2025 Student Summit

Help bring student teams from throughout our state to Lacey this January to share their climate science projects with other teams, legislators, and state leaders. PEI and The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) host the annual Environmental & Sustainability Student Summit at the Lacey Community Center. 

Some teams will travel to the state capitol the following day to meet with legislators from their districts, share information about their projects and ask questions about sustainability education and climate science. 

One student at the 2024 Student Summit later shared, “My biggest takeaway was how much climate change work people are doing behind the scenes. That's easy to miss.”

Previous year's project topics included habitat restoration, microplastics and legislation, safe drinking water, compost to sea level rise, indigenous solutions to environmental problems, native seeds and restoration and raising backyard chickens. In 2024, students from the Quileute Tribal School in La Push set out to determine what was causing birds to crash into the windows on their campus – and how to stop that behavior. Their project led them to understand the impact of light pollution and a solution which saved their school district money on their electric bill.

Teams ranging in age from kindergarten through 12 grade travel from as far away as Yakima, Lake Quinault, and Bellingham. All funds raised will go toward ensuring that any team that wants to participate can by covering travel costs for teams and educators. 

The summit's effects linger long after it ends, according to East Olympia Elementary School teacher Jane Rizika, who brought a student team to the 2024 summit. 

“My students are eager to share their experience and learning from the summit with peers,” she said. “They continue to push themselves and create new challenges. Each team member is looking into a second topic of interest where they can pay it forward, make a difference or just have a voice regarding the environment and sustainability.  All students have gotten inspired by their peers’ projects and it is wonderful to see all the learning that is happening.”

Thank you for your interest! Please consider supporting this important work.