Boston Beyond

The following 26 companies and government agencies will have over 30 representatives at tomorrow’s BYEN Environmental Career Symposium at MIT:

Join more than 60 Boston area high schools at the sixth annual BLS Youth CAN Sustainability Summit this Saturday at MIT in partnership with the Technology & Culture Forum at MIT, Boston Youth Environmental Network and Boston Collaborative for Food & Fitness.

Over 300 students are expected to attend this unique event where today’s youth will be gaining critical knowledge and exposure to the serious threats facing the environment today, learning steps they can take to become better environmental stewards and hearing about the burgeoning growth in green job opportunities.

Since founding the first Youth CAN group in 2007, BLS Youth CAN students have created a teen network that’s grown into 20 groups across our state. They launched an education campaign to incorporate sustainability lessons across subjects for grades 7-12 and organized teacher trainings culminating in the development of curriculum now in use at our school. With a local architect, BLS Youth CAN students designed plans for a state-of-the-art shared green roof where schools will come learn about sustainability.  BLS Youth CAN planted a culinary garden and launched a farm to school program at BLS.  The grassroots success stories go on.

This year’s theme, “Youth-Led Initiatives for Sustainability,” will include workshops on urban agriculture, environmental justice; Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness teaching youth how to advocate for healthy food choices; The Beehive Design Collaborative on collaborative graphic design for movement building; environmental racism; and artist Heather Ackroyd (www.ackroydandharvey.com/) will discuss public art and sustainability.

The highlight of the Sustainability Summit will be the Environmental Career Exploration Symposium.We’ve partnered with the Boston Youth Environmental Network to bring 30 environmental professionals in the fields of Clean Energy/Clean Tech, Natural Resource Conservation, and Community Action to the Summit.

The green professionals will lead afternoon workshop sessions and meet face-to-face with high school students and young adults to share information about their occupations, and the basic skills and requirements necessary for a green career.

“If we can plant the seeds of environmental stewardship early on, our youth will have the skills, the passion and the knowledge to guide our planet safely and sustainably in the decades to come. The Sustainability Summit is one step toward empowering our youth to lead us to a sustainable future,” said Dawn Chávez, network director with Boston Youth Environmental Network.

“The Summit is hosted by students whose initiatives are impacting thousands. Please help us inform the Commonwealth about this important educational opportunity for networking, youth leadership and increasing awareness about sustainability, and further their mission to promote sustainability in Massachusetts!”

The summit is free and includes free breakfast and lunch.

WHAT: 6^th Annual Youth Climate Action Network (CAN) Summit on Youth-Led Activism for Sustainability

WHEN: 9:30 a.m-3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12, 2012

WHERE: MIT Stata Center, 32 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA

WHO: Madison Park High School, Boston Green Academy, Missionsafe, Tobin School, Boston Latin School, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness; The Food Project, Boston Latin Academy, Sub Urban Justice

COST: Free!

REGISTER: Sign up online at www.blsyouthcan.org.