Inspiration

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 […]

Recent Media Coverage of the Upcoming Rally for the Planet

Matt Henchen

People are starting to pay attention.  Check out some recent news articles about the upcoming Youth Lobby Rally for the Planet! KidsVT Article  Middle, high school and college students will get a chance to voice their opinions about climate change at the second annual Youth Rally for the Planet, taking place on Wednesday, April 12. Busloads of young adults from around the state will march from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier to the Statehouse lawn, where they’ll get to speak with lawmakers, visit informational booths, and listen to environmental advocates and musicians. Last year, 700 students attended the inaugural event, says organizer and Harwood Union High School social studies teacher Matt Henchen, and he’s hoping for even more this year. The day of action is organized by the Vermont Youth Lobby, a group devoted to giving young people in Vermont a stronger political voice in their communities, […]

More Information for Schools About the 2017 Youth Rally for the Planet!

Matt Henchen

  First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to organize a field trip at your school.  This is one of the most important challenges humanity has ever faced and every student who is able to attend will only increase the power of student voice on this issue!   Note: Please share this information with your students! Proposed Agenda for the Day (subject to minor changes) 9:00am-10:00am – Student Drop Off and March Staging Busses drop students off on the green of the Vermont College of Fine Arts.  There will be a number of activities for students 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! Vermont youth and their allies will march in a parade to the Statehouse lawn. 10:15am – 11:30am  – Youth Speak Out!   Listen […]

It’s Not Too Late to Register!

Matt Henchen

It is not too late to register for the 2017 Youth Rally for the Planet – we are so close to our goal of 40 schools – we just need a few more to sign up. Here is a sample field trip form that might help some of your schools plan the trip.  You’ll have to make a copy and edit a few fields, but it might save you some time. Loading…

Over 1,100 Students and 30 Schools Have Signed Up!

Matt Henchen

We still have two more weeks until the Second Annual Youth Rally for the Planet and we already have almost twice as many students signed-up as last year.  With all of the recent climate change denial coming out of Washington these days, there is certainly a renewed interest in fighting back – to speak truth to power – and to demand more from our elected officials.  We will be sending out more details about the rally using the email list generated from our sign-up form, so please sign up as soon as you can. Check out this powerful trailer for a reminder of why we rally!

Get Ready to Rally! Help Build Our Maple Mosaic Art Installation

Matt Henchen

Our Climate, a member of Energy Independent Vermont, will be organizing a huge art installation that will come alive during Youth Lobby Day, April 12th. This is an opportunity to get creative, express yourself, and participate in a true community project! Anyone is invited to create a tile (1ft cardboard square) and mail it to VPIRG (see Maple Mosaic Toolkit for details). All the tiles will become a mosaic in the shape of a maple leaf symbolizing the peoples of Vermont coming together demanding that the government gives nature a voice and does all they can to combat climate change. Our Climate is working with the Emmy-award winning documentary series, Years of Living Dangerously, on a campaign called “Put A Price On It.” Their campaign advocates for a fair price on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Learn more at putapriceonit.org Host an art making party at your school and share photos with […]

Announcing the 2017 Youth Rally for the Planet – Register Now!

Matt Henchen

Join us at the 2017 Youth Rally for the Planet Promo Video   Schedule of Events What will the day look like? 9:00am-10:00am – Drop-Off Busses drop students off on the green of the Vermont College of Fine Arts.  There will be a number of activities for students 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! Vermont youth and their allies will march in a parade to the Statehouse lawn. 10:15am – 11:30am  – Youth Speak Out!   Listen to young musical performers and speakers share their thoughts on climate change. 11:30am – 12:30pm – Informal Lobbying, Lunch, and Tabling Student lobbyist from each school will have the chance to speak directly with their State Representatives on climate related issues.  Students will also have time to eat lunch (we ask everybody […]