OLIVEBRIDGE — From February 21 - 23, the Ashokan Center held its third annual Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit (YESS!) in Olivebridge, N.Y. Students from grades six through 12 assembled from the Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, New York City, Massachusetts and Connecticut for this immersive, three-day event. The theme this year was From Coalition to Action: How to Lead Change in Your Community.  

Students attended a series of informative presentations and workshops, and also engaged in enrichment activities including team building, musical performances and hiking. Speakers included Senator Michelle Hinchey and Tim Guinee of Climate Action Now and the Climate Reality Project, along with student empowerment and climate action groups such as Students for Climate Action and The Wild Center.  

Students worked together in teams to develop climate action plans that they presented to each other at the end of the summit. The summit helped them network, brainstorm, and develop valuable skills for coalition-building and presenting the changes they want to drive in their communities. Teachers and chaperones also had opportunities to network with each other and for professional development. Attendees left the summit with newfound connections, actionable pathways forward and a reinvigorated sense of hope for the future. Kelly Downs, Bennett Elementary School teacher, reflected, “Thank you for providing such an amazing opportunity. It was wonderful to see our young crew flourish throughout the presentations, conversations and fun.” 

12th grade student Ellery Spikes of the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force of NYC said, “It was in a sense life changing because you’re able to gather with so many passionate people, and people who are either just finding themselves in the movement or who can be mentors and have already been involved for decades.” In reflection of the climate action plan process and overall experience, sixth-grade Bennet Elementary School student Jacqueline Harlow shared, “I’m looking forward to not just us four (team members here) being able to continue the climate action plan, but our entire school working together as a community to make this happen.” Bennett classmate Henrietta Phillips added, “It’s going to be really fun to put this climate action plan into action… It’s a very fun experience, it might seem very difficult at times, but the information they shared with us, it kind of feels like there is hope, and seeing all those people in there so devoted to stopping climate change, it just brings a lot of hope.”

Caroline Bailey, Ashokan staff member and organizer of the event said, “We are so proud of all the summit attendees and the important work they have done at the Ashokan Center during their time at the summit. They have made valuable connections and had unique experiences that will last a lifetime.  It will be exciting to see how these inspired students carry this work forward as environmental stewards, change agents in their communities and beacons of hope.”