San Franciso Mayor and School Superintendent Launch Environmental Service-Learning Program for Students

Challenge Newsline #3, October 7, 2008 - Recently, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Superintendent Carlos Garcia launched the Environmental Service Learning Initiative (ESLI) in San Francisco’s schools. ESLI will encourage students to become engaged in environmental justice issues. Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience and teach civic responsibility.

"When people talk about ‘Going Green’ that’s just a throw-away line," said Mayor Gavin Newsom. "If we want to really see meaningful results, we have to educate our students in environmental stewardship so they understand the consequences of inaction and the benefits of conservation. That’s how you change the dialogue across the country and cultivate our future environmental leaders."

"It is imperative that we teach our students to be environmentally responsible," said Superintendent Garcia. "We will model this ourselves, by increasing the environmental sustainability of our entire district. At the same time, we will be giving students the opportunity to experience firsthand being stewards of their environment through service learning."

Read the full news release