Earth Force, Inc.

Earth Force has been instrumental in creating an environment for service learning for children through various programs across the United States. Students study the concept of what makes a community and how to assist communities in their needs. They explore their local area, connect to various constituencies, and identify several projects that seem essential to the health and welfare of their community. As a group, these children, with the help of the Earth Force process, democratically decide what project is the most necessary. At this juncture they become educated on the issue, why it is an issue, and the reason there is such a need in this area. After looking at the issue, they explore various ways of mitigating the problem and put together data that explains what needs to be done and how this can be accomplished. The outcomes have been profoundly wonderful: (1) one group found there were higher amounts of lead in the drinking water of a community with the highest amounts in the poorer areas. They came up with a solution that pleased their local city council and mayor and helped eliminate in part, the issue. (2) A group of teachers who went through this process so they in turn could do this in their classrooms found five projects for energy savings at a U.S. Forest facility, Land Between the Lakes - Brandon Spring in TN/KY. The outcome was they had made recommendations to install LED lighting in one large building, the costs of which would be amortized in the first year; savings of 92,000 gallons of water by the replacement of top load washers to front loaders - as well as energy for pumping the water from the well, hot water, etc.; a new energy efficient stove that has saved on air conditioning and energy lost in the industrial kitchen since the old Viking stove took half of a day to melt butter. Earth Force bridges the gap between learning and service, between purposeful problem solving and Core Content, between school and community, between parents and students. Their work also has been successful in motivating children to contribute to their communities and to become engaged in working hard to be the "best that they can be." Undoubtedly Earth Force, their staff, their programs are indicators of a passionate approach to making education purposeful not only for children, but in the context of community. I have seen their work first-handed, and the outcomes with children and adults have been profoundly exceptional and successful.

Earth Force commitments to helping young people understand and appreciate our watershed is invaluable. Earth Force clearly recognize that laying a foundation for well informed natural resource leaders of the future we have to work as partners with the youth in our community today. Earth Force is a model organization in youth engagement!

I am a 6th grade Science teacher in Arlington, VA. Earth Force has made me a stronger steward of my environment, and thereby has made my students better environmental stewards. Earth Force has provided me the tools and the motivation to get 6th grade students eager to participate in an environmental real-life project. Earth Force has helped my students participate in stream clean-ups, micro-invertebrate study at the Four Mile Run near my school, and water chemistry analysis.

The Caring for our Watershed contest is a wonderful opportunity to ignite my students' passion, curiosity and eagerness to think of solutions to help protect our watersheds. Earth Force has enabled my students to develop skills that will help them become life-long learners and advocates for the environment.

I am grateful that this wonderful organization is available to share their knowledge and their resources with students and our community.

I am a 6th Grade Science teacher at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, VA. Our Science students participate in a program with a community group called Earth Force that ties in with our state curriculum. Earth Force encourages students to evaluate the water quality in their local stream and create a Civic Action Project to help improve the overall health of the stream.

Every fall, my students take a trip to the Four Mile Run, the stream closest to our school. We work closely with Kurt Moser, Earth Force Director, to sample, test, and analyze water quality from the stream. We usually find that there are high amounts of Fecal Caliform Bacteria (F.C.B.) in the water. F.C.B. includes e Coli and is dangerous to human health. Kurt works with students and teachers to research causes of F.C.B. and current policies and practices relating to water quality.

After analyzing the data, students work in groups and create a Civic Action Project. Each project is designed to improve water quality in our local stream. The projects change each year because the students have different interests and strengths. Our students have built rain gardens, made formal presentations to the School and County Boards, taught younger students about what causes pollution in our streams, and have even created raps and videos that teach the importance of water quality.

We are so fortunate to work with Earth Force! We hope to continue this partnership for years to come.

Victoria Keish
6th Grade Science Teacher
Kenmore Middle School
Arlington, VA

Led by a group of creative innovators, Earth Force has supported students at George Washington Middle School (GWMS) located in Alexandria, VA in becoming active eco-citizens. My involvement with Earth Force began six years ago when I attended a training on using the Earth Force curriculum. Since first learning about the programs offered by Earth Force I have received consistent and positive support in implementing the programs that allow our students to solve real world problems in their community. The dedication of this non-profit has led to an improved community and an engaged youth that understand how to make positive change.

