Kat and ALL;

Had an idea over here:

http://www.wiserearth.org/forum/view/1aefbb83d083fffab18812a3f2b2cb94

Basically wondering if that is a realisitc idea? And what exact books/ curriculum should be part of the course etc.?

Some cut and pasted below:

It seems like that the idea of developing the high-school course and intelligently marketing it through: 1) The vast network of U.S. organizations on this website (specifically cooperatively working with groups like one sky / step it up / bioneers) which already have relatively sophisticated contact-systems nationally,and 2) Using a top-to-bottom approach of recruiting some bling-bling politicians and flashy toothpaste smile celebrities which the mainstream media already loves... Would ultimately benefit all WiserEarth site participants -- but most significantly benefit NCI (and the world).

I cannot imagine a better way facilitate a move "toward a just and sustainable world created by community" than to utilize the established extensive educational network of the U.S. school system as a way to empower/ educate youth while they are still developing.

Even if during the year 2009-2010, only one in every 100 U.S. schools offered the course, and you only got one kid from each school annually -- # of highschools (public/private) being estimated at 100,000 -- that would be an addition of 1000 high school seniors annually (better check my math)... all of whom are still developing, and many of whom are likely to head off to college/ university and be set up to expand the WiserEarth network/ exert influence on their peers.

Ties back into Sustainable David's earlier comment about 'inviting people to participate': NCI could just invite regional teachers to participate through the above-mentioned regional network contacts; (onesky/ stepitup/ bioneers), even perhaps facilitate course-training seminars for teachers at the regional bioneers conferences by current/ ex NCI employees etc.

As I understand it most decisions for adopting new courses/ honors-electives at the highschool-level are made at the state/ county/ school district level, thus the already established contacts for many of the grassroots organizations/ 'change agents' that participate on this website would prove invaluable to NCI in their effort to implement the course throughout the country within a short time-frame.

And plus, think of all the books you would sell $$....

This Michael Geisen, who just won the U.S. national teacher award... might be a good person to spread the 'wiser word' :

 

http://www.ccsso.org/projects/national_teacher_of_the_year/national_teachers/11782.cfm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24371115/

 

He is about to take a year off from teaching in Oregon and travel around the U.S. visiting other schools.  He might be an ideal canidate to raise awareness about www.wiserearth.org with educators...?...  I will try to find specific contact for him--