As the school year winds down and planning for the next begins, it’s important to pause and reflect on the incredible progress made over the past year. As a backbone organization at Ten Strands, our mission is to strengthen partnerships and strategies that advance environmental literacy for all of California’s TK–12 students. This year, we’re especially proud of our team’s accomplishments and the momentum we’ve built. From launching a new curriculum for educators and celebrating Green Ribbon Schools honorees, to recruiting the third cohort of youth climate advocates—this year has been filled with milestones.
Below, you’ll read highlights from the recent Green Ribbon Schools ceremony, where our team shared more about these exciting developments.
Green Ribbon Schools Celebration
Each year, the California Department of Education (CDE) hosts the Green Ribbon Schools competition, encouraging public and private schools, districts, and county offices of education to showcase their sustainability efforts. Participants were recognized across four tiers based on performance in the program’s three “pillar” categories: environmental impact, health and wellness, and sustainability education:
- Bronze Level (Entry-Level Commitment): 55–64.9%
- Silver Level (Mid Integration): 65–74.9%
- Gold Level (Full Integration): 75% or higher
- Green Achiever – Top five Gold recognition status winners for the state
Twenty-six public schools, three private schools, and ten local educational agencies were awarded overall and we’re especially proud that 30% of them were members of the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)—an outstanding reflection of the strength, innovation, and impact of this statewide network. You can view all the California Green Ribbon Awardees in the press release from state superintendent of public instruction, Tony Thurmond.
George Garcia, CDE education programs consultant for Green Ribbon and a CAELI member, played a key role in the progress of this initiative and celebration. George oversaw the Green Ribbon Program and worked closely with CAELI leaders and activators throughout the year to support its growth through regional technical assistance efforts and by hosting a statewide network.
CAELI leaders also supported George in expanding the celebration to include opportunities for knowledge-building and networking in a summit-like atmosphere. The event was graciously hosted by the San Mateo County Office of Education, the first County Office in California to receive Green Achiever status—the highest level of Green Ribbon recognition. Attendees at the Green Ribbon Awards Summit included award recipients, CDE leaders, dignitaries, and community-based partners.
Andra Yeghoian, Ten Strands’ chief innovation officer, delivered an inspiring keynote address at the event. Her talk focused on her journey as an educator and leader for environmental and climate action in TK–12 schools, and the role the Green Ribbon Program had played in that journey.
Key inspirational messages included how to leverage the Green Ribbon application to take incremental action toward a transformative green paradigm shift, how changemakers could use a joyfully persistent attitude to turn a “No” into a “Yes”, and how school decision-makers could make strategic investments that supported the vision and core outcomes of the Green Ribbon Program.
To see a few highlights from this talk, check out Andra’s keynote video and final inspirational minute.
Seeds to Solutions Presentation
Earlier this month, the San Mateo County Office of Education and Ten Strands proudly announced the launch of Seeds to Solutions™, a set of free, open educational resources designed for California educators. These age-appropriate, standards-aligned environmental lessons span grades K–12 and are intended to equip educators with practical tools for integrating environmental literacy across subjects.
During a breakout session at the Green Ribbon Awards Ceremony Dr. Roni Jones, Ten Strands’ director of curriculum, introduced the materials to a diverse audience of teachers, administrators, district and county staff, community partners, and CDE representatives. The presentation provided an overview of the newly available curriculum materials and how they can support systems-level change for integrating environmental literacy in all subject areas. Participants were particularly interested in how to access the materials and how to support local implementation in all grades. Roni was excited to preview the contents of each unit and describe the initial reception of the curriculum by field test teachers in the spring of 2025.
Learn more about Seeds to Solutions at www.seedstosolutions.org.
California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program
At the Green Ribbon ceremony, Polina Goncharova, Ten Strands’ partnerships program specialist, helped spread the word about the third cohort of the California Youth Climate Policy (CYCP) Leadership Program. CYCP is a joint initiative led by Ten Strands, UndauntedK12, and the Sierra Club that empowers students to lead meaningful climate policy and action in their schools and communities.
Polina was joined by CYCP alumni Kieran Beckham and Timothy Lee, who shared their stories and the progress they’ve made as climate education advocates in their communities. Timothy was also one of the student keynote speakers, highlighting his advocacy work as a CYCP student and as a Youth Climate Ambassador in San Mateo County’s Youth Leadership Program.
Since graduating from the program, Timothy has continued his environmental advocacy by founding his school district’s Student Eco Alliance, educating fourth and seventh grade students about the threats of CO₂ emissions, and supporting the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit as co-lead of the communications team.
Kieran Beckham attended the ceremony with school leader Mrs. Latrese Jackson from Heritage Oak to receive a silver-level Green Ribbon award. Kieran played a key role in helping his school community earn this recognition.
You can listen to Kieran’s experience with the Green Ribbon program in his story here (start at 15:18).
Looking Ahead
As we look toward the next school year, we remain energized by the dedication of so many school communities who are working hard to integrate environmental and climate action with a whole school sustainability mindset. With each passing year, new and innovative ideas continue to emerge in Green Ribbon schools—and we’re excited to see what’s ahead. Stay tuned as the CDE launches the Green Ribbon application season for the 2025–26 school year this June.