Earth Force has given our students the opportunities to showcase what they can do to make a difference and allows them to earn funds through the Caring for our Watershed Grant Competition. The past several years, our students at GWMS have earned nearly $4,000 toward making ecological improvement to their watershed. The student-led approach to the curriculum allows students to find and use their youth voice in a positive way. Additionally, partnerships that Earth Force maintains, allows our students to reach a global audience.

It is with their support and the teaching style I now use based on the Earth Force curriculum that I received the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators in 2013 from the White House Council on Environment Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The essential elements that Earth Force provides allows students to become actively involved in solving environmental issues. They provide grant funding through the Caring for our Watershed Competition, designing curriculum geared to teaching students to solve global issues, and showcasing student work to a global audience. With the tools that Earth Force supplies, teachers are equipped to actively engage students in finding innovative solutions to improve their watershed.

As a participant in the Earth Force program for over 16 years, I can say with great confidence that Earth Force's Caring for Our Watershed program inspire students to take responsibility for their environment. My sixth graders learn that their opinions matter and that there are wonderful people who will assist them in their goal to solve a problem within their watershed.
Throughout the process, from identifying the problem to researching solutions and actually carrying out the solution, Earth Force supports the teachers and students. It may be through providing supplies and assistance when water testing or coming and listening to students verbalize their concerns and brainstorm ideas for solutions. Volunteers from the students area of interest come and help students' ideas become a concrete plan. The financial support makes it a reality.
My students are now stewards of their watershed because of Earth Force.

Earth Force is a wonderful organization that supports a great cause for the nation's most impressionable demographic - our youth. The organizational leaders and the individuals who support it through employment, board service, donations, and messaging merit high praise and appreciation. To develop an educational framework that promotes sustainability, accountability, and social/environmental responsibility is so impressive. The Earth Force process works and the message resonates. The next step is to expand the message and get more people involved through increased funding. Easy enough...

How do you spark interest in students and volunteers that lasts and makes them want to learn more, do more, help more, and become more engaged as citizens? Put simply, Earth Force.

Over the last decade, Earth Force has made serving and improving our community exciting, easy, and fulfilling. It sets itself apart by empowering youth voice and creating long-term solutions that make sense for our community. After the program, students have reflected with comments like “this project helped us show adults that kids our age can do more than just play video games,” and “now I want to pick up litter when I see it and help teach others why they should, too.”

Earth Force takes the guesswork and headache out of typical non-profit issues such as funding, media, and support so we can focus on connecting with youth and cultivating better business and community practices. We cannot say enough about this organization’s culture and professional, passionate team. Earth Force’s collaborative approach and program framework are an icon for non-profits and for the future of environmental education in North America.

When I joined the Board of Directors four years ago, the organization was in a serious point of charting a more defined, and clear path for ourselves. That time of pressure and decision-making has become a maiden for ingenuity, efficiency, and growth. Today, the organization stands at its greatest since I have joined the organization.

Earth Force has been a wonderful partner of Groundwork Anacostia River DC. Because of their wonderful team and devoted environmental work, we've been able to connect with middle school students and encourage environmental leadership and stewardship.

Leslie Science & Nature Center has been working with Earthforce, Inc. for many years with the GM GREEN program. We have continually been impressed with their professionalism as well as their dedication to the environment and striving to be the leader in educating and engaging youth. I look forward to many more years of collaboration with Earthforce, Inc.

As the leader of an effort to bring the environmental movement to the inner-city from an inner-city community based perspective, Earth Force has been the only major K-12 environmental organization that has heard what I have been attempting to get others like them to hear.

We in the inner-city only receive what is perceived as the caliber of programs that are needed. No one takes the time to see or ask if indeed this is what is needed, it is just taken for granted that what is being offered will work or prove to have benefits.

Not only did the executive director of Earth Force listen, and hear, she actually came to my city (Kansas City, Kansas) toured my communities for herself while I explained what I saw as being a need. Then she met with various key citywide stakeholders. After which she started working from her perspective to find a way to work within what I had described as our most needed areas.

From that effort came an after school program where a local environmental organization received funding from Earth Force & EPA, to teach 130 students in the science department inside a local high school within the low-income community.

The organization taught the students how to teach elementary students second semester how too actually use a scientific process to professionally test the water is a nearby lake.

At the end of the first semester, 10 of the 130 students were hired to teach one of 10 one day a week after school classes for 25 students from an elementary school that was located 2 block from the lake.
At the end of every class the student teacher, would receive $100 cash.

