Ardea Youth Climate Leaders Application 2025

We are looking for youth ages 13-18 that are interested in building their knowledge and skills for leadership in climate change advocacy through the YCL Peer Climate Education Program. We are excited to support youth who want to increase their ability to teach and speak to their peers about environmental issues that are impacting their community and their world. These might be young people who have not previously had background knowledge of climate change but have an eagerness to learn about changing the way our societal structures address the human connection to our environment. We seek to engage young folks from all walks of life looking to influence their peers in positive ways to make changes for our collective futures surrounding climate change.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Kalamazoo County youth enrolled in grades 9-12 for the 2025-2026 school year → currently attending grades 8-11; students residing in from neighboring counties can be considered and are invited to apply

  • A completed application;

  • Permission from a parent or guardian;

  • Able to attend all days and times for leadership training week August 18-22 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with one potential overnight camp on Thursday of that week;

  • Commit to 2 meetings a month during the school year – day and time determined as a team;

  • Attendance of at least 80% of meetings (2 per month) will ensure you receive a $250 stipend at the end of the year;

  • Willing to commit dedicated time spent outside of meetings to further peer education goals with their team;

  • Commitment to the program, willingness to learn, share your own voice, and openness to ideas and value others’ perspectives;

  • Demonstrate healthy decision making skills and behaviors while serving as a positive role model for peers;

  • Time management is very important: peer educators are expected to prioritize program tasks and duties; 

  • An eagerness to learn about climate change →no background knowledge required.






Youth Climate Leaders (YCL) Peer Education Program is a comprehensive 40-hour training program that gives teens the tools to advocate for a resilient future and share accurate information with peers and community. The curriculum covers local and global topics on:

Climate Change Impacts

  • People, culture, and communities

  • Environment and ecosystem health

Climate Justice, Politics, Resilience

  • Food, land, and water rights

  • Local environmental justice

  • History, policy, and institutional change

  • Indigenous and cross-cultural wisdom sharing

Climate Leadership and Activism

  • How to influence by connecting and communicating with peers

  • Personal story sharing, and making space for the stories of others

  • Activism and organizing strategies


YCL Peer Education uses a non-partisan approach that presents science-based facts and encourages critical thinking. YCL’s learn to define and verbalize their own values, provide hope and pathways to change, and gain the ability to advocate for their own futures.

After training, YCL Peer Educators will be empowered to develop a plan to share this knowledge with others in their community. This may be as informal contacts in their schools, leaders who share information and connect others with advocacy resources and extracurricular learning opportunities, formal presentation speakers, mentors, or as organizers of other student-led initiatives.

To assist in continued motivation and support in these roles, youth will meet with their peers during the 40 hour training week followed by regularly scheduled mandatory meetings throughout the school year with the Youth Climate Leadership (YCL) Coordinator.

Benefits of being a Peer Educator:

  • Join a community of youth interested in learning about climate change

  • Earn a stipend based on hours invested in meeting attendance and peer education

  • Gain public speaking, empathy and listening skills

  • Looks great on job and college applications

  • Gain professional development, leadership and time management skills

  • Groundwork training in topics related to climate change/action

  • Be part of teaching your peers to be leaders in climate …. 

  • Network with city, county, state, and national organizations and potential future employee


2025-2026 application is due June 25, 2025

Please review the Eligibility Requirements to make sure you qualify! 

Please call 269-205-3325 or email cthompson@kzooclimate.org if you have any questions about these requirements.

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First and Last Name
Birthdate
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DD
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YYYY
Mailing Address
Email Address
Phone number
What grade will you be in for the 2025-2026 school year?
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What high school will you be attending in the 2025-2026 school year?

Parent/ Guardian Contact: (address, email, phone)

Scheduling Information

Are you willing to commit to: (Please check all that apply)


Clear selection

Explain any unchecked items above:


Essay Questions: Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability in 100-300 words per question.


Why should you be selected as a youth climate leader in-training? Be specific.


List any skills, experiences, or special training you have that could help you be a strong candidate for this program.


We believe leadership skills can come from many different types of experiences. Tell us about a time when you had to demonstrate leadership ability?


What do you see as humankind’s responsibility to the environment?

Why is climate change a pressing issue for you as a young person? What climate related issues are most interesting and important to you.

Email a meme, song, video, or gif that best describes your personality to cthompson@kzooclimate.org with “Your name and YLC APPLICANT” in the subject line. 

This is also an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.  Thank you for applying!


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