Teacher Leaders

Meet our Teacher Leaders for Sustainability

As part of the program, participating teachers create Green Classroom Profiles. These profiles share the different ways teachers integrate environmental action into instruction and capture their project impacts. Read on for inspiration!

Meghan Albano - TK

Boulder Creek Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Decreasing Waste During Our School Day

Kelly Liebenthal - TK

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing Litter on Campus with a "Green Team"

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Santa Cruz Gardens Waste Warriors

Mandy Rubin - TK

Gault Elementary

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Ready Set Grow!

Meghann Finn - K

Gault Elementary

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Ready Set Grow!

Rachel Paul - K

Pacific Elementary

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Water Catchment: Let's Build a Rain Chain

Samantha Roger - K

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Waste Reduction Project

Jackie Olin - K-1

Gault Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing Food Waste in our Cafeteria

Mollie Behn - 2nd Grade 

Boulder Creek Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Using Student Voice for School Composting

Monica Einaudi - 1st-2nd Grade

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: "Trash Bash"

Jennifer Poodry - 3rd Grade

Bradley Elementary

Protecting Trout Habitat with Personal Actions 

2022-23 Green Classroom Project

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project

Dylan Vahradian - 3rd-4th Grade

Gault Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing Food Waste at our School

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: Native Pollinator Gardens for Nature Connection


Zoey Turek - 4th-5th Grade

Monarch Community School

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing Our Impacts on the Monterey Bay

Brian Boyce - 4th-5th Grade

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Student Designed Efficient Irrigation

2023-24 Green classroom Project: Chaminade Trail Guide Project

Barbara Lawrence: TK-5 Library Media

Gault Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing School Food Waste

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: Eco-Friendly School Initiative

Jordan Arp - K-6 Science

Bonny Doon Elementary

2023-24 Green classroom Project: Benefits of Native Plants

Kate Sommer - TK-6 Science

Bonny Doon Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Community PSAs for Watershed Stewardship

Laura Arnow - TK-6 Sci/Tech/Reading

Calabasas Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Awareness & Stewardship of Our Watershed

Dallas Guerrero - 6th Grade

Pacific Elementary

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Raising Awareness of Local Human Impacts

Erin Petersen Lindberg - 6th Science

Branciforte Middle School

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: "Bee Green Gardens" for Pollinators

Allison Seletzky - 6th Science

San Lorenzo Valley Middle

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Analyzing Impacts of Campus Construction

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: Campus Environmental impact Report

Megan Wynd - 6th ELA

San Lorenzo Valley Middle

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Writing an Environmental Impact Report

Sallie Corbin - 7th Science

Mission Hill Middle

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Actions to Reduce School Carbon Footprint

Marcy Reynolds - MS Multiple Subject

Coast Redwood Middle

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Renewable Energy Planning for School

Bradley King - MS Health & PE

San Lorenzo Valley Middle

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Improving Class Recycling and Reducing Waste

Cory Altman - HS English

Pajaro Valley High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Vertical Gardening & Campus Nature Spaces

Tessa Accardo - HS Chemistry

Pajaro Valley High

Investigating Wetland Health & Human Impacts:

2022-2023 Green Classroom Project

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project

Margaret Starrett - HS English

Harbor High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Developing Environmental Identity 

Satina Ciandro - HS Science & CTE

Watsonville High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Actions to Reduce School Carbon Footprint

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: From Urban Heat Islands to Environmental Justice Action


Kyle Walters - HS Science

Pacific Collegiate School

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Student-Led "Community Read" Event

Julianna Perry - HS ELD

Santa Cruz High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Planning for a Greener Cafeteria

Kristen Hart - HS Science

Scotts Valley High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Personal Trash Audit and Campus Clean Up

Mimi Schilling - HS Special Education

Harbor High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Save the Marbled Murrelet #nocrumbcampaign

Sabrina Cleveland - HS Math/Science

Delta High at Cabrillo College

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Waste Reduction at Our School

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: Food Science, Systems & Compost


Christine Erskine - HS Science

Cypress High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Reducing Food Waste at School

Tammy Harkins - HS English

Pajaro Valley High

2022-23 Green Classroom Project: Solutions for Social and Climate Justice (video)

2023-2024 Green Classroom Project: Campus Food Forest Signage Project


Chrissy Mata - HS Digital Media & CTE

Harbor High

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Nature Photography and Environmental Identity

Cristie Kirlin - HS Science

Kirby School

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Schoolwide Earth Day Festival

Marcela Portales - HS Marine Biology

Pajaro Valley High

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Investigating Water Quality and Human Impacts

Cyndi Edinger - 10th-12th Grades

Renaissance Continuation High School

2023-24 Green Classroom Project:  STEAM Academy Pilot Field Trip Program

Chester Snyder - HS Science

Renaissance Continuation High School

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: STEAM Academy Pilot Field Trip Program

Joe Nedney - HS Green Team Advisor

Scotts Valley High

2023-24 Green Classroom Project: Green Team: Adding Green Space to Campus

This Green Classroom Program recognizes classrooms for incorporating environmentally responsible actions into their school day. Students work together to “green” their classroom by choosing to make a commitment to specific sustainable behaviors. 

Here you will find materials from teacher professional learning sessions including presentation slides, session recordings, and supporting documents.

This area organizes the materials used at the institute by topics including; social emotional learning in nature, links to environmental educator created resources and opportunities, Project WET, Save the Redwoods, and action projects.

Many thanks to our partners in this work -- 

Bird School Project, Coastal Watershed Council, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay Science Project, Regeneracion: Pajaro Valley Climate Action, Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, Save the Redwoods League, Save Our Shores, UCSC History & Civics Project