I could go on and on listing the benefits of this program, but needless to say, the dynamic of this program can clearly be seen by anyone who truly understand the kind of scientific education we need in our inner-cities. It was an example of a program that could easily be duplicated all over the country.

And it was a program that truly came from the bottom up, and not some program that was created, and given to the community as what it was felt they needed.

Earth Force had the ability and leadership to see what it was I was saying needed to be instilled in our communities as an initial STEM education approach. They also saw how a worthwhile program in some inner-city community center, could be complimentary to what was being taught in the public school systems.

As far as I am concerned, Earth Force is light years ahead of others who are involved in our STEM K-12 educational programs, as far as their understanding of a real inner-city perspective. They actually listen, and are willing to take a chance.

For that they receive my recommendation as one of the best environmental Non-Profits in America, and I have personally worked with a lot of them, in one way or another.

Earth Force is an organization that serves as an example to so many others. Their process seamlessly integrates STEM, individual skills development for youth, and community engagement. Participants gain essential skills they will be able to apply in any setting. Earth Force is well established with a great reputation, yet manages to stay current and innovative.

Earth Force has been an extraordinary partner in our work to better tap into the expertise and power of youth here in Denver. Without Earth Force the voice of youth is smaller, less exposed and heard by fewer.

I am proud to be part of an organization that can mean so much to our youth by engaging them in a passion that can accompany them through the rest of their lives. The board and the organization is committed to make a difference and is constantly evolving from day-to-day to get its message to as many children as possible through the most efficient of platforms as possible.

Earth Force is an amazing organization with a mission that really hits home, I myself being a teenager. I am currently in Earth Force's pilot program "Friends of the Force," which trains Earth Force's perspective youth board members and I have to say that I really admire everything Earth Force has done. The people I have met through Earth Force, have really opened my eyes and helped me better voice my already existing opinions. All the people I have met are such strong, passionate, easygoing individuals, I find myself aspiring to be like them. Through Earth Force I have access to another side of Environmental Education and Youth Leadership. Earth Force is a truly amazing organization.

I've been working as a youth member of Earth Force for about three months now, and it's been a phenomenal experience. They've provided me with personal guidance to pursue my passions in environmental activism, and allowed me to exceed what I thought was my fullest potential. We've faced an uphill battle at my high school in attempting to rebuild our recycling program from the ground up, but Earth Force is making it possible. I'm proud to work with them, and even more proud of the work I've done with them.

As a start up organization and new kid on block, Earth Force gets partnership. The staff and organization in general have been supportive and instrumental in our mission to support girls of color in STEM. In addition, the knowledge and depth about Water Shed learning and hands on implementation is excellent. I look forward to more collaborative work with the organization, and when it comes to water learning - Who Do You Call? Earth Force.

Deborah Fard
Dr. Justina Ford STEM Institute
Denver

Earth Force is a great organization that supports "water Education" here in Denver. I was fortunate to learn about them at the Project Wet conference in July held in Denver. My students last year were very excited to use the materials I was given by Earth Force. They were able to interface with city departments regarding storm drainage and created a way to educate the community about storm drainage, water conservation and water pollution This year, my new class of 5th graders are also excited about Earth Force and are looking forward to doing a community project as well. This type of learning experiences are remembered for a long time after. Thanks for being there

Earth Force is a great organization here in Denver. They have an abundance of great resources for any non-profit in the Environmental Field (lessons, give-aways, trainings, helpers). They always attend our events and educate the public!

Earth Force has been a part of my life since before I had braces. As an adult board member I've seen the organization in a number of its iterations and I am still proud to say that it is an organization which I strongly support. Earthforce began engaging youth in classrooms and through educators to bring their voices to bear on the environmental and social issues relevant to them. It has grown to strategically and systematically mobilize multiple stakeholders in creating an environment in which youth and their voices are able to thrive.

I am grateful that Earth Force’s Youth Engagement Zone was one of Learn and Serve America’s legacy programs. Their high-quality work allowed this program to go out on a very high note. I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a team who was as committed to making a difference in their community and in the world. Hats off to Earth Force!

I have a long history with Earth Force as a former staff member who has carried the core beliefs and vision of the organization with me. Earth Force's work is vital at a time when communities are increasingly short on resources to support the authentic civic engagement of their youngest citizens. In my current position, we are fortunate to enjoy a fantastic partnership with Earth Force that continues to grow. Most recently this partnership has allowed us to feature educators and students who have worked on long-term water monitoring projects in our series of educational videos. We look forward to many more opportunities to work together!

