The City of San Francisco is initiating a brilliant new pilot project aimed at integrating Environmental Service Learning(ESLI, or Environmental Service Learning Initiative) into high school curriculums. What could be more important than training the next generation to be stewards of the earth?

Beginning with seven high schools around the city, among them Mission High School which you can see in the photo featured, the ESLI project will hopefully be successful in creating a template for other schools to follow. The project is being initiated with the support of the Mayor’s office, the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and Global Exchange, along with many other organizations concerned with environmental education.

The ESLI program is intended to address issues of both environmental and social justice as well as practical community building,regeneration and sustainability skills, with a strong focus on youth leadership/facilitation and empowerment.

It an inspiring to see this type of initiative taking place. The need for youth empowerment and training in sustainability is urgent, and is altogether essential to the success of any environmental movement. It is always hopeful to see someone the Mayor of San Francisco supporting such programs, as it is still often a struggle to find people in positions of power who accept the need for holistic programs in the earlier stages of education. Now we just need to have these types of trainings be available across the country, and starting at the elementary school level!