Get Started
OUR FUTURE Student Network
Students: This is YOUR network! Take an active role by…
- Joining the “Call-To-Action” list at your school; by joining you will be informed of everything Our Future is doing.
- Building and growing the connections between schools – locally and throughout Oregon.
- Showing up to meetings, and completing tasks that you commit to.
- Taking the skills and knowledge learned from Our Future back into your school.
- Using the resources that Our Future, and the many related partner organizations, have for you to use.
- Apply to be part of the “Regional Leaders” team
How We Can Help
- Our Future staff will ensure that communication between the schools, and across each region, is strong and effective.
- We will work to ensure that all student participants have access to the tools they need to be successful leaders.
Let’s Get Started! Read the info below to connect…
School Teams
Each participating school will have an active team of students working to implement Our Future at their school. For some schools this team will be part of an existing club or group, while at others it will be its own entity. The team will align with guidelines made available by the statewide network, however it will have plenty of opportunities to decide for itself how to be structured (roles, accountability, communications, etc.)
Planning and Projects
Each team will lead meetings, and actively engage each participating student in being part of planning and making decisions.
The most exciting part about Our Future is taking action. Once decisions are made, each school team will jump into action. Locally and globally we need to see significant reductions in carbon emissions, and the Our Future projects will be aligned with this goal. It is also essential to address climate justice — Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other People of Color communities are disproportionately being affected by climate change; the needs of BIPOC communities will be a priority for Our Future with all projects, collaborations, activities and events.
Our Future Regional Leaders
Each Our Future region represents one or more schools in an area. Together the schools in a region communicate through Regional Leaders: students who are working together to connect the various regions through the state through collective planning and project implementation.
Regional Leaders are currently meeting online to design guidelines to be used by school teams across Oregon. To become a Regional Leader (RL) you need to start out as a member of a school’s Our Future “Call to Action team,” and then you will be given the information you need to apply as an RL.
Keeping in Touch
Nothing is more important to a network than communication. Keep in touch by:
Reading this website! Right now you are taking advantage of the communication we have for you. There is a whole lot here to learn.
Sign up to participate. Using our Contact Form, you will be communicating to us what your school is doing, and how we can help!
Follow us on Instagram, and ‘like’ the Our Future Facebook page. These are great ways to keep in touch with the other students using social media to make Our Future a success.
Collective Projects
Collective Projects are what schools do together!
The network is all about sharing the projects you are in involved in. Examples: a letter writing campaign, working to change local/state legislation, helping your community to “go solar,” planting trees throughout your school district, or whatever it might be!
If you have an amazing project, that no one else in the network is in charge of, your school can be the lead to one of our collective projects! A project may be something that happens in your regional hub, or it may be something that is happening throughout Oregon. Students and adults will work together to find funding for collective projects.
Resources for You
All resources (online or otherwise) will be designed to help you accomplish your goals. We will be working hard to provide some wonderful resources for you and the students in your club.
Examples of resources we can provide:
- A listing of non-profit organizations that can help you accomplish your goals.
- Funding sources we can help you apply for.
- Leadership training opportunities.
- Businesses that are willing to donate goods/services/money for your projects, etc.
In addition, we will be developing lesson plans that your school can use in-class to teach very important topics. These topics include: climate justice, civic engagement, and many others.
Events
An Our Future event is something to look forward to! After being involved in the planning, all participating students are encouraged to attend events. This will be a great way to meet other students, and to get BIG things accomplished working together.
Event examples: school-wide (or statewide) “teach-ins” about climate change, a march to the courthouse or city hall, a fun and educational gathering with music/movies/games, or whatever students like you come up with. Students and adults will work together to find funding for events.
