 100% renewable energy city as an organization and a community.
Achieve financial divestment from fossil fuels.
Sponsor and support state or federal legislative action that combats climate change.
Update energy code.
Climate Plan Open House Video
This is why City Council had made if one of their goals to take meaningful climate action. As a gov’t, we need to be involved in helping our community be less vulnerable and more resilient to climate change. This year, we are developing Flagstaff’s first-ever Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. This will be a community-wide climate plan with a strong public engagement process. We want this plan to be reflect the values and priorities of our community. Through this process, we want to make sure we’re not missing a crucial population, especially in the context of climate change- Flagstaff’s youth.

5. Student Climate Action Challenge
Project-based learning program for Flagstaff students, during which students will:
Plan and implement a meaningful climate-related project
Develop communication and leadership skills
Present their projects at the Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit. 
Climate Action Award
Website
As a City we have been involved in recycling and food waste education in partnership with Willow Bend Environmental Education Center in several elementary schools. However, this year we wanted to expand our student outreach to climate. As the generation who will have to live through the increasing impacts of climate change, it was important for us to engage students in climate action and celebrate existing climate work done by students.
In January, 2018 I launched the Student Climate Action Challenge. The Challenge is a project-based learning program for Flagstaff students, during which students will:
Plan and implement a meaningful climate-related project relating climate change in Flagstaff, northern Arizona or the Colorado Plateau, and that serves their school, community or the environment.
Develop communication and leadership skills
Present their projects at the Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit. 
As part of the Challenge, all student groups have the opportunity to, for lack of a better work, compete for the Climate Action Award. $1000, $500, $250.
To participate, you must form or be part of an Action Team. Action Teams can be formed as part of a class, a school-affiliated group (i.e. student council, environmental club, national honors society), a homeschool group, or as an independent group of motivated students working to become climate leaders. Action Teams can be new groups formed just for this Challenge, or a long-standing group of students who have been working on a variety of projects. During the spring of 2018, Action Teams will complete the challenge by planning and implementing a project related to climate change in Northern Arizona that benefits their school, community or the environment. Climate Action Teams will then present their project at the Flagstaff Youth Climate Summit (The Summit)
Review the website
Participant Guide
Toolkit

6. Participants 9-12 Action Teams 100 students
6-8 Middle School groups, 2 High School groups, 2 Elementary School groups
7-9 Schools
At this time there are 9-12 Action Teams signed up (or in the process of signing-up) for the Challenge. Each Action Team is comprised of 2-15 students. These groups include science classes, lunch clubs, established after-school groups, and newly formed groups for the Challenge.
Many of the projects include school gardens, improved recycling, and climate change/sustainability education.
Additionally, over 100 students at Northland Preparatory Academy used the Toolkit as part of a class project. Look at the student presentation.

7. Youth Climate Summit Content workshop Leadership workshop
Student presentations
Content workshop
Leadership workshop
Keynote Speaker
Climate Action Awards
Thank you Jen Kretser and the Wild Center!
Thank you Wild Center! Wanted to be a part of this larger network of students engaging in climate action.

8. Questions?
Questions?