POLICY
Executed The Longest Summer Tour with support from the US EPA Region 5 and MN Pollution Control Agency 2008, a 10-day tour of the Upper Midwest that brought eyewitness footage of global warming, opportunities to dialogue with policy-makers, scientists and experts, and solutions from young climate leaders on the forefront of an international movement to solve the climate crisis.- Will Steger joined Louis King of Summit Academy OIC to co-chair the HIRE Minnesota campaign, a coalition of community organizations that are seeking public investments that jump-start our economy, provide access for all people to jobs, training and living wages, start to ease the climate crisis and promote healthy communities.
- Our North Dakota Eyewitness to Climate Change Tour (May 11-13) was a success with support from Audubon Dakota, National Wildlife Federation, Pew Environment Group, Prairie Climate Stewardship Network, RE-AMP Media Center, Sierra Club Dacotah Chapter, and the Will Steger Foundation. The Tour reached over 1,000 North Dakotans in three public evening forums, one school presentation, and garnered significant media coverage in print and radio broadcast and on the two main television stations in Grand Forks and Fargo.
EMERGING LEADERS
-
Grew Youth Environmental Activists Minnesota (YEA! MN) to include 25 high schools in the Twin Cities Metro area.
Expedition Copenhagen 2009 Delegates - Led delegation of 25 high school students from YEA! MN to the national Power Shift conference for youth climate leadership in Washington DC, March 2009
- Selected 12 highly qualified youth climate leaders to join Will Steger and Expedition Copenhagen, representing ND, SD, MN, IA, WI, MI, and IL.
EDUCATION
-
Enhanced the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education, which included establishing new partnerships with the University of Minnesota, recruiting over 85 participants many of whom were new to WSF, offering a webinar option and securing keynote speaker and author Bill McKibben.
Watch Bill McKibbens Video from
Summer Institute '09 - Collaborated with the University of Minnesota Office of International Programs on a Summer Institute for Norwegian Students in the Sciences, including providing curriculum support and hosting a weekend retreat in Ely, MN.
OPERATIONS
-
Executed first strategic plan with staff and board to set a plan for the organization over the next three years.
WSF Staff and Board - Began re-design of Will Steger Foundation website.
- Volunteer hours from September 2008 through August 2009 totaled 600 hours with over 13 active volunteers contributing on a regular basis.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Will Steger Foundation was a finalist for the 2009 Minnesota Environmental Initiative Award for Environmental Education for our high-school program, YEA! Minnesota (Young Environmental Activists).- Will was featured in Northwest Airlines World Traveler Magazine in September 2008 and the University of St. Thomas, which received a photo editor award.
Follow us on Twitter
Friend us on Facebook
Watch us on YouTube