On November 7, 2026, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education hosted an inspiring and collaborative Climate Change Teachers’ Workshop. Directed by Aaliyah Green Ross, the Schuylkill Center’s Director of Education, the event welcomed 15 passionate educators from across all grade levels to learn, share, and gather tools to engage their students in meaningful climate action. Rather than focusing solely on the daunting realities of climate change, the workshop centered heavily on hands-on games, curriculum integration, and community-driven solutions.
Teachers participate in a game of tag to demonstrate Earth’s heat trapping abilities to take back to their classrooms.
Roots of Change: Tree Equity and the Legacy of Redlining
A major highlight of the day was a presentation on Tree Equity and Climate Change by Julie Knutson, a teacher at SCH Academy, alongside SCH twelfth-grader Quinn Clotman. Quinn shared her inspiring three-year journey into urban forestry, which began as a simple Girl Scout project.
“I began looking into trees and tree inequity as part of my Girl Scout Gold Award project,” Quinn shared. “I learned that there are so many areas in the City where there just aren’t any street trees and, in turn, a complete lack of coverage.”
Through history and biology classes, Quinn connected this tree deficit to "redlining"—the lasting environmental legacy of 1930s federal housing policies that graded neighborhoods as "hazardous" based on race and ethnicity. Today, modern studies show that these formerly redlined neighborhoods in Philadelphia possess significantly fewer trees and less green infrastructure compared to historically green-lined areas, leaving them highly vulnerable to extreme heat.
Quinn didn’t just study the problem—she took action. Quinn did canvassing work with Cool Down Northwest Philly, engaging residents to plant and care for trees and she also volunteered at free yard tree giveaways. Her advocacy, supported by her teacher Julie Knutson, culminated in organizing a community tree planting activity on the SCH Academy campus.
SCH Academy’s teacher, Julie Knutson, and twelfth grader, Quinn Clotman, present how tree canopy in Philadelphia relates to climate change.
Actionable Resources for the Classroom
Educators left the session with new ideas and resources to help bring environmental literacy alive in their classrooms:
Philadelphia Heat Vulnerability Index: Shared by Aaliyah Green Ross, this vital tool helps teachers and students analyze local data on heat exposure and sensitivity, illuminating environmental justice issues directly within their own city lines.
Eco-Schools Program: Megan Garner, Director of Sustainability and Green Schools at the School District of Philadelphia, introduced this initiative. Created by the National Wildlife Federation, the Eco-Schools framework integrates environmental literacy into school operations and curricula. Participating schools follow a structured pathway to earn Bronze, Silver, or prestigious Green Flag awards by actively reducing waste, conserving resources, and empowering students to spearhead local climate action.
Schuylkill Center’s Director of Education, Aaliyah Ross Green, demonstrates the impacts of climate change using “Ready Row Houses” models on loan from the Franklin Institute and the School District of Philadelphia.
A Hopeful Outlook for Philadelphia Schools
The impact of the workshop was immediately evident in the feedback from attending teachers. Teacher Juniper Sweeney noted, "I learned new ways to make climate change and the greenhouse effect more real" for students.
Steve Kim echoed this enthusiasm, emphasizing the long-term community value of the event. “I learned about a lot of resources teachers and kids can use to help them connect with the school and community," Kim said. "And this helps kids stay involved and be engaged with their learning.”
By the close of the afternoon, local educators walked away with a renewed sense of hope. Equipped with the right tools, Philadelphia's teachers are ready to inspire the next generation to focus not just on climate change problems, but on being a definitive part of the solutions.
Article by Mary Ann Boyer of Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants.
