Writing for the World

Writing for the World

NTS STORIES OF STUDEACTION TAKING CLIMATE Spring 2026 LAUSD Student Climate Champions

This book was written by the students from the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The views expressed in this book are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of 826LA. We support student publishing and are thrilled you picked up this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Este libro fue escrito por los estudiantes del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Los Ángeles.

Las opiniones expresadas en este libro son las de los autores y no reflejan necesariamente las de 826LA. Apoyamos la publicación de jóvenes autores y estamos felices que hayan recogido este libro.

Todos los derechos reservados. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial de este libro sin autorización escrita del editor.

Editors: Shani Foster Jaime Balboa Jerry Song Cover Artwork & Design: Shireen Alihaji Plants from Echo Park & MacArthur Park

Echo Park 1714 Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

2

Mar Vista 12515 Venice Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90066

Writing for the World

NTS STORIES OF STUDEACTION TAKING CLIMATE Spring 2026 LAUSD Student Climate Champions

3

Table of Contents About This Book

2

Introduction

6

Acknowledgments

8

​​Malabar Street Elementary 11

Malachi Barbozo (Kindergarten) 24th St Early Education Center Alanis (Preschool)

13

Jasmine

Dylan Horta (Preschool)

14

Jake Santamaria (Preschool) Webster Middle School

15 Daniel

Kristy Mitchell (8th Grade)

17

Menlo Avenue Elementary Alison Trochez (5th Grade)

19

Charlette Zuniga (5th Grade)

20

Eliel Orellana Campo (Kindergarten)

22

Catalina Perdomo (Kindergarten)

23

Selma Chinchilla-Horwitz (Kindergarten)

24

Lorne Street Elementary Peyton Cuello (5th Grade)

26

Jeremy Moreira (4th Grade)

31

Carthay Elementary of Environmental Studies Magnet Iris H. (3rd Grade)

33

Azarin Yazdi (3rd Grade)

34

Camila Rivera (3rd Grade)

35

Agnes Ortega (3rd Grade)

36

Royalty (3rd Grade)

37

Valentina E. (3rd Grade)

38

Julianna Solano (3rd Grade)

39

4

Grace (3rd Grade)

40

Gabriella (3rd Grade)

41

Griffith Middle School STEAM Magnet Grace S. (6th Grade)

43

Cahuenga Elementary

46

Sarah Park (4th Grade)

47

Shane Baek (4th Grade)

49

Abby Gudiel (4th Grade)

50

Paul Paik (4th Grade)

52

Able Kwon (4th Grade)

54

Kaydon Lee (4th Grade)

56

Carpenter Community Charter A.L.N. (3rd Grade)

58

L.M.C. (4th Grade)

59

Early Education Centers: Brooklyn Ave & Fair Ave Joseph Lima (Preschool)

61

Xachary (Preschool)

63

Arely (Preschool)

64

Monserath (Preschool)

65

Victory Boulevard Elementary Axel Giron (Kindergarten)

67

Leia Gareeva (Kindergarten)

68

Eva Shishkina (Kindergarten)

69

Nathaniel Narbonne Senior High Alana Davila (12th Grade)

71

Angel Gonzalez (12th Grade)

75

Helen Ho (12th Grade)

78

About 826LA

82

Programs

83

5

Introduction Writing for the World: Stories of Students Taking Climate Action is the inaugural Los Angeles Unified School Districtwide Young Authors Book Project and marks a powerful beginning: one shaped by the voices of students throughout the District. Made possible through a partnership with the Division of Instruction and 826LA, this collection brings together writing from forty students from twelve schools: preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school. It demonstrates that concern for our planet is not limited by age. From the smallest observations to the boldest calls for action, these young authors show a deep awareness of the environmental challenges facing our communities and the world.

Within these pages, students explore topics as varied as wildfires, ocean pollution, bees, and gardening, each piece reflecting both curiosity and calls to action. Together, their words form a collective reminder that environmental stewardship starts early and belongs to everyone. This first volume stands as proof that young Angelenos not only understand the urgency of climate change, but that young people can lead the way to a more sustainable Los Angeles.

6

It’s our hope to grow this book project next year and thereafter, to eventually harness and give voice to the creative approaches to environmental stewardship of hundreds of students.

Sincerely, Jaime Balboa Editor & Executive Director 826LA Shani Foster Editor & Director of Education 826LA Jerry Song Editor & STEAM Coordinator: Climate Literacy LAUSD Division of Instruction

7

Acknowledgments LAUSD Division of Instruction Participating Teachers and Staff Afrodita Fuentes Alicia Reyes Alona Murillo Amalia A. Jimenez Claudia Follosco Deiona Gutierrez Dina Jauregui Elizabeth Mendez Jessica Robles Logan Jocelyne Vargas Katherine Reyes Leila Shapiro Luscinda Silva Maria Cortes Matthew Reyes Mireya Salcedo Mrs. Ortega Wonnie Pak

8

Participating Schools 24th St Early Education Center Brooklyn Ave Early Education Center Cahuenga Elementary Carpenter Community Charter Carthay Elementary of Environmental Studies Magnet Daniel Webster Middle School Fair Ave Early Education Center Griffith Middle School STEAM Magnet Lorne Street Elementary Malabar Street Elementary Menlo Avenue Elementary Nathaniel Narbonne Senior High Victory Boulevard Elementary

9

Malabar Street Elementary

10

Malachi Barbozo Kindergarten

Malachi was inspired to clean up his community and world by picking up dog poop.

