Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains

Become an Agent of Change by joining the
Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Program Dates

June 29 - July 11, 2025 (13 days)

Designed For

Students in grade 9-12
(and rising 9th grade students)

Program Fee

$6,890 + travel fees

The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains, a 2-week campus-based program in Vermont for high school students to mobilize action, drive impact, and effect change in response to our warming planet. Engage with experts from Columbia Climate School and learn about cutting-edge innovations in action. Meet, collaborate, and build partnerships with like-minded students and tap into collective strengths for action.

EMPOWERING YOUTH TO LEAD CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

SUMMER PRE-COLLEGE INFORMATION SESSION RECORDINGS

RSVP for our upcoming information sessions to explore the Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains Program!

Hear from experts and student alumni as we discuss program content, field activities, learning objectives, and excursions. Learn how this program will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become a leader in climate action.

Each information session has invited guest speakers (listed below) to share about their involvement and experience in the programs. 

November 2024 Guest Speakers: 

Josh DeVincenzo, Assistant Director of Education and Training, National Center for Disaster Preparedness & Adjunct Lecturer, Columbia Climate School

Aadi Mullan, Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024 Alumnus

December 2024 Guest Speakers: 

Laurel DiSera, Doctoral Student at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University 

Lina Paykar, Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024 Alumna

January 2025 Guest Speakers: 

Peter Shumlin, 81st Governor of Vermont

Martin Dietrich Brauch, Lead Researcher at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment 

Anna PanjwaniColumbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024 Alumna

February 2025 Guest Speakers: 

Peter Shumlin, 81st Governor of Vermont

Miriam Nielsen, Doctoral Student at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University & NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies 

Ananda Gaona, Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024 Alumna

March 2025 Guest Speakers: 

Sandra Goldmark, Climate Action Senior Assistant Dean for Interdisciplinary Engagement at the Columbia Climate School & Director of Campus Sustainability & Climate Action at Barnard College 

Srishti KarColumbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024 Alumna

STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains 2024

Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time, affecting not just the environment but all aspects of society. While its impacts are already being felt, there is immense potential to shape a future that is resilient, just, and sustainable. To achieve this, we must empower the next generation to become leaders and catalysts for change. Elevating the voices of youth—those who will be at the forefront of tomorrow’s solutions—can inspire new perspectives and innovative action.

Youth engagement and active participation are essential for fostering a world where hope translates into progress. Through learning, collaboration, and meaningful conversations, we can turn knowledge into action. This program will equip you with the skills and confidence to make a real difference and be a part of the solution.

The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains, hosted at Vermont State University’s campus, offers a two-week immersive experience where high school students can connect, create, and lead. Join us to be inspired, gain tools for action, and take meaningful steps toward a brighter, more sustainable future.

“I gained knowledge about a variety of climate change aspects and solutions, a project which I can implement in my community, and friends who are passionate about the same thing as me.

Summer 2024 Participant

Day 1 

  • Arrival and Welcome

Day 2 

  • Orientation
  • Empowering Youth for Change
  • The Science of Climate Change: Primer
  • Afternoon activities include Pollinator & Plant Walk or Ultimate Frisbee
  • Fireside Chat: Climate Careers

Day 3 

  • The Science of Climate Change: Advanced Session
  • Climate Change Communications & Conversation
  • Macro-invertebrate Survey to Assess Water Quality
  • Afternoon activities include: berry picking and baking tarts, Kickball, or attending the Vermont Symphony Orchestra

Day 4

  • Excursion to the Darrin Freshwater Institute to learn about local climate impacts, focusing on aquatic environments.
  • Activities include:
    • Virtual reality session on phytoplankton's role in climate and ecosystems
    • Lab on invasive and native plant species and climate change impacts
    • Demonstration of underwater remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and drones to assess ecosystem health
  • Dinner and beach games at Lake George

Day 5 

  • Climate Modeling & Projections
  • Climate Change Preparedness Tools and Strategies
  • Climate Change in Your Community
  • BioBlitz: Biodiversity Mapping
  • Bonfire & S'mores

Day 6 

  • Sustainable Development Goals & the Paris Agreement
  • Decarbonization Pathways
  • Climate Solutions & Decarbonization Simulator
  • Excursions to Sustainable Art Exhibit
  • Excursion to a regenerative, sustainable farm
  • Afternoon activities include BodyBalance, Creative Writing Workshop, or Soccer

Day 7 

  • Making, Measuring, and Monitoring Progress
  • Decarbonization: Global Governance and International Law 
  • Climate (In)justice
  • Tree Ring Field Activity: Understanding Past Climates
  • Afternoon activities include Zumba, Painting Postcards, or Rodeo