I've got the Earth Force "bug". I had the great fortune of getting to know Chris C., COB at Earth Force. She explained the mission and the programs and proven methodology of their work. Brilliant. I then had the opportunity to learn more from Lisa B., RD. How could anyone dispute the concepts that the earth needs to be cared for and children need to earn and experience responsibility? What a magnificent combination. I also feel like Earth Force has initiated a much needed concept of "uncommon Collaboratives". Teaching our children gives us great hope for the future.

I am a grateful member of the Earth Force network and I continue to be impressed with their work and its impact on youth as well as teachers. I am a teacher educator who strives to teach my pre-service teachers "best practices" in the field. I continuously try to help my college students see that a program is GOOD when it has a sound theoretic backing. Earth Force follows in the tradition of John Dewey and his focus on meaningful problem solving where reflection is KEY to growth and learning. I have watched my college students grow as they work with elementary and middle school children collaboratively exploring their communities, identifying environmental issues, and developing strategies that will be used to address these issues. The program allows my pre-service teachers to learn to facilitate and guide their students toward possible solutions to a selected problem; but the most impressive part of the program is that these problems and strategies toward solution are student-selected and student-led. Earth Force values the capacity of its participants whether it is teacher, elementary/middle school student, pre-service teacher or college professor.

Earth Force is a program that is consistent with ideas embedded in service learning because it allows both the pre-service teachers and their students to grow while redressing meaningful, authentic problems. Watching the pre-service teachers work with their elementary and middle level students reflects the importance of youth voice. I am proud to watch these pre-service teachers actually hand over the reigns of their lessons to children, trusting that the Earth Force process will provide the needed structure that will lead to deep and meaningful learning. Traditional course work and assignments could never foster the kinds of learning that Earth Force is capable of providing to youth and teachers alike.

I have known and worked with the staff at Earth Force for more than five years. One of the most amazing things about them is that they are the same people today that they were five years ago! In other words, once you start working at Earth Force you never want to leave. The staff retention is a strong testament to the steady management of the organization and a wonderful statement about the value of the mission.

I have worked with dozens of youth service organizations closely, so I can confidently affirm Earth Force's unparalleled leadership around thinking two steps ahead of problems. Earth Force knows that being collaborative is the crux of community changemaking. Earth Force is an organization that's not in this industry for fame, but rather to truly be an organization that thinks about transforming communities and empowering youth as leaders as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Earth Force's mission is to engage young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future. Earth Force has 15 years of engagement strategies and expertise working with young people, particularly those in underserved communities, helping them find their voice and assuming leadership roles. Headquartered in Denver and active in 40 communities throughout the United States, Earth Force reaches over 15,000 youth per year. Through high quality professional development and inquiry-based, hands-on learning opportunities, Earth Force’s approach to youth engagement, community engagement and environmental stewardship helps young people build the knowledge, skills and competencies they need for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

My involvement with Earth Force began as an Earth Force "parent" while my daughter was in middle school. She partcipated in projects with Earth Force staff who guided the efforts of her middle school science teacher. My daughter subsequently participated in an Earth Force city-wide Youth Leadership Team that produced a video about climate change with the local public television station. While in High School, my daughter worked with another student to develop and implement a weekly after-school environmental program for 4th graders in a local elementary school. She now is entering her sophomore year in college, focusing on environmental studies and geography. The skills my daughter learned and put into practice through Earth Force will shape the rest of her life.

Earth Force’s educational model is somewhat unique in that it promotes problem-solving and service-learning for K-12 students, civic engagement to gain an understanding of “how local change works”, and implementation through community-based initiatives. This model encourages students to investigate and address larger and longer-term issues that become lifelong environmentally-focused lessons and opportunities for leadership development. An example of this was presented to our Board in Baltimore, MD in February 2012 via four 8th grade students from the Alexandria VA School District. After a presentation of their watershed projects, Q&A from the Board elicited several statements from the students that both validated the Earth Force educational model and elevated the students’ efforts from “just another school science project”. The students expressed the following developmental and engagement benefits from the projects: raised project awareness, passed on what they learned to other students and the community, improved their communication and leadership skills, participated in field trips, were passionate and dedicated to a longer term project, what we do matters, conducted outside the textbook learning, and learned from doing. Hearing the students describe these life lessons from their Earth Force program were identical to ones I heard from my daughter.