11

24th St Early Education Center Exploring Our World: Drawing Inspirations The following preschool students were inspired by the environmental literature of Todd Parr. After reading I Love the Earth, these young artists explored the delicate balance of our environment and the meaningful ways humans can act as stewards to protect our home.

12

Jasmine Alanis Preschool

Jasmine’s drawing was inspired by the book I Love the Earth by Todd Parr.

13

Dylan Horta Preschool

Dylan’s drawing was inspired by the book I Love the Earth by Todd Parr.

14

Jake Santamaria Preschool

Jake’s drawing was inspired by the book I Love the Earth by Todd Parr.

15

Daniel Webster Middle School

16

Kristy Mitchell 8th Grade

Kristy was inspired by The Climate Club’s ‘Ocean Up’ initiative, which focuses on cleaning up the campus. By removing litter locally, the group ensures that trash never has the chance to reach the ocean.

17

Menlo Avenue Elementary

18

Alison Trochez 5th Grade

Alison was moved to write by the urgent reality of greenhouse gases and their cascading effects on our planet. Their work focuses on the protection of sea animals and the growing threat of rising water levels, driven by a deep concern for how wildfires are reshaping our environment.

Dear Earth, We are sorry for all the effects we gave you, for the extra Greenhouse gases, and for not being able to put our part, making you hotter and colder through the seasons.

Also burning you, And we are trying to help you. We are sorry.

To add, we are trying to stop the wild fires so sorry, that must hurt.

To continue, we are sorry for hurting your sea animals, and for the rising water levels, the melting glaciers due to climate change.

Sorry earth. Save Mother earth!

19

Charlette Zuniga 5th Grade

Charlette found their inspiration in the increasingly volatile weather patterns she sees every day. From summers that are getting significantly hotter to the intensification of forest fires, they highlight the dangerous shift in our climate, where winters are getting colder and flash flooding has become a more frequent, life-threatening risk.

Climate Change Summers are getting hotter, Faced with spells of drought, It’s true without a doubt. Also forest fires are burning, it might be a threat to wildlife there. Leaving the grass light brown, dry, looking sad, and bare, thinking about our future, and wondering, What can be done to help our earth? This is the world we live in, it is our only one.

Summers are getting hotter, Faced with spells of drought, It’s true without a doubt. Also forest fires are burning, it might be a threat to wildlife there. Leaving the grass light brown, dry, looking sad, and bare, thinking about our future, and wondering, What can be done to help our earth? This is the world we live in, it is our only one.

20

Winters are getting colder, flash flooding are getting more dangerous, houses are covered in snow, people are falling because of ice on the floor, people can’t go to work, some people are getting sick, the sea levels are rising, more glaciers are melting, the sun is getting hotter, I wish people would help earth, this is the only place we can live in.

Climate change is not funny, all people care about is their money. From digging up oil, we need more soil. Let’s try to keep our world clean, Not an ozone hole to be seen. More electric types of cars, we need more by far. Let’s work as a team, and easy will it seem, and tackle climate change Who will make an effort? For the biggest problem we’ve ever faced, it only takes a second to look at which bin to throw your waste. Instead of traveling by car, you can go take a bike or walk with your friends or family, and if everyone does their small part, the world might be a better place.

21

Eliel Orellana Campo Kindergarten

This creative work is the culmination of an integrated study across Language Arts, Science, and the Arts, focusing on the vital role of pollinators. By exploring the “Save the Bees” awareness initiative, our youngest students learned the importance of protecting these essential creatures and expressed their commitment to climate action through their own unique artistic voices.

22

Catalina Perdomo Kindergarten

This creative work is the culmination of an integrated study across Language Arts, Science, and the Arts, focusing on the vital role of pollinators. By exploring the “Save the Bees” awareness initiative, our youngest students learned the importance of protecting these essential creatures and expressed their commitment to climate action through their own unique artistic voices.

23

Selma Chinchilla-Horwitz Kindergarten

This creative work is the culmination of an integrated study across Language Arts, Science, and the Arts, focusing on the vital role of pollinators. By exploring the “Save the Bees” awareness initiative, our youngest students learned the importance of protecting these essential creatures and expressed their commitment to climate action through their own unique artistic voices.

Caring For Our Trees

24

Lorne Street Elementary

25

Peyton Cuello 5th Grade

The writing was connected to a hands-on environmental science project where students researched why Monarch butterfly populations are declining and explored ways to help them. The class watched educational videos, worked in groups to discuss solutions, and then took action by preparing old planter beds at their school with fresh soil. They carefully planned where to place each plant using grids and planted species that support monarch butterflies. As part of the project, the students also created a presentation and led an assembly for younger students to teach them about monarch butterflies and how to care for the garden in the future. The goal of the lesson was to combine research, environmental stewardship, and community education to help protect monarch butterflies and raise awareness about supporting pollinators.The following piece represents the culmination of this journey, where research and stewardship inspired a final narrative on the impact of our collective actions.