Day 8 

  • Climate Change Negotiations
  • Introduction to the Circular Economy
  • Afternoon activities include Mini-Golf, Hiking, Alpaca Farm visit, or Cherry Picking at Champlain Orchards

Day 9 

  • Excursion to Burlington to explore real-world climate solutions
    • Discover downtown Burlington
    • Burlington Electric tour
    • Sector Experts Panel Discussion at University of Vermont
  • Picnic and field games at Lake Champlain Park

Day 10 

  • From Linear to Circular
  • Connections to Circularity 
  • Change Ideation
  • Lake Bomoseen Beach Bash
  • Afternoon activities include biking, bracelet making, or enjoying a local concert series

Day 11 

  • Youth Climate Leadership Workshop
  • Project Time: Developing Climate Action Projects
  • Documentary Movie Night & Ice Cream Bar 

Day 12 

  • Student Climate Action Plan Presentations
  • Talent Show & Final Dinner Celebration
  • Keynote Speech by Governor Peter Shumlin

Day 13 

  • Departure

This schedule provides a glimpse of the engaging activities, hands-on learning, and unique opportunities to explore climate science and solutions while building a strong community of changemakers! This schedule is subject to change. 

MAIN THEMES AND OUTCOMES

Students sitting in a learning circle

Join an empowering journey with the Columbia Climate School’s Green Mountains program—a dynamic, two-week experience designed to ignite your passion for climate action and sustainability. Led by world-class faculty and researchers, this program goes beyond traditional learning, immersing students in the diverse fields of climate science through interactive seminars, small group discussions, immersive field excursions, and collaborative projects.

Discover your unique role in addressing one of the most critical challenges of our time, sharpen essential skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, and gain the confidence to lead impactful change in your community. Connect with like-minded peers, build lasting friendships, and engage with cutting-edge insights from experts who are shaping the future of climate solutions.

Embrace this opportunity to be inspired, empowered, and prepared for the next steps in your academic and leadership journey—while becoming a catalyst for positive change in the world.

  • Greenhouse Gas Effect and the Physics of Earth’s Temperature: Explaining how greenhouse gasses trap heat and regulate Earth's temperature, and an introduction to the basic physical principles (e.g., thermodynamics) that influence climate systems.
  • Natural Variability vs. Anthropogenic Change: Understanding the difference between natural climate fluctuations and human-driven impacts.
  • Climate Projections and Modeling: Using climate models to predict future climate scenarios and their potential outcomes.
  • Global Processes: Examining worldwide patterns such as sea-level rise, glacial melt, and extreme weather events.
  • Local Impacts: How climate change specifically affects local ecosystems, economies, and communities.
  • Preparedness and Risk: Identifying vulnerabilities and planning proactive measures.
  • Recovery and Planning: Strategies for post-impact recovery and future-proof planning.
  • Mitigation and Adaptation: Implementing strategies to reduce emissions and adapt to unavoidable changes.
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement: Overview of key international frameworks aimed at curbing climate change.
  • United Nations Climate Change Negotiations: Understanding the global dialogue and decision-making processes.
  • Global Governance and International Law: The role of international legal systems in enforcing climate action.
  • Monitoring and Measuring Progress: Tools and methodologies for tracking emissions reductions and energy transformation.
  • Transition Strategies: Best practices for shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
  • Equity and Inclusivity: Ensuring fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all communities in climate policy.
  • Disproportionate Impacts: Addressing how climate change disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
  • Consumerism and Throwaway Culture: Examining the impact of consumption patterns and waste.
  • Building a Value Chain: Creating sustainable supply chains that minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency.
  • New Economic Models and Circular Systems: Transitioning from linear to circular economic practices.
  • Achieving Sustainable Business Practices: Implementing methods for businesses to operate sustainably.
  • Effective Messaging: Strategies for conveying climate information to different audiences.
  • Public Engagement: Techniques for fostering open dialogue and action on climate issues.
  • Understanding Current Ecosystem Conditions: Assessing present-day environmental data for climate monitoring.
  • Collecting Climate Proxy Samples: Gathering data from tree rings to interpret past climate.
  • Learning from Practitioners: Case studies and firsthand accounts from experts implementing sustainable practices.
  • Applying Concepts: Translating theoretical knowledge into practical, real-world applications.
  • Local Community Impacts: The role of local initiatives and grassroots movements in driving change.
  • Strategic Communication: Planning and executing effective campaigns to inspire action.
  • Youth Roles and Action: Empowering young people to become leaders and active participants in climate advocacy.

COLUMBIA CLIMATE SCHOOL EXPERTS

Columbia Climate School expert guides student through tree coring.

The Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains program is led by faculty, staff, and researchers at the School who are experts in their field.

