Mission in Action: Eighth Graders Take Climate Advocacy to Congress

This trip is more than a sightseeing excursion; it’s the culmination of years of study, inquiry, and practice living the values that define our school community: democracy, justice, diversity, inclusion, and action. Each year, the students meet personally with a Washington lawmaker so they can deliver a petition on an issue of their choice and make sure that their voices are heard in the political process.

This year, the Class of 2025’s civic engagement project focused on climate change. In their humanities class this year, building on knowledge they’ve gained throughout their time at CDS, eighth graders researched the causes of climate change and the policies the U.S. is considering to combat and adapt to it. They examined policies, explored global agreements, and investigated how corporate accountability can drive environmental progress. Students then developed an informational pamphlet and petition and headed out into the streets of San Francisco to engage in thousands of conversations about combating climate change. They were able to gather over a thousand signatures from citizens who agreed with their statement in support of the Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act. It was now time to take this unofficial petition to Congress. 

Students presented their research, pamphlet, and petition directly to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. With clarity, conviction, and data-backed arguments, they urged her to support legislation that holds major polluters accountable and safeguards the future for their generation.

“Our petition statement goes as follows: We, the young people of the San Francisco Bay Area, believe that the effects of climate change need to be addressed and combated for the well-being of all people, and in particular, to safeguard the futures of working-class people. Fossil fuel use releases carbon dioxide and methane emissions into the atmosphere, trapping heat and increasing temperature. The primary cause of climate change is the amount of fossil fuels that huge companies burn, and we believe they should pay a penalty for this as an incentive to stop,” eighth grader Kaia said on behalf of the class. 

“The Speaker Emerita heard their presentation and was inspired and moved by it,” eighth-grade Humanities teacher Terry Ashkinos told us. “She went on to say how important this issue is, but also how hard it will be to push any green energy bills through Congress right now. But she said that the class of 2025 should not be discouraged by this, for this fight is the fight of their generation, and it must be heard and addressed.” 

“Our graduates leave CDS confident, with the humility to listen and the resolve to speak up for what they see as right. This year’s trip to Washington, D.C, was a powerful demonstration of our mission in action,” reflected our Director of Curriculum and Innovation, Lindsay Hershenhorn.

At CDS, students learn that their voices matter, not someday, but today.