26

The Decline of the Monarch Butterflies

Have you ever noticed less and less monarch butterflies flying around in the summer? If you have never seen one, that’s because the population has been slowly dying over these past years.

One issue my community noticed was we hardly saw any butterflies, especially monarch butterflies. It turns out their population has been slowly declining over these past few decades. So if you ever see one or two, you’re very lucky to see it.

To solve this problem we decided to research the facts of monarchs. We learned what they eat, what they use to protect themselves, and what they lay their eggs on. After talking about it as a class for a few days, and researching, we decided to plant the type of foods the monarch butterflies use in order to continue the life cycle. We decided on Milkweed, Verbena, Goldenrod, Aster, Yarrow, Buckwheat and Pink Jasmine. The reason why we planted them is because we want monarch butterflies to fly all over the world again. The population of the monarch butterfly dropped 58 percent in 2022-2023 alone.

27

We decided to take action by helping the monarch population make a huge comeback. First, we watched videos about the monarch butterflies and people telling others to take action by planting milkweed in their garden. Then we went into little small groups and talked about what we should do in order to raise their population again. Next, we decided to take action by putting some new soil in our old planter beds. Then after a bit, we decided to start planning and determined where to put our Milkweed, Buckwheat, Pink Jasmine, Goldenrod, Yarrow, Verbena, and Aster in our planter beds. We made grids so we could spread the plants out evenly around the space. Then we made a presentation telling the 1st graders how they will take care of the planter beds some day. We sang a song that has the body parts of a monarch butterfly. We told them awesome facts about monarch butterflies, why we made this project, and why we even started to do this project.

28

The key action we did was by using our old planter beds that nobody hardly used or saw. We decided to make a use for them by getting the old soil and new soil and mixing them together.

This gave us a good amount of soil to fill about two thirds of the planter beds. After a bit, my teacher and I decided to lead an assembly telling the first graders how this project will affect the future generations. We also learned that in fifth grade we would get our hands dirty, but get it dirty for a better cause.

In the future, I will continue to care for this project that will impact the future. It will increase the population of the monarch butterflies and stop extinction for their population. This work is so important because we needed to take action because not many people know nor said anything about seeing less and less monarch butterflies. We took about a month to complete the project. It was a lot of hard work. When it was over, it was all worth it, because ever since that month, we have been yelling out, “Monarch butterfly!” everywhere in our school.

29

A lesson I learned participating in this project was I can’t change what’s going on in the present. This will also change what’s going to happen in the future. I know not to think of the past too much, but do good actions so your future can change into something better. Plus after researching a bit more during this project, I learned a lot of different and very cool facts about those monarch butterflies. Hopefully after about 2 or 3 years the population will make a comeback.

Hopefully we can see more and more monarch butterflies moving to some place warmer in the winter. Something I want to share with you is that when helping the environment, it makes you feel proud that you’re helping mother nature and that we are helping to reduce trash and save animals that are slowly going extinct.

30

Jeremy Moreira 4th Grade

The student was inspired by actions that help keep the environment clean, safe, and sustainable. In the poem, they highlight climate-friendly behaviors such as not littering, using recycling bins, keeping forests and parks clean, reducing pollution in public spaces, and protecting animals and their natural habitats. The poem encourages people to take action now and make more eco-friendly choices in their daily lives. This

E- Environments need to be safe N- No smoking in places public V- Very clean forests and parks I- In the streets no trash R- Rights to let animals live in the forests O- Only having recyclable bins at parks N- No more trash everywhere M- More stuff eco friendly E- Ecosystems need to be clean N- Now is the time to act and be green T- Taking care of the environment will help us all

31

Carthay Elementary of Environmental Studies Magnet Living Our Mission: Action in Every Sphere As an environmental studies school, our students are challenged to go beyond theory. These pieces illustrate their deep understanding of why personal action is essential to our collective future.

32

Iris H.

3rd Grade The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

Our Sustainable World We should make our world, school, and community more sustainable. One reason why is because it can save animals lives. Since climate change has started, the ice caps are melting, so animals like polar bears are dying. Another reason is that it will encourage others to do the same. If you get other people to do it, then they might get other people to do action, too! That means that you are making a change, even if you aren’t doing anything. A final reason is that it will just make the world a better place. Then everyone will be happy. Even people that don’t care! That is why you should take climate action, and I strongly encourage you to do it.

33

Azarin Yazdi 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

Why Should We Take Action?

We should take action to make our school, world, and community more sustainable. One reason is because so many animals are dying because of the pollution. To fix that maybe there should be more trash cans (near the beach mainly) so there is no littering and more animals. Another reason is because so many people are littering and it’s hurting our planet/ environment. In conclusion, now you can/should help our world become more sustainable.

