About the Institute

Climate change is the key challenge of our time. Young people deserve an education that prepares them to meet this challenge—to live well, work together, and build a greener, more just world. 

Hosted by the Center for Climate Literacy at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Teaching Climate Justice with Young People’s Literatures and Media will bring together 25 K–12 teachers to explore how stories can empower young people to develop the skills, attitudes, values, and beliefs necessary to advance climate justice. From June 30–July 3, 2025, the Institute will be on Zoom. From July 14–25, the participants will convene in-person on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Campus. Together, participants will:

• Study climate justice theory and pedagogy.
• Read and discuss literature for young people.
• Engage with leading climate justice scholars, activists, authors, and educators.
• Develop open-access educational materials.
• Grow our community of climate justice educators.
• Receive a $2850 stipend (taxable as income) to offset the cost of travel and lodging + books and other materials.

This Institute is not meant to debate climate science, nor is it meant to be a primer on key terminology. Rather, this Institute will foster generative conversations about the role of literature in advancing climate justice and cultivating the values necessary to live well, together, on planet earth.  

Important Deadlines

• Application opens: December 13, 2024
• Application closes: March 5, 2025, 11:59 PM Pacific Time
• Selected applicants will be notified on April 2, 2025.
• Applicants must notify the Center of their acceptance by April 16, 2025.

To Apply

Please see the application instructions for more information.