“CELF is needed now more than ever.” — Dr. Maida Galvez
On January 24, 2019, CELF celebrated 15 years of providing environmental literacy and sustainability programs for K-12 schools with a speaker salon held at The Astor House in New York City. The event highlighted CELF’s mission to ensure education for sustainability as an integral part of curricula and culture necessary to prepare current and future students to be active and responsible citizens of a sustainable world.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Maida Galvez, pediatrician and Director for Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit at Mount Sinai NYS Children’s Environmental Health Center, shared highlights of Mount Sinai’s collaborative work with CELF promoting healthy environments for children.
Clarissa Lynn, an educator at Central Park East II School (CPEII) in East Harlem and CELF Citizen Science participant, shared how her students were able to connect how the sources of pollution levels their community result in asthma and high absentee rates at their school. But the most resounding take away of the evening, came from Clarissa’s students, who when asked why Education for Sustainability is so necessary in today’s society, answered with “Because the adults don’t care, so the children copy them. But now we are aware, and WE need to be the leaders and show the adults why they need to care!”
CELF thanks everyone who came out to support us and learn more about our organization and Education for Sustainability. We would also like to thank Dr. Maida Galvez, Luz Guel and Clarissa Lynn for their enlightening presentations and the CELF Board and Committee Members who made the evening possible. THANK YOU!