Inspiration

Join the Race Against Racism!

Matt Henchen

The 2nd annual Race Against Racism is a youth-led community event held at Montpelier High School on September 23rd, 2018, beginning at 11:30. The event starts with a 5K run/walk through the city of Montpelier. Throughout the event, there will be local vendors vending food, including pizza from Woodbelly Pizza. After the race is completed, the performance portion of the event will begin, featuring activists, artists, musicians, and performances. Performers include Soundcheck and A2VT. If you would like to attend the rally instead of running and show your support for equality in VT, you can plan on arriving at 12: 00; the speakers will begin shortly thereafter. REGISTER FOR THE RACE AGAINST RACISM HERE!

Don’t Forget to Register for the Youth Climate Summit at UVM!

Matt Henchen

BECOME A CLIMATE LEADER Register for the Vermont Youth Climate Summit: The aim of the Vermont Youth Climate Summit is to educate high school students on the impacts of climate change through peer-to-peer learning. Encouraging students to take action on an issue that is highly relevant to their generation is a key mission of the Summit. Challenging both high school and college students to think deeply about the issue allows for a greater impact and understanding of the common role that youth play in the climate movement. It is the goal of the Vermont Youth Climate Summit to connect students of all ages and to empower them to become climate leaders. Schools are invited to send a team of 6-7 students and staff to attend this engaging conference. Students will: Hear research-based information about the economic and ecological consequences of climate change Learn strategies to respond to climate change in […]

Rise Up for Climate, Jobs, and Justice!

Matt Henchen

On September 8, thousands of rallies will be held in cities and towns around the world to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil free world that works for all of us. Join us as we hold our local leaders to account and demand that they walk the talk on climate action. Why? From Sept. 12 – 14, leaders of cities, towns, states, companies, and organizations from all over the world will gather at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco to highlight and make new commitments to climate action. The Saturday before the summit, climate groups all over the world are organizing marches, rallies, and more to hold leaders accountable—to demand politicians stand with their communities and deliver more than just words! We’re joining in! 350Vermont is supporting local groups all around the state in holding solidarity actions targeted at our own elected officials to let them know […]

More Information for Schools Attending the 2018 Rally for the Planet!

Matt Henchen

  Agenda for the Day (subject to minor changes) 8:30am – 10:00am – Drop-Off and Staging Busses drop students off at Montpelier High School.  There will be a number of activities for students to engage in, such as making signs for the march, face painting, and participating in various art projects. 10:00am – 10:15am – Youth March Vermont youth and their allies march in solidarity to the Statehouse lawn. 10:15am – 11:00am – Sound Check! Social Justice Band Performs Link to Sound Check website – http://www.brianboyes.com/soundcheck-1/ 11:00am – 11:30am – Speak Out! Students will listen to young performers and speakers share their thoughts on climate change. 11:30am- 12:00 pm – Tabling, Preparing to talk to your legislators, Music Learn more about solutions to climate change and proposed legislation, get ready to speak with your lawmakers, and groove to some sweet vibes from Televici, a band of students from Montpelier High […]

Announcing the 2018 – Youth Rally for the Planet – CLIMATE JUSTICE!

Matt Henchen

Join us at the 2018 Youth Rally for the Planet Climate Justice Thursday, April 12th, 2018 Video Invitation Schedule of Events (subject to minor changes) What will the day look like? 8:30am-10:00am – Drop-Off, Staging, and Activities Busses drop students off at Montpelier High School.  There will be a number of activities for students to engage in, such as making signs for the march, face painting, learning more about climate-related legislation, and participating in various art projects. 10:00am – 10:30am – March! Vermont youth and their allies will march in a parade to the Statehouse lawn. 10:30am – 11:15am  – Youth Speak Out!   Listen to young performers and speakers share their thoughts on climate change and hear the Youth Lobby’s legislative demands. 11:15am – 12:00pm – Tabling, Lobbying Prep, Activities, and Lunch Students will have the opportunity to visit informational booths to learn more about climate-related legislation currently under consideration at […]

Don’t Forget to Sign the Electric School Bus Petition and Contact the ANR!

