The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition has some exciting news for teachers (and students!). We are joining others across the country as a supporting organization of Subject to Climate to help build compost and food waste reduction activities into an accessible new, online hub for Illinois. You can view a recording of the hub launch from Oct 22nd HERE.
The Illinois Climate Education Hub is a resource for K-12 teachers, to assist them in complying with Public Act 103-0837. That legislation provides that, “Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public school shall provide instruction on climate change, which shall include, but not be limited to, identifying the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities and evaluating solutions for addressing and mitigating the impact of climate change and shall be in alignment with State learning standards, as appropriate. The State Board of Education shall, subject to appropriation, prepare and make available multi-disciplinary instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used to meet the requirements of this subsection.”
The hub provides free, educator-vetted teaching resources, professional development opportunities, lesson plan examples, and relevant news articles for students. All resources on the hub can be used for educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider. See this informational one-pager for educators HERE.
The Founding Organizations:
- Climate Education for Illinois (CE4IL)
- Environmental Education Association of Illinois (EEAI)
- Seven Generations Ahead (SGA)
- It’s Our Future (SGA)
Mission: To empower all educators to easily and effectively teach about climate change, justice, and action.
Vision: A future where every child learns about climate change and becomes a steward of our planet.
The Hub Includes:
- Lesson plans
- All subject areas
- Professional development
- News articles
- Teacher guides
- Climate Change Explainers
Illinois State Lead: Katie Nahrwold
The Illinois Climate Education Hub’s state lead is Katie Nahrwold. Katie is a licensed kindergarten through 9th grade educator who has taught in a variety of settings from public schools to non-profit organizations.
Her passion for environmental education extends into local community groups as the founder of Go Green Illinois Schools, Go Green Kenilworth, co-founder of North Shore Green Women and chair of her church’s green team.
She has also worked as a school sustainability director and school outdoor classroom garden coordinator during which she achieved the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School District Sustainability Award for her school in 2020.
She is also passionate about the benefits of nature to one’s mental health and has worked as a Mental Health First Aid instructor in schools and communities supporting teens and adults.
What IFSCC Members Say About the Hub:
I’m thrilled about the launch of the Illinois Climate Education Hub and proud to have contributed to its development. Its mission to equip educators and communities with the knowledge and tools to address climate change is both timely and essential. The Hub serves as an integral connector linking teachers, students, and organizations to reliable, science-based resources that fosters learning across Illinois. I’m most excited that the Hub provides the opportunity to inspire meaningful climate action toward a more sustainable future!
~Theresa Greinig, Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County
You can help ensure all Illinois students benefit from strong climate education by:
- Signing up for the newsletter
- Sharing the Hub with teachers and schools in your community
- Donating to expand access and reach
- Connecting with IL State Lead, Katie Nahrwold, katie.nahrwold@subjecttoclimate.org
Resources:
- If you have resources to share with the hub, click HERE
- Please also send the resource to IFSCC in an email to admin@illinoiscomposts.org
- More Inside Climate News HERE