State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
EN-10: Community Partnerships

An ongoing partnership since 1999 between ESF and regional high schools that engages over 600 high school students and dozens of high school teachers per year in environmental and sustainability related learning. The program enables qualified students to: experience college-level course work while still in high school; understand the complex scientific and social perspectives behind the environmental issues such as the relationship between energy and the environment; and learn about and explore diverse interests and career opportunities in environmental science, engineering, management, policy and design.

The program is offered in over 30 high schools in and around Syracuse, NY, Onondaga County and surrounding counties. Students participating in the program represent a mix of urban, suburban and rural school districts. The program reaches a diversity underrepresented groups of various racial, ethnic and immigrant populations, and individuals from different religious groups and economic backgrounds.

ESF in the High School Teachers are qualified high school teachers who must earn an appointment as an ESF Adjunct Instructor. Teachers participate in mentoring and professional development relationships with ESF faculty and educational specialists, and with other ESF in the High School teachers. Participating teachers and students form learning communities through which they share information, teaching/learning experiences, and related ideas and materials. Each participating teacher receives: mentoring, course preparation, and consultation with College faculty and staff throughout the academic year, and professional Development opportunities specifically designed for ESF in the High School teachers.

Example courses offered include: EFB120 Global Environment, EFB190 Writing and the Environment, EFB 101 General Biology and Ecology and Lab, ESF122 Ecology of the Economic Process, FCH496 Introduction to Renewable Energy, and EFB498 Research Problems.

Program website:
http://www.esf.edu/outreach/esfhs/
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This conference is hosted by the SUNY ESF in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council New York Upstate Chapter and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (Syracuse CoE). The mission of this annual conference is to promote, educate and support green building design, construction and processes. Informed by an Advisory Counicl comprised of architects, engineers, interior designers, builders, faculty/researchers, and other green building practitioners, this conference offers content in high performance buildings, building science, green materials and resources, renewable energy, biomimicry and resiliency, indoor air quality, urban design, planning, & community development, energy code, and LEED v4, among others. This conference is currently in its 14th year.

-ESF Science Corps - For affiliated schools, the ESF Science Corps volunteers are science resources for teachers and students who are engaging in original inquiry. Science Corps members are “front line,” in-school role models and resources for students whose college and career plans are taking shape. Funded initially by a National Science Foundation grant, the ESF Science Corps is comprised of ESF undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. students, faculty and other volunteers. ESF Science Corps members integrate their research and professional experiences into classroom, lab and field experiences through in-school, on-campus and workplace presentations, discussions and demonstrations. ESF faculty and educational specialists serve as Science Corps facilitators and mentors.

-ESF Environmental Challenge: Science Fair and Career Exploration for 7th & 8th grade students-The Environmental Challenge is a science fair and career exploration opportunity designed especially for all Syracuse City School District seventh and eighth grade students. Environmental Challenge encourages: student projects that support and extend 7/8th grade science curriculum, student research, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking, students to begin exploring science and science-related careers and students to explore and understand the urban environment and its relationship to the global environment.

-ESF SCIENCE- ESF SCIENCE summer camp program achieves several of the targets outlined by the College's Vision 2020: A Better World Through Environmental Discovery and exposes Syracuse middle school students to science and environmental education. ESF
SCIENCE, situated in local green spaces such as Elmwood Park and the Onondaga Creek corridor, helps students be more aware of urban environmental issues and motivates them to become involved in determining the outcomes of environmental problem solving. In addition, students are involved in service learning projects that promote environmental stewardship, as students take pride in maintaining and improving the environment for their communities. Students learn in local green spaces that are relevant to their lives, a critical key for cultivating and sustaining interest in science during the middle school years and beyond. Our goal is to enrich student science learning using inquiry, experiential, and critical thinking approaches in the urban environment.

-Spring Environmental Summit: The Environmental Summit is a research symposium designed to bring together a community of high school aged scientists to present and discuss their original research to their peers, high school and college science faculty, graduate and undergraduate students.

It is likely that ESF, and in particular the The Center for Community Design Research (http://www.esf.edu/ccdr/) has several partnerships that fit the "transformative" criteria. Other potentially qualifying partnerships will be reviewed and reported on in future STARS submissions.