Strategic Energy Innovations

STRATEGIC ENERGY INNOVATIONS (SEI), A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1997, BUILDS LEADERS TO DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS. FOR 25 YEARS, SEI HAS PARTNERED WITH SCHOOLS, CAMPUSES, COMMUNITIES, AND BUSINESSES TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP PATHWAY FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO EARLY CAREER. OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS (ENERGIZE SCHOOLS, SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP, ENERGIZE COLLEGES, CLIMATE CORPS, AND ENERGIZE CAREERS) EDUCATE AND EMPOWER STUDENTS AND EMERGING PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE THRIVING, RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.

CLIMATE CORPS ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS WITH ORGANIZATIONS WHILE FOSTERING EMERGING CLIMATE LEADERS. SEI'S CLIMATE CORPS, A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR THOSE SEEKING TO ENTER THE SUSTAINABILITY FIELD, SAW GROWTH ON ALL FRONTS LAST YEAR. IN 2021, CLIMATE CORPS EXPANDED NATIONALLY TO YET ANOTHER STATE WITH A COHORT OF SIX FELLOWS IN WASHINGTON STATE WORKING AT A RANGE OF SITES FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO A COUNTY GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION TO A BANK. DURING THE 2021 FELLOWSHIP YEAR, CLIMATE CORPS EMPLOYED THE MOST FELLOWS IN ITS HISTORY, WHO ARE ALL DRIVING FORWARD CLIMATE SOLUTIONS AND POISED TO ENTER THE CLIMATE WORKFORCE AS THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLIMATE LEADERS. SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE 165 FELLOWS PLACED IN PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, ENGAGEMENT WITH 110 PARTNERS WHO HOSTED FELLOWS, AND 110 TRAINING HOURS PROVIDED ON EARLY-CAREER COMPETENCIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONS, INCLUDING EQUITY, RESILIENCE, AND INNOVATION.

CLIMATE CORPS EDUCATION OUTSIDE PLANTING THE SEEDS OF SCIENCE AND ECO-LITERACY TO GROW ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE CLIMATE CORPS EDUCATION OUTSIDE (CCEO) PROGRAM KICKED OFF 2021 BY DISTRIBUTING OVER 10,000 GARDEN KITS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS. SEI'S OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM PLACES EMERGING EDUCATORS, CCEO FELLOWS, AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE THEY TYPICALLY TEACH IN GARDEN CLASSROOMS; HOWEVER, THIS YEAR BEGAN WITH STUDENTS LEARNING FROM HOME AND ENGAGING IN VIRTUAL GARDEN LESSONS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, OUR CCEO FELLOWS AND STUDENTS ALIKE JOYFULLY RETURNED TO THEIR SCHOOL GARDENS IN INQUIRY-BASED, HANDS-ON SCIENCE AND ECO-LITERACY LESSONS DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY AND ON THEIR OWN SCHOOL CAMPUSES THROUGH THE CCEO PROGRAM. ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: 33 SCHOOLS RECEIVED A DEDICATED ECO-LITERACY EDUCATOR; 13,748 STUDENTS ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON GARDEN LESSONS; 6,377 GARDEN LESSONS WERE TAUGHT BY CCEO FELLOWS.

ENERGIZE COLLEGES PARTNERING WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO CREATE PATHWAYS TO CLIMATE CAREERS. ENERGIZE COLLEGES SUPPORTS INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY IN CAMPUS FACILITIES, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND UPDATES, AND FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2021, THE ENERGIZE COLLEGES TEAM PROVIDED MEANINGFUL, PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FELLOWSHIPS FOR RECENT GRADUATES. ENERGIZE COLLEGES IS NOW WORKING IN ALL MAJOR CALIFORNIA HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS INCLUDING CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, AND CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES. PARTNERING WITH A RANGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ENABLES ENERGIZE COLLEGES TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY AND TO ENGAGE EMERGING LEADERS, WHEREVER THEY ARE ON THEIR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY. SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: 28 FELLOWS AND INTERNS, HOSTED BY CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, ENTERED SUSTAINABILITY CAREER PATHWAYS; 16 CAMPUSES UTILIZED AS LIVING LABS AND/OR RECEIVED FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; 93% OF INTERNS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE PREPARED FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL JOB WITHIN AN ENERGY-RELATED CAREER PATHWAY UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM.

ALL OTHER PROGRAMS PROMOTING ENERGY RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND HELPING PEOPLE IN UNDER-SERVED MARKETS TO EMBRACE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.