May 9, 2026 | MIT Sloan School of Management | Cambridge, Massachusetts

Earth on Us Showcases Youth Climate Action at MIT K–12 Climate Action & Education Conference

On May 9, 2026, Earth on Us participated in the MIT K–12 Climate Action & Education Conference, hosted by the MIT Climate Action Through Education (CATE) initiative at the MIT Sloan School of Management. The conference brought together educators, students, researchers, nonprofit leaders, and climate advocates from across the country to explore innovative approaches for integrating climate education into K–12 learning.

As part of the conference, Earth on Us hosted an outreach table, shared its youth-led environmental education programs, connected with educators and organizations, and participated in a full day of workshops and professional learning sessions focused on climate education.

Sharing Earth on Us with Educators and Climate Leaders

Throughout the day, the Earth on Us table welcomed conference participants interested in climate action, sustainability education, and youth engagement. Attendees learned about the organization’s mission of helping young people transform environmental awareness into everyday action through hands-on educational activities.

Visitors explored Earth on Us curriculum activities including:

• Bring My Water Bottle
• Recycle Right
• Turn Off Lights
• Take School Bus
• Grow My Garden

The conference provided an excellent opportunity to introduce Earth on Us to educators, nonprofit leaders, and community organizations working to expand climate education opportunities for students.

Several students expressed interest in joining the growing Earth on Us Student Board, while educators and community leaders signed up to learn more about future partnerships and curriculum opportunities.

Learning from Climate Education Innovators

In addition to hosting a table, Earth on Us participated in workshops and training sessions throughout the conference.

Topics included:

• Integrating climate education into mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies classrooms
• Using MIT CATE’s interdisciplinary climate curriculum
• Climate literacy and sustainability engagement
• The role of media literacy in addressing climate misinformation
• Climate policy and economics
• Community-based climate action projects
• Future climate scenario planning

One session highlighted how climate topics can be incorporated into traditional academic subjects, demonstrating that climate education is not limited to science classrooms. Examples included environmental literacy in language arts courses and sustainability-focused mathematics activities.

Another workshop explored the En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator, an interactive modeling tool that allows students and educators to evaluate the impacts of different climate policies and mitigation strategies on future global temperature outcomes.

Building New Partnerships

The conference also provided valuable networking opportunities.

Earth on Us connected with representatives from organizations including:

• MIT Climate Action Through Education (CATE)
• MIT Subject to Climate
• MIT Coastal Climate Change Toolkit
• Mass Audubon
• Blue Dot Living
• Cooler Communities
• School-based climate action clubs and student leaders

These conversations generated new partnership opportunities and expanded awareness of Earth on Us beyond Minnesota.

Several educators and community organizations signed up to receive updates and explore future collaboration opportunities. The event also helped strengthen connections with climate education leaders working to support K–12 students nationwide.

A Growing National Network

One of the most encouraging aspects of the conference was seeing the growing momentum behind climate education. Participants represented a wide range of backgrounds, from classroom teachers and school administrators to nonprofit organizations and student-led initiatives.

For Earth on Us, the conference reinforced an important lesson: meaningful climate action often begins with education, and young people have a critical role to play in creating change within their schools and communities.

The enthusiasm shown by students, educators, and climate advocates throughout the day demonstrated a shared commitment to preparing the next generation to address environmental challenges with knowledge, creativity, and action.

Looking Ahead

Earth on Us is grateful to the MIT CATE team for organizing such an inspiring event and for creating a space where educators, students, and organizations could learn from one another.

The connections made at the conference, along with the student and partner sign-ups received during the event, will help support future growth of the Earth on Us network and expand opportunities for youth-led environmental education.

As Earth on Us continues to develop new curriculum activities and partnerships, experiences like the MIT K–12 Climate Action & Education Conference serve as an important reminder that climate education is most effective when communities work together to empower young people to take action.

Thank you to MIT CATE, the conference organizers, workshop leaders, and everyone who stopped by the Earth on Us table. We look forward to continuing the conversation and building a more sustainable future together. 🌎💚