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Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability

STUDENT VOICE IS ESSENTIAL for creating healthy and just communities. Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability brings that voice to the forefront. We think of it as a partnership between teachers and students. The students bring the creativity, curiosity and ambition, while teachers act as facilitators and amplifiers of student voice.

The goal of CPS is to connect the promising efforts of Act 77 – personalized learning, flexible pathways to graduation – to that of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. School teams will link what is going on inside their classrooms to larger efforts underway, toward making a positive difference in the world.

This statewide effort will connect educators and students through a range of sustainability projects designed to empower them to become actively involved in their school and communities.

What is the purpose of CPS?

The purpose of CPS is to provide middle and high school communities with structured opportunities to:
  • Envision a socially and economically just and sustainable society by cultivating authentic youth-adult partnerships.
  • Increase student empathy, independence, perseverance, responsibility, and engagement through project-based learning.
  • Teach specific skills for leadership, facilitation, and teamwork.
  • Celebrate individuality and develop knowledge of equitable practices.
  • Enrich current pedagogical practices with more strategies for student-centered decision-making.

How does CPS work?

Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability will engage educators and student teams in learning beyond the conventional school hours and walls. We welcome school teams of 6-10 students and 1-3 adults to register and begin a year-long journey with us. School teams will work with resource experts to develop and implement student-driven projects using the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) model. Once underway, they will share progress, questions and inspiration via a virtual and in-person learning community.

CPS in Action: Kopila Valley School – Surkhet, Nepal

Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability Flyer

For questions about the registration please contact Katie Ingraham. [email protected]

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