34

Camila Rivera 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

Our Sustainable World We should take action to make our world, school, and community more sustainable. One reason is we should pick up trash to make our world more clean and also we should pick up trash so animals won’t die, and get stuck in it. Another reason is we should have a garden so we have foods like fruits and vegetables. In conclusion this is why we should take action to make our world, school, and community more sustainable.

35

Agnes Ortega 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

How can we take action in our school?

We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it healthier because right now we are not treating the world right, and it’s not fair to the world. You guys are hurting the world. We compost because we want to have a school that does not litter and to have a healthy school that we care about.

Another reason why you should compost is because it is easier and better. Also, when you go walking, you should pick up the trash that is on the floor so you can help our Earth. One way you can take action is by composting and helping the Earth. Also, we do not want to kill animals; they are the things that help us live, so do not throw plastic bags in the ocean. For example, it can choke turtles and they can die. Last, you should recycle if you love Mother Nature.

36

Royalty

3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

Climate Change We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it more sustainable and healthy for the environment.

One way you can take action is by cleaning the environment.

The reason why you should clean is because the environment will be clean and healthy. Another way to take action is by saving pollinators. The reason why we should save pollinators is because if we save pollinators, we will have more plants and vegetables.

37

Valentina E. 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it more sustainable. One way is by picking up trash.It will help the Earth because animals won’t become extinct because they won’t eat trash. For example, if you find a piece of trash lying around, you can pick it up. You can also do other things like composting or sorting trash. You can sort trash by putting liquid in a container and putting compost in a different container. Also, you can reuse some trash. For example,you can use a water bottle and make it a piggy bank. You can also make blocks out of wood. One last thing you can do is recycle plastic.

38

Julianna Solano 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it cleaner and healthier. One way you can take action is by taking care of trees because if we don’t, we won’t be able to breathe and we would die. The reason why you should not litter is because animals will think it’s food and they will eat it, and when they eat it they will die. Another way to take action is by recycling. The reason why you should recycle is because if you don’t, everything will be dirty.

39

Grace

3rd Grade The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

The Environment We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it more sustainable by picking up trash. One reason why we should pick up trash is because animals in the sea, forest, and any other habitat would get hurt and will die if they don’t get out of trash. And even bugs; some bugs are going towards extinction. Also, bugs help the environment and help the plants.

Another way to take action is by composting. The reason why we should compost is because it makes soil for the plants to grow.

40

Gabriella 3rd Grade

The following reflection serves as the finished product of this environmental study, capturing how a student’s direct involvement in school-based conservation transformed their understanding of global responsibility.

Taking action We should take action in our school, community, and world to make it more sustainable. We can make it more sustainable by picking up trash and sorting food. Sorting food helps the environment by making fresh soil. Picking up trash helps the environment by making our Earth clean. Those are two ways to make our world more sustainable.

41

Griffith Middle School STEAM Magnet

42

Grace S. 6th Grade

Within the classroom, students have been consistently reminded of the vital role the blue recycling bin plays in their daily environment. Throughout the semester, the class focused on identifying exactly which items belong in the bin and discussing the real-world impact their collective efforts can make. The aspiration is that this message of stewardship will ripple outward, as these students carry their habits from their own desks to every other classroom across the school.

The Blue Recycle Bin Project Students at Griffith Middle School have taken action to make the school, community, and world a more sustainable place by starting the “Blue Recycle Bin Project.” By starting this project, students will make posters about why you should recycle, and what does and doesn’t go in the recycle bin. Then, students will put the posters all over campus to inform other students about the project, and why you should start recycling. Students are participating in this project because they want other kids to know the importance of recycling.

43

Students are participating in this project because they want other kids to know the importance of recycling. Us students want everyone to live in a happy, healthy world. Since recycling is essential for the earth’s economic, environmental, and resource sustainability, we created this project.

Students are also considering having a separate recycling bin for text books. The majority of the students at Griffith just toss their books at the end of the year. That is a huge waste of paper that could have been reused. By having a separate bin, with a separate poster, it will encourage students to recycle their text books instead of throwing them away. By using the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), students will come to realize that the students can make an impact on our lives, and the world, just by the small projects we do.

At Griffith, we want students to spread the word, so then other people will participate in this project at home. We want people to know that even using the back side of a sheet of paper can make a difference. If we keep recycling every year, it can help stop deforestation.

44

Recycling will help humans and animals live a better life.

Reducing how much of something we use will also help, and can teach people the importance of why being wasteful is causing harm to our environment. By recycling, reusing, and reducing, we will have enough materials to create other things, and maybe even more innovations that help with the recycling project.

Less than 10% of plastic is recycled, and about 13% of waste is recycled. This suggests that a vast amount of the world’s population does not recycle. And by continuing to do these projects at Griffith, we can help improve that. The students not only want humans to have an amazing place to live in, but we also want the animals to have a happy place to live in. No matter how big or how small, we will do anything to help and provide for everyone. In essence, Griffith students want to make a difference, and help out the world, with even the smallest projects. Students at our school prioritize making our school, community, and the world, a more sustainable, and a better place.

