Public Achievement is a new program happening across the United States. It's a youth civic engagement initiative focused on the most basic concepts of citizenship, democracy and public work. Public Achievement (P.A) draws on the talents and desires of ordinary people to build a better world and to create a different kind of politics. For my research I piloted a new P.A program involving the focus of Native American high school students and addressing the issues of climate change. This is the first time P.A has focused on a specific issue and ethnic group. My question is whether the P.A concept could be successfully implemented in addressing climate change while using cultural values. The methods that was used in this endeavor involved P.A curriculum such as free writes, guess speakers, talking circles, activities, and story to help the Native American students to come up with a main project that they thought of would be a great way to contribute to mitigating the issue of climate change.
Results/Conclusions
In conclusion, the Public Achievement program was successful in bringing the Native American Students to come to formulate a project in which they feel would play a part in mitigating the issue of climate change. The project the students built from the ground up was composting and gardening on their campus. They felt that they wasted so much food and resources in their cafeteria that they wanted to grow their own food and also use the leftovers to compost in their garden. They want to also plant the traditional foods of their tribes. This project entails the Native American students to unite as a community to take care of this garden and as a result remove themselves from using finite resources that pollute the planet. This may be a small project, but to them this is only the beginning. Therefore, Public Achievement instilled this idea that the students had the power to be the change they want to see. The amazing thing is the change they want to see is a healthier planet.