National Aquarium

The National Aquarium will establish the Urban Climate Action Network for Youth, a national urban climate change youth corps. This project will leverage the specialized resources and expertise of the aquarium, the American Planning Association, the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition to form, train, and activate a network of youth from underserved neighborhoods in 8 cities nationwide. Mentor adults and scientists will provide guidance as the youth, organized into teams, collaborate with their peers to develop and implement climate change action plans within their local communities. Teams will travel to Baltimore for a week of experiential learning and interaction with leading climate scientists and communications experts at the National Aquarium. They will return to their communities to implement their action plans with support through regular Skype sessions and site visits by project staff. The project will result in an innovative model targeted to underserved populations that is adaptable and scalable for other urban-based aquariums and museums.