EcoRise
EcoRise Advances Environmental Resilience and Equity through Educator Training in Oklahoma
While class may be in session, some of the most valuable lessons for middle schoolers often take place beyond classroom walls. Connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences in their communities empowers students to see their potential and to drive meaningful change as problem-solvers, innovators, and future leaders.
A grant from All Points North Foundation will help EcoRise deepen its work with middle school teachers across central Oklahoma in sustainability-centered curriculum (in both English and Spanish), targeted professional development through Teacher Ambassadors, and year-round coaching and peer support. The project will strengthen teacher capacity in project-based environmental education while helping students experience meaningful hands-on learning with real-world relevance.
The grant supports EcoRise’s Environmental Education for a Resilient Oklahoma initiative, which has built strong momentum among teachers across seven counties spanning urban, suburban, and rural communities. The program addresses a timely need: middle school students across the state have few opportunities to engage with local environmental issues, while educators navigate teacher shortages, burnout, and limited access to professional development. This investment helps fill a critical resource gap and ensures the initiative continues reaching the students and communities that stand to benefit most.
Founded in 2008 in Texas, the EcoRise model recognizes that effective middle school education begins with well-supported educators and that youth can indeed mobilize change. The organization’s proven model has expanded to 13,000 educators and 740,000 youth in grades K-12 in sustainability projects with community impact. This transformative education also addresses eco-literacy; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills; and critical thinking and 21st-century skills. Educators praise the train-the-teacher model for energizing their teaching practices with research-based, standards-aligned instructional strategies and creating authentic project-based learning experiences for their students.
Central to this effort is EcoRise’s Ambassador Program, which invests in middle school educator leadership, professional growth, and peer support. EcoRise meets teachers where they are, providing the training and resources they need to foster agency and urgency among their students and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
For more information: www.ecorise.org
Photo credit: EcoRise
All Points North Foundation
All Points North Foundation provides grants for U.S.-based projects and initiatives that support our priorities: improving public middle school education and teacher training, and implementing effective solar programs and/or projects.
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