Earthforce has been an amazing partner for me in the NW Denver community. In particular, Lisa Bardwell does everything that she can to improcve the quality of life for the communities that she lives and works in. Thanks Lisa for all that you do.

Earth Force put on a great activity for the kids who came to Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day for us. We really appreciate their willingness to volunteer their time and expertise. The kids all had fun and learned a lot.

Earth Force has a strategic vision to enable communities and partners to engage in their youth via proven process and training. Through this engagement we have seen outstanding results in confidence, leadership and engagement in the participating students!

I have partnered with Earthforce for approximately one year, and it is truly a relationship I value. Their expertise with environmental education and their commitment to the youth in our program and within the Denver community goes above and beyond their personal mission. It is an honor and privilege to have them in my core of trusted business relationships.

Earth Force, Inc. came to our Department's "Take Your Kid to Work" day. The activity was great! The kids were engaged and did not get bored. They learned about teamwork, idea sharing and the environmental impacts of population on our water supply at the same time. The parents assisting with the exercise also enjoyed the activity. We are definitely hoping they will come back next year. Thank you Earth Force!

My focus and purpose in utilizing Earth Force's curriculum is for service learning as a means to civic engagement. Earth Force makes the assignments and tasks for effective service learning accessible for professionals who may not be trained as teachers, but want to serve youth. Thank you Earth Force for your work!!!

Earth Force has provided the opportunity for teachers across my county to become involved in water quality monitoring. In addition to this opportunity, they've provided professional development for teachers to encourage service learning and community involvement. There work has allowed every 7 th or 8 th grade student within the Flint River Watershed in Lapeer County to have a real-world, data collecting experience and encourage them to do something positive for the environment and community. Earth Force continues to support my work and my teachers, and honestly, they're just great people!

Serving a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Earth Force proved to be an extremely rewarding experience for me. So much so that when the opportunity presented its self to serve an additional year I welcomed it. The Earth Force six step service learning process is a great way to engage the youth of a community to address issues they might see every day but don’t feel empowered enough to take action. Unlike more traditional service projects in which students are assigned a task the Earth Force processes gives the students a say in choosing the issue, researching it, and designing the project. In this way they become much more engaged and energized in what they are hoping to accomplish. Earth Force is a Truly Great Non-profit.

Earthforce's KIC NET program utilizes innovative strategies that result in real benefit to its participants.

From the many years that I have spent working with Earth Force I can honestly say I've watched and experienced the organization grow from a good thing, to a pilliar of excellence in the field youth leadership and environmental education. I watched with awe the tenacity, grace, and agility employed in restructuring the organization. I also saw the care and empathy used in communicating and working with the staff members around the changes. As a board member I can say that the leadership made very difficult decisions that ultimately steered the ship towards bold innovations and success. Earth Force wouldn't be the organization that it is without that type of dynamic and sensitive leadership. And the people who would loose the most are the students whose lives are positively impacted by that marvelous six step process.

Earth Force's collaborative approach to everything they do is the standard by which all organizations should work. Earth Force's commitment to quality and follow through, willingness to integrate innovative collaborative processes and their passion for students and the environment are unmatched. Earth Force staff are committed to ongoing, meaningful relationships and impacts for the communities, schools, teachers and students they work with.

As a former Earth Force youth and current Board Member, I can attest to the life-changing impact this organization has on young people. When I was in fifth grade, Earth Force began its programming in my elementary school. Using its "youth voice" model, the organization asked my peers and I what we thought about environmental issues rather than telling us what to think or do. This model that empowers youth indeed encourages them to take life long leadership roles in forming the types of communities they want to see. Earth Force encouraged my involvement in different environmentally focused projects throughout my youth, including my involvement in the USDA Forest Service's Centennial Congress and my participation in the International Conference "Let's Take Care of the Planet." I so believe in this organization that my involvement continues today through service on the board of directors and financial support. I cannot recommend this organization more highly.