45

Cahuenga Elementary After engaging with environmental literature and analyzing an author’s perspective on the planet’s future, students explored the deep connection between human behavior and ecological health. Through these discussions on why protection is so vital, the class translated their insights into original poetry, offering their own unique voices on how to care for the world we share. The following stories and poems represent the finished products of these reflections, capturing each student’s personal commitment to a more sustainable future.

46

Sarah Park 4th Grade

Pollution The Earth is dying, slowly but surely, day by day, killed by our hands.

Our seas, our lands, defiled everywhere.

When will this end?

Do people not care?

The Earth is crying— does nobody hear?

The sky is gloomy— does nobody see?

47

How can people ignore it?

While harmful smoke fills our sky, while toxic fumes fill our air, without guilt or regret, released by careless sources— Can we still see our sky?

Can we still breathe our air?

Do people not care?

48

Shane Baek 4th Grade

More Greens Trees, trees make a living sea Grass, grass make a living earth Trees, trees a living sea of people Grass, grass a sea of green

49

Abby Gudiel 4th Grade

Weather Changes Everyday It is raining like the tears on your cheeks.

It is sunny like the bright smile you have on your face.

It is cloudy like your mind full of thoughts.

It is windy like you whistling alone in the darkness.

50

Everyday the weather is different.

Everyday you change too.

The rain, sun, wind, and clouds are gifts from Earth for me and you.

51

Paul Paik 4th Grade

Paul’s was inspired by recycling as a way to help the environment. In their class, students learned about reducing waste and protecting the Earth. Paul wrote a short poem explaining why recycling is important and how they can take action in their daily lives.

Please Recycle!!!

I’m on the ground pick me up!!!

I’m in the wrong bin put me into the recycling bin!!!

I need to get recycled Please don’t let earth get

52

I need to get recycled and make new things Please don’t let earth be POLLUTED!!!

Please don’t let earth get MESSY!!!

53

Able Kwon 4th Grade

Able was inspired by climate action and caring for the Earth.

In their class students learned about climate and shared what climate means to them. Able wrote a short piece explaining why taking care of the climate is important and how they can take action in their daily lives.

Climate It is hot outside I’m a microwave It is cold I’m an ice cube It is so mild

54

I’m a relaxing bear It is freezing I’m in the arctic It is scorching outside I’m a block of magma Beautiful everlasting climate!

55

Kaydon Lee 4th Grade

Kaydon was inspired by school greening, planting more trees, and raising awareness about caring for the Earth. In their class, students shared what these actions mean to them. Kaydon wrote a short poem explaining why it is important and how they can take action at school.

My Trees My Tree brings fresh air to my city.

My Tree brings me fresh apple for me.

My Tree brings me more happiness.

My Tree brings me more shade for me to read in.

56

Carpenter Community Charter

57

A.L.N.

3rd Grade Inspired by the goal of campus beautification and the creative reuse of materials, students turned their focus to revitalizing forgotten spaces. By clearing old planters and researching the specific needs of annuals and perennials, they combined scientific planning with hands-on stewardship to breathe new life into their school environment.

The Plant Project We pulled out several weeds from old planters to create new space for new plants. We created a map to map out where we want to put the new plants and pots. We numbered the spots and started researching plants to learn the difference between annuals and perennials . It was important that we arranged the chosen plants so that some went in full sun and others went in full shade depending on the needs of each plant.

58

L.M.C.

4th Grade A Message from Carpenter’s Climate Literacy Club Hi! This writing piece is to represent the Climate Literacy Club at Carpenter. We love to help out. Some of the ways that we are making a difference in our community are planting beautiful plants and flowers, rewedding, and making our mascot out of recyclables!

The reason that this matters to us is that we love helping the Earth because we only have one, and nobody considers the earth like we do! We hope that in the future we can stop the use of plastic in our school cafeteria because it is wasteful and contaminates our food with microplastics. We also want to do recycling contests with eco-friendly prizes!

All in all, we love our Earth! Thank you.

59

Early Education Centers: Brooklyn Ave & Fair Ave

60

Joseph Lima Preschool

The following drawing, Planet Climates, reflects a foundational understanding of global systems and climate change. Through this creative expression, students explored the delicate balance of our environment and the meaningful ways humans can act as stewards to protect the earth.

61

The following creative works reflect a lesson centered on the meaningful ways we can each contribute to taking care of our planet. Through their art, the students explored how small, thoughtful actions, even at a young age can help protect and nurture the natural world around us.

62

Xachary

Preschool - Planet Protectors Throw your trash away and water the plants.

63

Arely

Preschool I’m going to take care of the planet so the plants won’t die.

64

Monserath Preschool

I’’m going to save the planet so there’s no trash in the ocean.

65

Victory Boulevard Elementary Energy Conservation Through their drawings, these kindergarten students illustrated powerful ways to save energy and reduce our ecological footprint.

66

Axel Giron Kindergarten

67

Leia Gareeva Kindergarten

Dylan’s drawing was inspired by the book I Love the Earth by Todd Parr.

