Through Earth Force, students in Albuquerque have launched effective projects to improve their community. Student projects range from changing how their school deals with rainwater, to decreasing nutrients the community is adding to stormwater, to producing data and recommendations to improve Albuquerque's resiliency. Earth Force provides educators with comprehensive training in the Community Action and Problem-Solving Process that enables them to guide their students as they investigate their environment first at the Valle de Oro Wildlife Refuge and then in their own neighborhoods. From their study, students identify an environmental issue and design a project to address it. The Process guides young people through a civic action experience where they identify an environmental issue, determine the root cause of that problem, and then use community engagement strategies to bring about changes to local policy and practice to alleviate the problem.
Earth Force is a nonprofit member of the Middle Rio Grande/Albuquerque Urban Waters Federal Partnership. Earth Force works with the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the City of Albuquerque’s Storm Drainage Office, the Friends of the Refuge, BIA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sandia Pueblo Environment Department, and others to improve the environment and support the Refuge’s efforts to engage urban youth.
Earth Force was recognized by the Change the Equation STEMworks Database as ‘Accomplished,’ identifying our program as among the most effective science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education approaches available to educators.
Earth Force's mission is to engage young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities now and in the future.
PO Box 1228