I have been working with Earth Force of almost a year now and have enjoyed every step along the way. Since I have been in my current position I have had the pleasure if working with Earth Force on two different teacher training events. Our most recent training was in a county that has very little environmental education and was a county that our youth program was not in yet, so there was a lot to get done. I could not have had a successful training without the assistance of the Earth Force employees. Whenever I was unsure of something they were there to answer any question I had and if they did not know off hand they helped me find it out. I stand behind the Earth Force Curriculum 100% but even more important than that is the Earth Force employees stand with you 100%. You can have a great curriculum but if you do not have the great people that Earth Force has than the curriculum means nothing.

Although I have not had much personal experience with Earth Force, I know that they do great work in schools. I had the opportunity to meet with the Germantown Friends School Environmental Action Club and see some of their projects, and I am blown away by the maturity and dedication of these students! They inspire me to continue what I do every day. Earth Force's mission is essential -- we have to involve the youth if we want to save our environment and ourselves. Earth Force gives young students the opportunity to use their imaginations and develop skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

I have been working with Earth Force over the past five years in the capacity of a university professor who uses CAPS (Community Action and Problem Solving) as a methodology for training pre-service teachers. This methodology is excellent for teaching pre-service teachers the importance of critical thinking/problem solving and tolerance/acceptance of alternative points of view...My pre-service teachers learn firsthand that the process is sometimes just as important as the product. These fledgling teachers then take these newly formed skills to their field placements and teach middle school students how to think!!! Most important, the context of the thinking and problem solving is based in critical environmental issues. EF participants learn about problem solving and, because they try to resolve these environmental issues, they become empowered as agents of change that will lead to a healthier planet. EF is meaningful to both teachers and students because they learn scientific content in the context of their local community...thinking and solving problems in your own backyard - PEOPLE can make a difference and this is the mantra that EF espouses.

I have been involved with EarthForce as a volunteer and donor for more than 12 years, and have always been impressed with their ability to engage young people to identify and then address environmental problems in their communities. Youth are empowered to improve the world around them now and gain the problem-solving and advocacy skills they need in the future. EarthForce's innovative model helps people make an immediate impact, but has built-in sustainability.

Earth Force is a living example of what doing 'good' means. They are an incredible group of people who work tirelessly to promote opportunities for youth voice to be heard, and youth hands to be active in shaping the communities they desire. Thanks Earth Force for all you do!

Earth Force is about the things that - in my opinion - make our communities better places to live and give me hope for the future: young people, the environment, youth leadership and service-learning. I support Earth Force so that their service-learning process can continue to create youth leaders who know how to address local issues that are important to them.

Earth Force is an amazing organization that provides a necessary and valuable service to under-served youth. I had the pleasure of working with EF and group of middle school students in Belen, NM, where we used the EF process to create strong connections between the local environment and the community. Best of all, by learning how to create a community garden, test water quality of the local acequias, plant trees in local parks, and repair a greenhouse at an elementary school, the students realized that they were part of their community as well. They became more invested in their local government, and their community was impressed with the efforts of these students. It's just a great program making crucial connections in important ways.

I have been working with Earth Force for more than ten years. They lead the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network that is supported by my company, General Motors. This program takes a hands-on approach to environmental education by matching schools with local environmental partner organizations and GM facilities to take students out of their classrooms to study local rivers and streams. EF's expertise and networking in the area of environmental education and service learning is unmatched. In addition, they have somehow mastered the ability to work with us unruly manufacturing- types and mold us into dedicated mentors in the program! They are always willing to work through the problems that come up -- which are many! I am very satisfied with the level of service provided by EF. They are very reliable and is always looking ways to improve our program. Deserving of many kudos! (Full disclosure: I am also a board member.)

I am president of Family Nature Summits, a 501(c)(3) organization that hosts an annual gathering designed to get folks outdoors, learning about nature, and having fun. Our mission is to foster thoughtful stewardship of the earth. We have teamed up with Earth Force to host five families from underprivileged and under-served communities in the Denver area to take part in our 2012 Family Nature Summit in Estes Park, Colorado. Earth Force's mission is complementary with our own and we are looking forward having the Earth Force families teach us about the ways that Earth Force helps develop future leaders through community based environmental activism.

I have been working with Earth Force for about a year in the capacity of partner organization. Each staff member I've encountered has been passionate and knowledgeable. The program itself is set up to engage students and teachers in meaningful environmental education and service learning situations. Earth Force GREEN empowers students, teachers, and partner organizations to make a real difference in their communities.