68

Eva Shishkina Kindergarten

69

Nathaniel Narbonne Senior High

70

Alana Davila 12th Grade

Alana is in an Environmental Studies class tasked with restoring the school garden, beginning with the regeneration of dead soil into fertile soil by maintaining a composting program and increasing biodiversity. She has experienced the extremely hard work this all takes, especially taking out tough weeds in a very large garden area, and so she is determined to encourage others to join the efforts in ultimately increasing the number of plants in the garden. Alana is using her role and platform as a member of her ASB class to showcase her two videos in the school’s Gaucho News videos. Gaucho News is featured every Friday morning.

My climate action project is Climate Advocacy and Education.

Climate advocacy to me means to spread awareness and educate people. I am determined to encourage people to take action to protect the environment. Climate action is important to me because the choices people make now will affect the planet of tomorrow. Learning about our environmental issues has opened my eyes, making me realize that even small actions can make a difference.

71

This past year I have taken two actions to raise climate action education awareness- I created a couple of videos that were featured in our school’s weekly news and I initiated collaboration between two of my teachers.

IIn my first video I encourage students to help restore our school garden. I explained that growing plants helps restore biodiversity, showing care for the environment around us. Being involved in the garden allows students to see firsthand how plants grow and how nature comes together in a functional ecosystem. Being in the garden encourages me to appreciate the environment and understand the importance of maintaining and protecting it. In my second video I explained our composting program – why composting helps reduce food waste going into the landfills and instead going into the soil to improve its fertility.

Around our school we have green bins to collect food scraps, including bread, vegetables, and fruits.

72

These items are then added to our compost pile where we use the lasagna method of composting, which includes green layers of horse manure, grass, leaves and brown layers that include dry leaves and mulch. Then my classmates help mix and water the compost biweekly, so that a few months later our compost is ready to be integrated into the existing soil. So far, in one year our composting program has collected about 1,500 pounds of compostable materials, helping reduce waste while creating healthy soil for plants in our garden.

My second climate education action was to initiate a collaboration between my environmental studies teacher and my ASB (Associated Student Body) teacher to help bring more attention to environmental issues and encourage students to participate in climate action. As a result, 15 of my classmates from ASB and 15 classmates from my environmental studies class participated in a reforestation project with The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, where we helped care for oak trees by weeding, providing shade, and creating berms so water reaches their roots effectively. These trees had been planted in an area where the Woolsey fire occurred in 2018.

73

The impact of my climate action project seems successful. The comments I’ve received from my video include my peers being inspired by my videos and they started putting their leftover fruits in our green bins. Now, more students are involved in environmental efforts at our school. And after our reforestation field trip, my classmates want to participate in these efforts more frequently, and my teachers are working on more opportunities for us to participate. This project can continue in the future because the systems we created, like the composting program around campus, can keep being used by students each year. Future environmental studies classes and ASB members can continue maintaining the garden, collecting compostable materials, and educating other students about environmental issues. By keeping these programs going, our school can continue diverting food scraps from landfills and into improving our garden soil, and encouraging students to care more about protecting the environment through more sustainable methods.

74

Angel Gonzalez 12th Grade

Since January 2025, Angel has been a cornerstone of the EcoEquity Club’s garden restoration, showing up every Thursday and often stepping in on Mondays whenever the land needs care. He approaches regeneration with a scientist’s eye,meticulously managing soil health, maintaining the compost’s moisture, and researching advanced transplanting techniques. Angel’s intellectual curiosity shines through his writing and his genuine delight in the garden’s ecosystem, from the soil to the jumping spiders. His welcoming personality creates an inclusive space for all members, and his thoughtful, reflective insights consistently elevate the quality of the club’s activities and discussions.

My Climate Action - Soil RestoNathaniel Narbonne Senior High’s garden originally had soil drier than a worm caught in the sun, lacking the essential nutrients required for plants to grow.

75

Through my time helping out, I learned that healthy soil is supposed to be dark, moist, and earthy smelling. Optimally, it contains worms which was not the case when I first arrived but through diligent weekly work by myself and other students and teachers, I have seen a drastic improvement in soil health.

Of the work I have done in the garden, I have especially enjoyed planting seeds in small plastic pots to create seed starters.

Transplanting the sprouts into the garden is particularly rewarding because of the care needed to remove them from the pots without crumbling the soil. Additionally, weeding the areas around our plants until there are few or none left was refreshing.

I usually don’t see immediate results from what I do, but when gardening, I can really see the fruits of my labor as the weeds are slowly but surely uprooted and the plants grow.

Another vital action I have taken is composting and tending to the compost pile. Composting is a lengthy process that requires daily watering to maintain the moisture levels microbes need in order to coalesce. The resulting microbe ecosystem is a great help to the soil because it acts as an amendment that promotes moisture retention, nutrient density, and plant growth.

76

Plants are absolute necessities to maintain soil health primarily because they prevent the earth from being eroded by climate changes, such as heavy rains causing floods or strong winds picking up the soil. Some plants also enhance the soil, such as clover, which converts nitrogen from the atmosphere into a usable form; this is important because nitrogen improves the growth rate of plant stems and leaves. The main reason it is important to improve and maintain soil health is because soil is the backbone of all life on earth. It provides food for us and many other animals, creating the balance we call an ecosystem.

