The Earth Force Process

Watch this video introduction to the Earth Force Process

Earth Force staff and local affiliates offer the Earth Force Process that is delivered via a cutting edge professional development program designed to train and support educators as they use service-learning and civic action with youth in their community. Local support helps educators connect to the community, creating hands-on learning experiences for youth.

How It Works:

Educators use the Earth Force Process curriculum to incorporate service-learning and civic action into the classroom. Local partners and experts can provide added depth to the six steps outlined here:

Step 1- Community Environmental Inventory: Students identify environmental issues and strengths within their own community.

Earth Force students are working on the issue of water quality in this community.

Step 2- Issue Selection: Students learn democratic decision-making processes to select the issue they will be researching. They research the issue and narrow and refine its definition.

An Earth Force Mentor teaches erosion principles using a model.

Step 3- Policy and Practice Research: Students identify and analyze policies and practices related to their issue. They research the issue from all sides and identify key stakeholders they can engage in their research and action.

Earth Force students explain a hydrologic cycle model at the San Antonio Rattlesnake Festival.

Step 4- Options for Influencing Policy and Practice: Students identify a policy or practice related to their issue that they want to affect. They set a project goal and use democratic decision-making again to determine a course of action.

These youth participated in the Peer Learning Exchange, held at Regis University in Denver, where they wrote a "Youth Charter of Responsibilities" for taking on environmental issues. Deborah Parsons, aide to US Congresswoman Diane DeGette, met with the students. Some of the students traveled to Brazil to share the charter with other young leaders at the 2010 International Conference of Children and Youth.

Step 5- Planning and Taking Civic Action: Students develop and implement a well-organized plan of action to ensure project reaches completion.

Summer of Service in Belen, NM included a whole week of activites. Students got to talk to subject matter experts and participated in activities that help them understand the Earth Force Process, got involved in their community and learned how to design and lead their own projects such as constructing a garden area on the BHS school grounds.

Step 6- Looking Back and Ahead: Students assess the project and process, identify next steps, celebrate successes, and share their stories.

Students made presentations sharing the results of their GREEN watershed investigations at the Flint River GREEN Student Summit.