As a Board Member of Greening Forward, I am so thankful for Earth Force. Lisa (CEO) has been absolutely astounding in helping to grow our nonprofit and keep us on the right track financially. I can't thank Earth Force enough for what a great source of mentorship they have been. Not only are they incredibly friendly, but they are extremely professional and do so much good for our communities. I definitely recommend them to all of my friends!

The SEWEE Association is a partner environmental education non-profit that work with Lowcountry Earth Force on service learning projects that benefit our National Forest and National Wildlife Refuges. Earth Force provides teachers with the expertise to help their students execute projects such as reducing the amount of plastic bags used by selling cloth grocery bag. This limits the number of plastic bags littered into the environment which harm the threatened Loggerhead sea turtle. Cape Romain Refuge works hard to protect sea turtle nests on the beaches and now the students work to protect the sea turtles once they are in the ocean. This partnership is mutually beneficial to us at the Sewee Center.

Working with Earth Force over the last 6 years has changed the way I teach and the way my students learn. While environmental science is nice to talk about, it is meant to be experienced.The support and coordination with Earth Force has showed our students that "Science is REAL!"
The dynamic people at Earth Force have allowed our district to take over 800 8th Grade students on a water monitoring experience each year. This experience has become the centerpiece of a meaningful science curriculum. By gaining hands on experience while working elbow to elbow with actual environmental engineers, our students develop a passion for their investigations and take ownership of their discoveries.
Bringing together and coordinating all of the different people and entities required to pull this off is not an easy task. We would not be able to provide this powerful impacting experience for our students without the support of Earth Force.

I have been involved with Earth Force for the last decade. The environmental education curriculum that Earth Force provides has been an excellent way for our organization to engage hundreds of youth in community-action projects that have benefited the local environment. Earth Force provides teachers and students with the tools they need to become effective environmental and civic leaders in their community. We have benefited from the support of Earth Force staff, and from being a part of a national movement of youth that are taking action to improve the quality of the environment in their communities and in their schools.

Our project green has expanded in the last two years by almost 100% - doubling the number of teachers and students involved. We now have more teachers and students involved than ever before! We have been able to grow our project because of the work of our Eath Force partners and our local volunteers. Earth Force has been there to help train teachers, offer new and unique possibilities for future programs - especially in involving our students in community service projects - and has been a very large part of our planning follow-up activities for a couple of our inner-city groups to visit spill sites, gather information, and analyze/compare the spill site data to their local Flint area data - a GREAT opportunity for our student participants!

The James Island Community Education program has worked with Earth Force in different capacities over the years. Most recently, JICE and Earthforce have partnered with one another for the possibility of being awarded a grant to carry on Service Learning projects through out the community. From the begining, Earthforce was a positive partner and Theresa and Stacey worked diligently alongside many partners that came together for this. Earthforce is known to be the gurus of service learning and working with them reinforces that they are experts in the field. We were ultimately awarded the 4 year grant due to Earthforce's efforts. Getting the grant is one thing, but implementing it on such as large scale as this is another. The partners we have make this possible, and Earthforce's expertise and ability to develop these projects along with them many resources they have, has certainly been the reason why we have gotten this far and been successful. They have been willing to jump in and do what is needed to get the job done, and it is much appreciated!

I want to thank Earth Force (Steve and Kurt )so much for allowing the kids to take the trip to Dupont Park. They really enjoyed it. Believe it or not, I chose some of the students who had a few behavioral problems and they were escatic about the things you guys exposed them to. One of the little girl is still looking at the fecal matter that was in the tube that you gave her. Thank you for putting a smile on their faces. I really mean it from the bottom of my heart.

About a month ago, members of the Philadelphia Earth Force group invited me to speak to their Youth Leadership Team on their theme for 2011, which is Recycling. I was impressed that Earth Force reaches out to the inner-city school communities and helps engage students and schools in citizen stewardship for the planet. I was also impressed by the Earth Force staff who took the time (and with patience) to ensure that all students were following the presentation and truly understood the various concepts of recycling being discussed. The ability of Earth Force to connect with our urban youth on environmental issues is amazing and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Earth Force provides invaluable funding, expertise, and activities for my students for the past 6 years. They provide equipment and materials for stream monitoring and buses for field trips. Each year they organize a Youth Summit in which students can participate in a variety of environmental activities to enhance their eco-awareness and learn from a variety of professionals within ecological areas. They have provided training for teachers within my district. They fund professional development opportunities for teachers.

