Youth Engagement
Opportunities for Solano High School Youth
Sustainable Solano has grown our youth engagement across our various programs, including new Fellowships and internship opportunities for Solano high school students. This page outlines the upcoming opportunities and training sessions.
High school students must participate in one of the certification sessions offered in-person or online before starting a Sustainable Solano internship. These engaging certification sessions explore environmental challenges at a global, community and individual level, bringing the discussion to bear on youth leadership and engagement around environmental justice. Certification sessions are free to attend and open to any Solano high school student, and are listed on the right side of the page. Students can attend a certification session even if they are not ready to apply for an internship.
After participating in an internship, students are invited to join the Youth Leadership Council to connect with other students and continue shaping outreach within their communities.
Students interested in internships should fill out this application form.
Questions? Contact Allison Nagel at allison@sustainablesolano.org
Scroll down or use the links below to learn more about each internship opportunity.
Community Resilience
Urban Ag & Gardens
Youth Cooking/Local Food
Community Resilience
Youth Air Protectors
Location: Fairfield
Commitment: 20 weeks starting April 5
Stipend: $150 monthly
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but will close once the cohort begins
Air Protectors will research the air quality challenges for their communities, create outreach campaigns and support community-based projects centered around air quality, including air sensor installation and air quality mitigation projects. This cohort of the Youth Air Protectors will primarily focus on assessing intersections and connecting with residents for a community intersection project, leading sustainability walks, and helping to conduct outreach for the creation of a community action plan. Additionally, participants will help to conduct general outreach regarding air quality issues in Fairfield and will help to lead a sidewalk beautification project.
Weekly meetings will rotate between in-person at the Fairfield Civic Center Library and online. Meetings are 5-6 pm Wednesdays and start April 5.
(This program includes the certification material as part of the schedule.)
Urban Ag & Gardens
Sustainable Garden Internships
Location: Vallejo
Commitment: 8 weeks starting April 1
Stipend: $150 monthly
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but will close on April 1
Interns will learn basic permaculture principles with an emphasis on waterwise gardening, and engage with community members to increase the impact of Vallejo’s community gardens. They will cultivate connections with each other and the land, and help with community garden maintenance. Priority will be given to Vallejo residents, but applications are open to all Solano County high school students.
Youth Cooking/Local Food
Local Food Cooking & Outreach Internships
Location: Various locations throughout the county
Commitment: 14-16 weeks (Dates to be determined)
Stipend: $150 monthly
Application deadline: Applications will open in November 2022
Interns will learn about the larger local food system, Solano farmers operating within that
system, and how to prepare healthy, seasonal produce. They will learn how to teach others about Solano-grown specialty crops (fruit, vegetables, nuts and herbs). They will participate in an immersive culinary training course, design a creative message about specialty crops that will be shared with young audiences, and teach one or two simple classes to either their peers or a younger audience.
Certification Sessions
High school students must participate in one of Sustainable Solano’s free certification sessions to apply for an internship. Certification sessions are offered in-person and online quarterly.
During Spring 2023, the certification sessions will be offered as either part of an internship or worked out on an individual basis with interns once they are enrolled in an internship.
During certification, students will participate in Pachamama Alliance’s Awakening the Dreamer course and reflect on their vision for the world through a collage-art project, explore One Planet Living principles as a sustainability framework and approach to shaping personal action plans, and learn how to research environmental challenges within their communities.
Want to participate in a certification session but have a schedule conflict? Reach out to Allison Nagel at allison@sustainablesolano.org
Learn More
New Program in Fairfield Will Tackle Poor Air Quality
For too long, residents of Fairfield have had to shoulder a burden that, in large part, remains unseen by the naked eye — poor air quality. A new program from Sustainable Solano, with funding from the California Air Resources Board, invites you to join the grassroots movement to ensure everyone in Fairfield can breathe clean and safe air.
Outgrowing Chicken Tenders
A student participant and our program manager both reflect on the Youth Cooking Pilot Program
Youth Environmental Leaders Seek to Shape a Better World, Starting at Home
We’ve just completed SuSol’s first two Youth Environmental Leadership Fellowships. The high school students who participated in these programs are thoughtful, conscientious people who see the challenges ahead and are eager to find ways to improve themselves, their communities and the world.