This spring was a great time for student engagement. We had state conferences in California and the Pacific Northwest that combined training with organizing and planning for the future.
In Florida, students came together from across the Southeast for the first Tampa Bay Youth Ocean Summit to work with and learn from issue experts about raising awareness and acting on the issues.
In New Jersey, the conference brought together people from all over New Jersey and all different backgrounds to work with 19 non-profit organizations on topics ranging from Right to Repair to food insecurity.
In Massachusetts, Community Action Works held this year’s Environmental Organizing Summit, where students and community activists attended briefings and workshops on critical issues about the environment, networked, and improved their organizing skills.
CALPIRG Conference and Lobby Day
CALPIRG Students held their annual Winter Conference and Lobby Day in March. 75 students from across the state came together to meet and interact with over 80 legislative offices. CALPIRG Students’ priority campaign is to increase marine protected areas along the California coast to allow for ocean life to thrive.
Credit: Andy Smith
Credit: Andy Smith
Credit: Andy Smith
One of Lobby Day’s highlights is the art installation our students made that depicted scenes from the different areas that they were working to protect to educate elected officials as they walked into the Capitol.
Credit: Andy Smith
Pacific Northwest Conference
32 students from across the Pacific Northwest met in Astoria, Oregon for the Pacific Northwest regional PIRG conference! This included PIRG students from three different campuses: the University of Oregon, the University of Washington, and The Evergreen State College.
At the conference, students:
- Brainstormed plans for Youth Earth Week
- Developed their three-year visions for the region
- Received training on running recruitment drives, pitching leaders and telling campaign stories
- Interviewed for summer canvass campaign positions
- Held a beach clean-up
First Tampa Bay Youth Ocean Summit
Around 150 students from all over the Southeast traveled to the Eckerd College campus in St. Petersburg, Florida for the first ever Tampa Bay Youth Ocean Summit. The event brought together more than 30 professionals from careers that connect to the health of our oceans, waterways and estuaries. Some had current research about the greatest threats to manatees, right whales, shore birds and coral along Florida’s coast. Others presented tools and ideas for communicating the science and data we are collecting about our warming ocean temperatures and plastic pollution through journalism and social media.
The day started with an energetic keynote from USF Vice President Joe Dituri, a.k.a. Dr. Deep Sea. Dituri broke a world record last summer when he spent 100 days underwater in the Florida Keys. Throughout the day, students attended sessions, panels and workshops held in the indoor and outdoor classrooms at Gailbraith Marine Science Laboratory, which sits right on the Gulf of Mexico.
Over 100 student actions were taken for the ocean at the summit, about 70 pounds of trash was collected during a living shoreline cleanup and more than 25 vertical oyster gardens were constructed. Vertical oyster gardens (VOGs) provide a home for oyster spat to attach to and grow. Oysters filter roughly 50 gallons of water a day and play a pivotal role in restoring Tampa Bay water quality.
Autumn Buckner, a senior at the University of Tampa, said her favorite program was the “Advocacy 101” workshop, “We got to talk about how we would approach the public with our views.”
Thanks to generous sponsors Restore America’s Estuaries, Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Tampa Bay Watch and Eckerd College, the event was free for students to attend. And transportation was provided for students from as far away as Georgia State College. There was even an opportunity to learn about water quality in Tampa Bay during a workshop aboard the Tampa Bay Watch Eco-Vessel.
Students were encouraged to extend what they learned beyond the weekend by organizing for the environment within their communities. For example, we provided access to a plastic alternatives toolkit with resources students can use to approach their favorite restaurants and ask them to switch an item from single-use plastic to something reusable or home-compostable.
The 8th Annual New Jersey Grassroots Organizing Conference
More than 130 New Jerseyians, representing 20 of New Jersey’s 21 counties, spent their Saturday at the 8th Annual New Jersey Grassroots Organizing Conference in New Brunswick, NJ. The event brought together high school and college students, retirees, volunteer activists, and full-time organizers to connect and learn. More than a dozen professionals with expertise ranging from how to best work with the media to issue experts in food insecurity led sessions throughout the day.
The day started with an energetic keynote from Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill (LD 27), who got her start as a student activist with NJPIRG at Rutgers-Newark. Throughout the day, attendees participated in sessions, panels, and workshops held at the Rutgers Labor Education Center located in New Brunswick.
“I learn a lot about the problems in my classes, so it was great to spend a day focused on the solutions,” said Giana Rivera, a Freshman and NJPIRG Students Chair at Rutgers – Camden.
NJPIRG Students partnered with 18 non-profits to host this event and help Garden Staters turn their concerns into action with opportunities. They took photo-petitions and signed petitions on active campaigns, met other people from their communities and planned actions with what they learned from the conference.
“It was great to learn from the staff at the Garden State Repair Cafe,” said Peter Maroun, Freshman and Chair of NJPIRG Students at Rutgers – Newark. “I’m hosting a Repair Cafe on my campus as a part of a campaign to give people the Right to Repair their stuff, and I’m excited to take what I learned back to my campus.”
Attendees were encouraged to take what they learned on Saturday and apply it in their communities beyond the weekend by getting involved with one of the 19 co-sponsor non-profit groups or launching their own campaign. PLAN provided students with access to the Break Free From Plastics Pledge Toolkit and we invited students to sign up for our Summer Leadership Training Program.
“It was truly inspiring to see so many people from across the state learning and working together to advocate for a better future,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. He shared the latest update on the plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale and policies that can help save the critically endangered species.
Credit: Adam Perri
In Massachusetts, 63 students and community activists gathered at UMass Boston to attend this year’s Environmental Organizing Summit. Our attendees came together to learn about critical issues facing the environment and their communities, through briefings and workshops, as well as providing ample space to build their skills and network with likeminded colleagues. Some of our topics included the dangers of cryptomining, PFAS toxics, and solid waste.
We also hosted an award ceremony honoring our exemplary community organizers and groups. One of our most distinguished groups was the Berkshire Community College Student Government Association, who received the Student Activist Award for their outstanding work engaging students on campus and their commitment to service, advocacy, and making their community a greener and healthier place.
Summer 2025 Organizer Leadership Training Program
Our summer Organizer Leadership Training Program is fast approaching! The Student PIRGs and Green Corps train thousands of students every year — we don’t just talk about the issues, we train organizers to take real action. Our leadership program gives you hands-on experience in organizing campaign actions in your community.
This summer we are launching local campaign actions to:
- Stop fast fashion practices and promote sustainable alternatives
- Clean up our waterways of plastic pollution
- Protect endangered species
- Stop wasteful practices by ensuring people have the tools and resources to fix their own stuff
- And more!
Sign up for our Activist Bootcamp + Four Week Training Program here! Our first Activist Training Bootcamp Virtual Session begins Monday, May 12.
Check out the full description for more information.
Dan Xie
Political Director
Student PIRGs
@DanLikeDawn
| About The Student PIRGs |
|---|
| The Student PIRGs’ mission is to ensure students have the skills, opportunities and training they need to create a better, more sustainable future for all of us. Our youth civic engagement network of 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) student-directed and funded organizations across the country has nearly 300,000 dues-paying student members in 11 states. Each year, 4,000 students get their first hands-on experience in organizing and activism while volunteering with us. Every year, we reach hundreds of thousands of students and generate 150,000 grassroots actions. Since our founding, the Student PIRGs have trained over 1 million volunteers. |