Get Ready!

Hi Eco-Leaders! Welcome to your Guidebook!

Congratulations on doing your part to help solve the climate crisis! We are thrilled to have you join us for our RISE Climate Solutions Campaign! During the campaign, you or your team will work closely with a Grades of Green Advisor to develop and implement an environmental project to address a climate crisis problem in your community. It may sound unbelievable that your campaign will help solve the climate crisis, but we’re here to tell you that you can make a BIG difference!

The most exciting part about the Climate Solution Campaign, other than ensuring a greener world? You have the chance to win up to $1,000 in Eco-Grants! Be sure to read all the information below to learn what it takes to win.

What’s the Guidebook?

This website! This is your online resource to guide you through the Campaign & it’s where you’ll answer questions to tell us all about your project!

The Campaign Path: Your Step-by-Step Guide

An Overview of the Campaign Process

Who’s Who

Eco-Leader/Student-Leader

That’s you!

Team Facilitator

An adult volunteer who serves as a contact for a student team such as a teacher or parent.

Grades of Green Advisor

A Grades of Green staff member who provides expert and specialized advice to your team on planning and executing your project. They’re here to help you win!


Getting to Know You and Your Team

Let’s get started!  

You can work on your own or with a team. If you want to start a team or want more members for your team, check out these helpful worksheets: Recruiting a Team and Picking Leadership Roles.

Once your team is set, the following two forms must be completed before you can start changing your community for the greener!

  1. Each student member of the team will need to have a parent or guardian complete the Consent & Permission Form to participate in Grades of Green’s Climate Campaign.
  2. Each team must complete the “About Our Team” Form as a team (only one submission per team)! Your Team Facilitator can help you complete this form.

How it Works and What You’ll Do

It’s simple! You’ll go through the webpages of the Guidebook to learn about the climate crisis and how to take action. As you progress, the Guidebook will help you plan out your project. Your Advisor will help you along the way as you put your plan into action! The Guidebook will ask you questions about what you learned and about how your project is going. Remember: this is a contest! By participating and filling out those questions, you’ll earn points. At the end of the campaign, our judges will use your answers and your points to determine who wins our Eco-Grants!

Click here to see how the points are scored!

The Phases and Their Check Lists

The campaign is broken out into four Phases and each has a Checklist to keep you on track. Below, we’ve organized each Phase’s Checklist so you can click and see what to expect. The tasks with a ✅ are required and will earn points. The optional tasks will make your project better and can earn you bonus points, so make sure to complete as many as possible!

Get Ready

  • Each team member’s parent or guardian fills out the Consent & Permission Form.
  • Team Planning
    • Form a team or chose to work alone. You can use the Recruiting a Team worksheet to help build your team.
    • Schedule a meeting day, time, and location (virtual is fine).
    • Set team communication method and how you’ll communicate with your Advisor. 
    • Brainstorm Leadership Roles.
  • Submit About Our Team Form – one submission per team.
  • Meet with Advisor and set your campaign meetings and timeline.
  • Attend “Welcome Webinar” on September 30th or watch a video recording. Live attendance is encouraged.

Phase 1 – Learn

  • Watch the Climate Crisis Recap video (Earn a Bonus Point)
  • ✅ Learn about the climate crisis through the 5 topics explores!
    • Waste, Food, Plants & Animals, Water, and Energy & Transportation.  
  • ✅ Decide which topic to focus on for your project! Complete the “Phase 1.1 Form Questions.”
  • ✅ Learn about Environmental Justice. Complete the “Phase 1.2 Form Questions.”
  • ✅ Pick Your Project and Set Your Goal! Complete the “Phase 1.3 Form Questions” and complete the Phase 1 Form.
  • Check in with your Advisor. 

 

Phase 2 – Plan

  • ✅ Pick your Campaign Type and Target Audiences! Complete the “Phase 2.1 Form Questions.”
  • ✅ Develop Key Messages for your Campaign! Complete the “Phase 2.2 Form Questions.”
  • ✅ Spread the Word! Complete the “Phase 2.3 Form Questions.”
  • ✅ Create your Task List! Complete the “Phase 2.3 Form Questions” and submit your Phase 2 Form.
  • Check in with your Advisor. 

Phase 3 – Take Action

  • ✅ Participate in Mid-Campaign webinar. 
  • ✅ Implement your task list including your communication strategies.
  • ✅ Document your work using the resources in Phase 3.1.
  • ✅ Measure Your Impact! Complete the “Phase 3.2 Form Questions” and submit the Phase 3 Form.
  • Check-in with Advisor.

Phase 4 – Celebrate Your Success

  • ✅ Submit a project summary and all materials you have created for your outreach in your “Phase 4 Question worksheet.”
  • ✅ Complete and submit the Phase 4 Form.
  • Check in with Advisor.

Before starting Phase 1, please ensure that every student’s parent or guardian fills out the Consent & Permission Form. Once you’ve formed a team, also make sure that your team submits one About Our Team Form


Welcome Webinar

NEXT STEP: Begin Phase 1.1 – Picking Your Topic

Looking for Another Page? Head over to the Campaign’s Table of Contents.