The SSC's Student Environmental Leadership Trainings, are week-long peer-to-peer programs led by the nation's top youth organizers. Develop your grassroots organizing and leadership skills, network and bond with fellow students, engage in fun activities and enjoy tasty vegetarian cooking (the low carbon diet for the climate). Most sites allow you to enjoy activities like spending time in the woods, swimming, hanging out around a campfire, etc. Not only will you come away changed, you'll have the skills and confidence to be a FORCE for CHANGE!

LEARN to LEAD:

• GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING: How to start and run an effective youth organization. We cover everything from recruitment, to running a meeting, to developing new leaders to ensure that your organization continues once you graduate.
• CAMPAIGN STRATEGY & PLANNING: How to plan, implement, and run an effective environmental campaign. We use the Sierra Club Matrix to teach the most essential skills needed to effect real change. Later in the week you'll get a change to practice your skills.
  
• COMMUNICATION SKILLS: How to define your message and get it across confidently and persuasively to the media, to fellow group members, and to the public.
• GUEST SPEAKERS: Meet some amazing special guests--Sierra Club experts, leaders of the movement, and experts on various aspects of climate and energy justice.
  

Of course, the program isn't all work and no play. In addition to the main focus of the program, you can expect to enjoy:

• Most locations enjoy the beautiful surroundings of a serene location
  
• Hikes, games, and energizing evening activities
• Delicious vegetarian cooking
• The company and friendship of like-minded youth
  

2009 Locations (click icons to learn more)

Change the climate

We are at a crossroads-- climate change presents an enormous threat to the health and sustainability of our planet and our communities. This is the crisis and challenge of our generation; in 2009, we need to engage our leaders like never before!

The SSC is in the vanguard of the climate movement, fighting for a clean energy economy that will provide good paying green jobs, clean air, protect our health, and provide justice for all communities.

We guarantee that you will leave inspired, motivated, and equipped with the skills to empower others. Help build the movement and join our community of leaders working for change.

Don't wait, get involved, apply now!

Who can apply?

Programs are open to high school and college-aged youth. We encourage all race/ ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, etc. to apply. No prior skills are required, come as you are--regardless of whether you're new to organizing or have been doing it for several years, our trainings have something to offer you.

Cost

The subsidized cost of the program is set up on a sliding scale, from $200-300* (please pay what you can afford). This covers tuition, room and board, and local transportation to and from the site, and all the benefits of being a member of the Sierra Club, including the award-winning Sierra Magazine.

++Special Group Rate: 3+ people $150/person.++

Refund Policy: Full refunds will be available until 3 weeks before each program if you are unable to attend. A 50% refund will be available up until 2 weeks before the program, 25% refund up until 1 week before the program and no refund after 1 week before the program start date.

Scholarships: Don't let money concerns keep you from applying and attending. We are dedicated to helping you find funds. Because our pool of scholarships funds are limited we ask that BEFORE applying for a scholarship, you try to raise the cost of tuition yourself, (see our Sprog Fundraising Guide). If you have exhausted all other avenues, we do have limited funds and can offer need-based tuition reduction or waiver, and have limited travel scholarships. If you require financial assistance, please fill out the on-line scholarship application form, or contact us at 888-JOIN-SSC for scholarship information.

*There is no tuition fee for the Los Angeles, New Mexico, or Puerto Rico programs due to a partnership with the Building Bridges to the Outdoors project of the Sierra Club. However, these programs give preference to local and minority youth.

Register online!

...in 3 Easy Steps:

1. REGISTER ONLINE: Click on the program for which you wish to apply (see links in right sidebar) Complete the registration form that loads when you click. We strongly encourage you to attend the program nearest where you live or go to school to meet and network with other students in your region and to minimize carbon emissions due to travel. Please DO NOT apply to more than one program, if the program you apply to is full, we will contact you about attending an alternate program or we can put you on a waiting list.
   
2. Download and complete the Sprog Forms. Note that these are IN ADDITION to the on-line form from step 1. Mail or fax forms, per information below. If applying as a group to take advantage of our special group rates, please submit forms and payment for all members of the group together.
   
3. Pay Tuition:
• Pay on-line (Note: please register first. If you're paying for someone to attend but are not attending yourself, or if you are paying for a group, please email trainings [at] ssc.org with the name(s) of the individuals who you're paying for).
• Send tuition check (address below)
  
• If you can't afford tuition: 1) Try our Sprog Fundraising Guide and 2) complete the on-line scholarship application form. Please note that we give preference to applicants who have exhausted other options first; we have limited funds available, so this allows us to help more people...even if you can only raise half of the tuition, providing a partial scholarship allows our funds to go further. Scholarship applications will be reviewed on May 15th; decisions will be announced thereafter. IF there are any funds available after this deadline, we will offer them on a rolling basis. If you are applying for a travel scholarship, please note we have limited funds, so we can only grant travel scholarships to attend the closest programs available to you.

ACCEPTANCE POLICY: Registrations will be accepted on a rolling basis until programs are full, at which point we will start a waiting list. Space is limited, so apply early! By completing the on-line registration form, a place in the program has been reserved for you. This does NOT mean that you have been accepted, only that we have reserved a spot for you pending our review of your application. Your application is ONLY complete once you have 1) Registered 2) Completed the Sprog Forms and we have received those forms by mail or fax and 3) Paid the Tuition, either on-line or in the mail. While you MAY, get notified of approval (which amounts to acceptance, pending the completion of steps 2 and 3) before payment and forms are received, your space in the program is not 100% secure until you have completed ALL three steps AND we have given you notice of acceptance. If, for some reason, we do NOT accept you, we will issue a full refund for payment received.

Submit forms by fax or mail and make checks payable to "Sierra Student Coalition"

Jon Barrows, Trainings Director

Sierra Student Coalition
408 C St. NE
Washington, DC 20002

Phone: 202-548-4592
Fax: 202-835-2072