Grant Opportunities for Teachers

Strategic Energy Innovations: Air Quality Education Program

Strategic Energy Innovations’ (SEI) Air Quality Education Program provides curriculum, teacher stipends, training, classroom support, and handheld air quality testing monitors to teachers all at no cost. The program incorporates the Kids Making Sense kits and curriculum as well. The program is open to all San Diego County Middle and High Schools. Sign up to participate here!

Since 2020, more than 40 teachers have used the Air Quality Education Program to teach over 600 students about air quality in their communities. This program gives teachers access to the SEI curriculum components as well as the Kids Making Sense Air Quality Classroom kit and curriculum. Through the hands-on modules, students learn about air quality science and policy to build background knowledge, collect local air quality data, and work with each other to decide how they will communicate the data to others and use it to create change.

SEI’s air quality curriculum emphasizes environmental justice and public health by focusing on the disproportionate health impacts of air pollution on communities of color and low-income. After using CalEPA’s CalEnviroScreen tool to explore data on air pollution and environmental justice, students are empowered to create local action plans around green transportation, energy conservation, and pollution mitigation. Past projects have included hosting a youth climate summit, presenting data to city councils, and interviewing community members. You can read more about how teachers have used our curriculum in the past here!

Our air quality program can be customized to fit your needs with any of the following elements:

● Curriculum (SEI and Kids Making Sense)
● Teacher stipends
● Kids Making Sense air quality monitoring kits for your classroom
● Instructional planning, classroom support, and guest speakers
● Teacher training on SEI’s air quality curriculum
● Student action planning

Sign up using this form if you would like to use our resources in your classroom this semester! Feel free to reach out to austenneedleman@seiinc.org if you have any questions.

SEI’s Air Quality Education Program is funded through the California Air Resources Board.