Laurel DiSera

Laurel DiSera is interested in understanding how climate impacts society, especially in Latin America. She holds an MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University and, through the program, spent time in Guatemala working with the Adapting Agriculture to Climate Today, for Tomorrow Project (ACToday), the first of the Columbia World Projects. There, she strived to increase climate communication throughout the country, specifically with locals in rural regions, and she analyzed the network of those who currently participate in the climate and food security conversation in Guatemala.

Now at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at the Columbia Climate School, Laurel is researching how Aedes-borne diseases in the Americas and worldwide are impacted by climate. She is focused on assessing and improving the skill of Subseasonal to Seasonal (S2S) forecasts and how these models can be used by decision makers to improve the livelihoods of their constituents. In the coming years, she hopes to focus on cross timescale interference to enhance S2S forecasting and beyond.

Miriam Nielsen

Miriam Nielsen studies compound hydrological extremes as a PhD student in Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. She is interested in how severe hazards will change under warming and the vulnerability of people and ecosystems to these changes. She uses large-scale climate datasets and model simulations to investigate regional climate and ecosystem dynamics related to precipitation and drought. Miriam also creates online educational videos about climate change and environmental advocacy. She has a BA in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College and a MA in Climate and Society from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. 

Joshua DeVincenzo headshot

Josh DeVincenzo is the Assistant Director for Education and Training at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and an Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia Climate School. His focus is on developing learning experiences associated with FEMA training projects that navigate housing and economic recovery. He has developed instructor-led and web-based curricula regarding financial literacy, economic impact analysis, and community partnerships.

Prior to working at the NCDP, Josh worked as the Learning & Development Specialist at Fifth Third Bank in their Learning Solutions and Technology division. He hopes to create accessible and quality educational programming that benefits the common good at scale. He holds a master’s degree in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign and a doctorate from Columbia University Teachers College with his dissertation on “Enhancing Capacity in Adult Climate Literacy: Investigating Sustainability Mindsets in the U.S. Emergency Management Profession.”

Martin Dietrich Brauch

Martin Dietrich Brauch conducts economic and legal research, training, and advisory work at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment. He focuses on extractive industry investments in the context of sustainable development and the zero-carbon transition, and he leads the Center’s cross-cutting work on climate investment policy. His expertise also extends to investment law and policy, among other areas of international economic governance. He has worked extensively with developing countries, speaking English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Prior to joining CCSI, he worked as international law advisor at a global think tank, in-house counsel at a media conglomerate, and associate attorney at a boutique law firm. As a graduate student, he undertook a legal internship at United Nations Climate Change. He received a B.A. in Economics, a Bachelor of Laws, and a specialization certificate in Environmental Law from the Federal University of Pelotas, Brazil. He holds an LL.M. in International Legal Studies from NYU School of Law, where he was an IILJ International Law Fellow.

Sandra Goldmark

Sandra Goldmark is a designer and professor whose work focuses on the circular economy and interdisciplinary climate strategies. Sandra is the Director of Sustainability and Climate Action and an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at Barnard College, and Senior Assistant Dean for Interdisciplinary Engagement at the Columbia Climate School. Sandra teaches courses in sustainable design, circularity, and climate.

From 2013-2019, Sandra founded and operated Fixup, a social enterprise repair service dedicated to healthy and circular patterns of consumption. Sandra is a co-creator of the Sustainable Production Toolkit, a free climate action and sustainability resource for performing arts organizations, and serves on the Board of the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Her work has been featured in The New York TimesThe Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, the BBC, The Sunday Times of LondonThe Daily NewsSalon.com, and many more. A graduate of Harvard College and Yale University, Sandra is the author of Fixation: How to Have Stuff without Breaking the Planet.

Laurel Zaima-Sheehy

Laurel Zaima-Sheehy is the Assistant Director of K12 and Continuing Education at the Columbia Climate School. Laurel has substantial experience working with youth, teaching students through informal education about the natural environment through hands-on experiences. As an educator, Laurel works on education initiatives that communicate topics of sustainability, climate change, sea level rise, and climate action to the general public, K12 and undergraduate students, and formal and informal educators. Laurel has led and advised high school and undergraduate students through a variety of summer research opportunities including the Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP) and Next Generation of Hudson River Educators Program. Laurel has a BS in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Miami and a MS in Sustainability Science from Columbia University. 

BECOME A PUTNEY STUDENT TRAVEL INSTRUCTOR

Columbia Climate School 2024 Instructors, Faciliators, and Experts

Experienced educators interested in teaching at the Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains are invited to apply through Putney Student Travel. Please click here to read about our instructors, leadership requirements, and to begin the instructor application!

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QUESTIONS?

Have questions about the Columbia Climate School program content or faculty? 
Email us at [email protected]

Have questions about the application process?
Call Putney Student Travel at 802-387-5000 or email us at [email protected]