Additionally, those plants help regulate carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere by sequestering it into the soil. This is critical because carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas, and global warming is a major issue that threatens species requiring cooler climates and if it gets bad enough, it will threaten us as well.

77

Helen Ho 12th grade

Since joining the EcoEquity Climate Action Club in January 2026, Helen has been driven by a clear vision: the global improvement of human health through environmental stewardship. As a dedicated activist, she is often seen advocating for critical issues, grounding her passion in the scientific understanding that soil health is the foundation of biodiversity and human wellness.

While Helen leads multiple organizations, the garden serves as a space for her to bridge high-level theory with handson action. Whether she is leading by example by tackling the demanding work of the compost pile or navigating the learning curve of garden tools with humor, she inspires others to follow her lead. Helen seamlessly integrates her studies in Physiology, Marine Biology, and Environmental Science into her club work, championing systems thinking and advocating for a more transdisciplinary, collaborative curriculum across the school.

78

In Summer of 2024, I was a fellow for Harbor-UCLA’s Medical Fellowship and I was exposed to a healthcare landscape I have never seen before. In high-need communities such as Harbor City and Wilmington, families who were Black, Brown, and of Asian descent were uninsured and did not have access to safety net healthcare providers to address their health concerns. These health concerns started off as asthma and allergies which soon spiraled into synonyms of pre-diabetics, liver, or kidney failure. I realized the magnitude of how racial and educational barriers were connected with the environment these families lived in. I was inspired to bridge health education gaps by creating a youth network of health advocates around the world. That summer, I founded Young Health Advocates, an organization aimed to bridge health education in underserved communities. As Founder, I lead bi-weekly virtual workshops and mobilize over 200+ youth advocates in 20+ States and 10+ Countries.

79

This year, I am taking AP Environmental Science and joined EcoEquity Club. The most rewarding part of immersing myself in club and class is the privilege of growing and harvesting organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs. As climate champion, I have strap on my boots to mix school food scraps for our composting program. My commitment to sustainability is to reduce methane emissions at Narbonne High School, which in turn increased the air quality within marginalized communities in Lomita and Harbor City. The connections between the roots of the trees, culturally relevant plants, and witnessing plants grow encourages me to nurture my environmental activism along with the garden. The knowledge I gained here, and the support from partnerships such as; Generation Earth, the Sierra Club Los Angeles Inspiring Connection Outdoors, and the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains were indispensable. They served as seeds of opportunities for me to enrich myself into how the soil, the food we consume, the air we breathe, and the land we inherit mold us into who we are and the future continuity of the generations to come.

80

By strengthening our relationship with mother nature, young people like myself can be champions for environmental justice for the youth today and of tomorrow. Last fall Generation Earth’s representative Caesar facilitated a “Urban Heat Island & Shade Equity: workshop at my school and that inspired me to conduct a “medtalk” workshop for my organization.

The workshop featured how environmental racism and disproportionate wealth gaps between communities of color and those who are affluent affect air quality, food security, and higher rates of mortality. Due to the lack of greenery, the presence of factories and highways, low-income communities faced higher respiratory diseases and were more prone to cancer risks.

Partnerships like Generational Earth empowered me to take action and leverage Young Health Advocates to write letters to our Congressional Districts to combat environmental inequalities we identified in our communities. These letters addressed issues such as lack of green spaces, lack of food programs to alleviate access to healthy foods, and enforcing more air quality management warnings to mitigate overexposure to harmful toxins. Together, my team, members, and I - comprising middle-high school students held our elected officials accountable as we gained recognition and grant proposals for our work.

81

About 826LA Vision: 826LA envisions a Los Angeles where every child has access to quality writing education and is empowered to express themselves creatively through writing. We envision a Los Angeles where every teacher is supported in their writing-based educational objectives.

Mission: 826LA is dedicated to unlocking and cultivating the creative power of writing for students ages 6 to 18, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

How we advance our mission: A nonprofit organization, our services are structured around our understanding that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention, and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.

With this in mind, we provide after-school tutoring in all subjects, evening and weekend workshops, in-school programs, field trips, college access, help for English language learners, and assistance with student publications.

All of our programs are challenging and enjoyable, and ultimately strengthen each student’s ability to express ideas effectively, creatively, confidently, and in their own voice.

Core Values: 826LA values joy in the service of achieving educational goals. Our community norms value diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. We therefore prioritize partnerships with Title 1 Schools, engagement with historically marginalized populations, and training and deploying community-based volunteers in support of our mission.

As a teaching approach, we value creativity, authenticity, empathy, and lively, rigorous, and student-centered writing education. As an educational enrichment organization, we value supporting teachers, principals, and other school staff in the pursuit of excellence.

Programs After-School Writing Programs

82

Mondays through Thursdays, students attend 826LA for afterschool writing programs. Students participate in community building activities, work on homework or reading with trained tutors, and of course, write! Students submit their writing for inclusion in chapbooks, which 826LA publishes twice a year. To celebrate students’ hard work, 826LA unveils these chapbooks at book release parties, where students read their work to thunderous applause from their volunteers, families, and peers.