Matt Henchen

From our friends at Renewable Energy Vermont The Vermont Youth Lobby is asking for 85% of the $18.7 million Volkswagen settlement to be spent on electric school busses and charging equipment. We want MAGIC SCHOOL BUSES! Please TAKE ACTION by doing the following things: Sign our Online Petition at change.org!  It only takes a minute of your time! Download our paper petition and get as many signatures as possible at your school and in your local community.  Please scan your completed petitions to youthlobbyvt@gmail.com or mail them to VT Youth Lobby, 141 Wade Road, Moretown VT, 05660. Please scan or email all petitions to us by January 5th, 2018.  A group of Youth Lobby students will hand deliver these petitions to the ANR and Phil Scott’s office during the week of January 8th.  (let us know if you are interested in being part of this crew..) Send a comment to the decision makers at the VT […]

Road Trip! Great Opportunity for Citizen Journalism

Matt Henchen

Conversations From The Open Road is an opportunity for Vermont high school and college students to experience, and compassionately participate in, our world in a meaningful way. We are a traveling citizen-journalism, digital storytelling media program engaging with communities on the front lines of significant economic-environmental-cultural justice issues. By the end of each 2 week exploration, each student creates a documentary short about a thread of the people, place and struggle. Together, this collection is shown at film/media festivals around Vermont. Please check out their website for info, applications and contact email. UPCOMING TRIPS: August 11-25: Minnesota – 1 spot open Come and document this exciting moment with us – From Standing Rock and beyond! More than 10,000 people came to show solidarity with the people of the Standing Rock Sioux protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline proposed (and now completed) to be built under the Missouri River, within their reservation’s lands.This is […]

Please Share Your Photos and Videos of the 2017 Youth Rally!!

Matt Henchen

Hello everybody.  We are planning on putting together a mini-documentary about the Vermont Youth Lobby movement, with the hopes of inspiring students in other states to organize a similar event next year – hopefully on the same date! As such, we could use all the amazing photos and videos that you might have taken. If you have photos or short videos, we ask that you upload them to our Google Photos Album. For longer videos, we ask that you upload them to Google Drive or Youtube and share them with us that way.  You can also add them to our Youtube Playlist here. In the meantime, here is a link to some exceptional photos taken by Harwood student Sarah Neff.  Thanks Sarah!  

58 Schools And Over 1500 Students!

Matt Henchen

This is Just the Beginning We wanted to thank everybody who helped make the 2017 Rally for the Planet such an amazing success.  However, please remember that this is just the beginning.  Here are some things you can do to help keep the pressure on our lawmakers to take more serious action on climate change. 1) Contact your legislators and thank them for their support or encourage them to support greater legislative action on climate change http://legislature.vermont.gov/ 2) Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in support of climate change related legislation, such as putting a price on carbon. 3) Get involved with your town’s local energy committee. Visit http://www.vecan.net/ 4) Volunteer with VPIRG, 350VT, EIV or other environmental organizations. 5) Get educated about the politics, science, and history of climate change.  Enroll in our Youth Activism 101 online course, by signing up for a free account at https://www.schoology.com or […]

Information to Students About the 2017 Youth Rally for the Planet

Matt Henchen

  First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to attend this important event.  This is one of the most important challenges humanity has ever faced and your voice will help us grow a movement large enough to make a difference! Proposed Agenda for the Day (subject to minor changes) 9:00am-10:00am – Student Drop Off and March Staging Students get dropped off on the green of the Vermont College of Fine Arts.  There will be a number of activities to engage in, such as making signs for the march, face painting, and participating in the Maple Mosaic and Youth Voices art projects. 10:00am – 10:30am – March! We will march in solidarity to the Statehouse lawn. 10:15am – 11:30am  – Youth Speak Out!   Listen to young speakers/performers and adult allies share their thoughts on climate change. 11:30am – 12:30pm – Informal Lobbying, Lunch, and Tabling Student […]