E-STEM curriculum implementation and teacher training will drive positive outcomes for thousands of public school students
A recent $250,000 grant from Salesforce will allow EcoRise, a K–12 education nonprofit that develops curricula, teacher training programs, and student microgrants related to E-STEM and sustainability topics, to expand its programming in the Northeastern United States, bringing classroom support to K–12 educators in Boston, MA; New York City, NY; and Washington, DC. This school year, the Salesforce investment in the innovative E-STEM programs of EcoRise will benefit 200 educators and 11,200 students in the Northeast.
Through this partnership with Salesforce, EcoRise will expand Northeast programming with a focus on empowering educators at schools with a large percentage of low-income students, advancing EcoRise and Salesforce’s commitment to equity. Students will learn about climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals, as they build eco-literacy in the areas of waste, water, energy, food, public spaces, air quality, and transportation. Over the course of the year, students will complete a sustainability design challenge, creating projects that have measurable impact on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability.
“EcoRise is thrilled to work with Salesforce, a company that walks the talk on sustainability and is steadfast in its commitment to helping students develop environmental literacy and valuable 21st-century skills that will empower them to build resilient communities of the future,” said Jon Stott, Executive Director of EcoRise.
Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, is committed to sustainability and developing the next generation of leaders. Salesforce supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through technology, grants, and community engagement. Salesforce harnesses a culture of innovation to drive positive social impact by serving the interests of all its stakeholders—including communities and the environment. This school year, the Salesforce investment in the innovative E-STEM programs of EcoRise will benefit 200 educators and 11,200 students in the Northeast.
“At Salesforce, we’re committed to ensuring students have the skills needed to succeed in the future,” said Ebony Beckwith, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Salesforce. “EcoRise is inspiring a new generation of leaders to design a sustainable future, and we’re proud to support their expansion of STEM classroom education.”
This project includes $35,000 for a Student Innovation Fund, which provides microgrants to students who investigate local environmental issues and devise real-world solutions to further sustainability at their schools and in their communities. These microgrants are a powerful tool that EcoRise harnesses to empower students as leaders, introducing them to career pathways and preparing them for overall success beyond their years in school. The project will include schools in Washington DC Public Schools, NYC Department of Education, and Boston Public Schools.
“The NYC Department of Education is grateful to Salesforce for their support and EcoRise for their partnership in support of meaningful ways for educators and students to engage in sustainability. With the largest public school system in the country and at a critical juncture for climate action, these opportunities are essential to build necessary momentum in sustainability education, leadership, and skill-building across adults and youth,” said Meredith McDermott, Director of Sustainability for the NYC Department of Education.
5th Graders researching hydroponics at C.W. Harris Elementary in Washington, DC.
EcoRise and Salesforce announced the grant award in advance of Climate Week 2019 in September. At the week-long, climate-focused event, EcoRise and Salesforce, along with the NYC Department of Education, hosted a teacher training for K–12 educators entitled “Climate Change in the Classroom: Climate Ed and Place-Based Solutions” at Salesforce Tower in New York City.
In a post-training survey, teacher Kerry Hynes of P.S. 176 said, “Thank you for a wonderful training. The EcoRise curriculum is accessible, engaging, and so purposeful. It honestly is one of the best tools that I have come across for teaching sustainability to students!”
K–12 Teachers in Boston, NYC, or DC who are interested in participating in the program can learn more and register here.
About Salesforce
Salesforce is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), bringing companies closer to their customers in the digital age. Founded in 1999, Salesforce enables companies of every size and industry to take advantage of powerful technologies—cloud, mobile, social, internet of things, artificial intelligence, voice, and blockchain—to create a 360° view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com.