I am a firm believer that the future depends on the success of organizations like Earth Force. Our community is lucky to have people that not only care about the world we leave for upcoming generations but give them the tools to make a sustainable difference themselves as well. I've volunteered and worked with the members of Earth Force in the Charleston Lowcountry for the last five years and could not be more grateful to them for teaching me and others the value of the planet we call home.

Earth Force has supported me in my efforts in teaching service learning projects about the environment for several years. If I need something, all I have to do is ask and they will get it for me. Whether it be funding for a purchase, help with a delivery, an expert speaker, help with writing a grant, Earth Force is watching my back. I couldn't do service learning with all of my classes without their help.

I was part of the Youth Action Board in high school and really felt empowered that I could help make Charleston a more environmentally friendly place. I had many wonderful experiences with Lowcountry Earth Force and therefore, got my friends to join in. We worked on community murals for a Downtown park renovation, my high school's Ecology Club wrote and received a grant for our end of the year community service kayaking project and I learned about the way non-profit organizations operate. Volunteering with Lowcountry Earth Force has motivated me to want to go into environmental education to continue doing the work that they do for our community.

Earth Force is one of the BEST organizations to help students provide a voice in their communities. The staff at Earth force are extremely knowledgeable. Each year an Earth Force staff member presents the Earth Force concept to my high school students. My students do a community inventory of what environmental issue needs to be changed or improved. The students must consider sustainability, time and cost before selecting their community service learning project. If there is a cost, students must write grants or get donations. The projects have included issues such as business recycling, lowering CO2 emissions, education, oyster recycling, creating nature trail for another school, building a greenhouse and a 10-10-10- project with 350.org.

As director of the elementary science education program at Oakland University, I have been quite impressed with the dedication and skills of the Earth Force Team. They have always been accessible and helpful. We have adopted the Earth Force curriculum as a key component of our elementary science methods courses with great success. Our students are working out in their communities to create positive change at the same time they are learning the science involved in their selected projects. This program offers strong support of OU's mission to work towards equity and social justice for our student teachers and their future students.

I am a middle school teacher in an "at risk" school in the Dallas Ft Worth are. I teach 7th grade science and we started the Earth Force program last year as an after school activity. Our group carried out a paper recycling program, started a school discovery garden, and did research on a bio remediation project for a storm drainage ditch that runs through the middle of our school property. We were recognized as the South west ecological club of the year by Staples last year. Partially because of our success the district expanded the Earth Force student learning service project and it is now a part of the 7th grade curriculum for the district and it is now in all 7th grade campuses in our district. This year we had 250 kids come to classes on a Saturday to learn more about our Trinity River basin. Our school has kept the the same projects from last year and has continued to work on them, we have also added plastic recycling, al recycling, 3 different habitat restoration projects, and up grading our Discovery Garden with a pond and greenhouse. The kids are the driving force both in labor and ideas for these projects. It allows the students to take control over an important part of there lives and teaches them the importance of planning, cooperation, and working wthin the system to accomplish their goals.

Earth Force has provided professional development for formal and non formal educators here in Southern Nevada. Earth Force has been an important part of establishing new community connections to service-learning. This is a unique environment of many different educational outreach efforts. They have helped me provide a unique opportunity for the community of formal and non-formal educators. They have demonstrated specific examples of how to engage youth and community stakeholders so that there is youth voice and real life application. Liz Henry and Alyssa Hawkins are extremely busy, but they never let me or another person feel like our time is limited or not imporant in the process! We are learning here in Southern Nevada and with the help of Earth Force we will continue with great support! Thank you!

Earthforce has been an amazing partner by offering service learning opportunities to at-risk youth in Denver. During 2010, Earthforce sponsored the Summer of Service camp for public housing youth. With over 30 youth completing the program, over $15,000 in scholarship awards were brought in the community.

Earth Force has supported my local efforts from day one. I am able to turn to Earth Force staff to help me provide water quality education to hundreds of students in my area. While I know the Earth Force staff with whom I regularly communicate are very busy people, everyone has been very helpful and supportive of the program I oversee. Thank you Alyssa and Jan! Thank you also Erin and Dana, Earth Force people I have worked with in the past.

Earth Force is a wonderful organization that investing in our nation's youth. Earth Force gives youth the tools they need to make a change in thier communtiies. Earth Force does a wonderful job with working with teachers, students, schools, and other organizations ro bring environmental education to thousands.