Field Trips During the week, 826LA invites teachers and their students to our writing labs to participate in a morning of collaboration, creativity, and writing. Whether Storytelling & Bookmaking, Well-Wishing & Poetry, Choose Your Own Adventure, or Memoir, field trips at 826LA support teacher curriculum and student learning by offering a safe space for students to be their most imaginative and to work on their writing skills. In a few short hours, students brainstorm, write, edit their work, and leave with something tangible—a bound book—as well as a renewed confidence in their ability to tell their stories.

In-Schools Programs & Writers’ Rooms Because not all students can come to us, 826LA brings specially trained volunteer tutors into classrooms throughout Los Angeles.

There, volunteers provide one-on-one or small group assistance with writing projects. 826LA works with teachers to craft all projects, which are designed to engage students while targeting curricular needs. In addition to visiting twenty schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District each year, 826LA has additional sites within Manual Arts High School, Roosevelt High School, and Venice High School called The 826LA Writers’ Rooms.

Workshops 826LA’s workshops bring students together with artists, writers, and professionals for creative collaboration. Whether the subject is journalism or preparing for the zombie apocalypse, our workshops foster student creativity while strengthening writing skills. This program includes two long-running partnerships with Paramount Pictures and the Hammer Museum.

Join the Future Bestsellers Club!

83

Sign up to make a monthly donation to 826LA and you’ll join our Future Bestsellers Club. For as little as ten dollars each month, we’ll deliver writing from our brilliant, emerging authors right to you! Go to 826LA.org/donate and click on Future Bestsellers Club to join.

Shop the Time Travel Mart!

Visit our Time Travel Mart storefronts in Echo Park and Mar Vista where you can shop for all your time traveling gears and gadgets.

From Mammoth Chunks to Robot Milk to original student-authored books, we pride ourselves on being the only Los Angeles purveyor of quality goods from the past, present, and future. The proceeds from the store help to keep all programs free for our students. You can also visit the stores online at timetravelmart.com.

1714 Sunset Blvd.

12515 Venice Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Los Angeles, CA 90066

84

Staff Jaime Balboa Executive Director Diego Quevedo Chief of Staff Shani Foster Director of Education Christie Thomas Director of Development Pedro Estrada Programs & Operations Manager, Echo Park Mike Dunbar Programs & Operations Manager, Mar Vista Mateo Acosta Associate Director of Community Engagement Carinne Kemp Store and General Operations Manager Time Travel Marts in Echo Park & Mar Vista Alma Carrillo Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Communications Katie Feige Institutional Giving Manager

Cole Montgomery Development Manager

85

Wendy Beltran Senior Writers’ Room Program Coordinator, Roosevelt High School Marco Beltran Writers’ Room Program Coordinator Manual Arts High School Ariadne Makridakis Arroyo Senior Community Relations Coordinator Arisdeysi Cruz Tutoring Program Coordinator Ariana Ponce Olivares Senior Civic Engagement Coordinator Wilson Swain Creative Engagement Specialist Julia Malinow In-Schools and Tutoring Program Coordinator Caz Shen Store Associate Gabriela Romero Field Trips and Operations Coordinator Trevor Crown Senior Manager of Volunteer Innovation and Assessment

Board Karen Van Kirk

Board President Customer Experience & Operations

Sarah Rosenwald Varet Board Vice President Governance Committee Chair Attorney

David Ullendorff

Board Treasurer Finance Committee Chair Co-Founder, Mathnasium

Cisca Brouwer

Development Committee Chair Attorney/Writer

Comedian & Real Estate

Iman Farrior

Business Affairs Executive, Creative Artists Agency

Joe Ferencz

CEO/Founder, GameFam

Scott A. Ginsburg

Real Estate, Boulevard Partners

Susan Ko

Clinical Psychology & Executive Leadership

Hon. Holly A. Thomas

Ben Au

Litigation Partner, Orrick

Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit

Jeff Boos

Dave Eggers

Brokerage Operations & Services, Side

Scott Boxenbaum

86

Emeritus and 826 Founder

Advisory Board J.J. Abrams

Al Madrigal

Judd Apatow

R. Scott Mitchell

Miguel Arteta

Lani Monos

Mac Barnett

B.J. Novak

Steve Barr

Miwa Okumura

Joshuah Bearman

Amber Paasch

Father Gregory Boyle, S.J.

Jane Patterson

Amy Brooks

Keri Putnam

Stefan Bucher

Sylvie Rabineau

Kathleen Caliento

Sonja Rasula

Monique Demery

Will Reiser

Mark Flanagan

Luis Rodriguez

Ben Goldhirsh

Tara Roth

Rebecca Goldman

Brad Simpson

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein

J. Ryan Stradal

DeAnna Gravillis

Natalie Tran

Terri Hernandez Rosales

Sarah Vowell

Christine Jaroush

Sally Willcox

Spike Jonze

Julie Wiskirchen

Miranda July Catherine Keener Keith Knight

87

88

89

90