Youth 4 A Sustainable Future
What is Youth 4 a sustainable future?
The goal of this program is to teach students how to incorporate sustainable practices into their everyday lives. Students know that their future is at stake and that the impacts of climate change will affect everyone
This program will work toward the following goals to provide environmental education for Chula Vista youths:
Students will learn how to incorporate sustainable practices into their everyday lives
Students will have greater access to fresh, organic vegetables through the school gardens to teach them how food choices affect climate change and the environment
Students will receive training on the science of composting and how to keep a food scrap diversion log
Students will have access to community composting and resources for home or neighborhood composting
Students will develop public speaking, civic engagement, and leadership skills as they share sustainability presentations with their peers and the local community through outreach events
Each year, club students would pass on the program, training, and knowledge to the next year's students to continue this program through the years. SBSCN is always working with the community to develop mutually-beneficial partnerships and has relationships with the City of Chula Vista and with Sweetwater Union High School District STEM Instructors
Updated Y4SF Totals
Since 2022...
All Y4SF schools combined have accomplished diverting over 70,000 lbs of food waste from the landfill, of which over 63,000 lbs were edible foods that were rescued and redistributed to food-insecure families. This has prevented over 47,000 lbs of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. Way to go Y4SF!
Watch the video below to see how we incorporate Youth 4 Sustainable Future in elementary schools!
Updated Coronado VideoWatch the video below for more information on how we incorporate Y4SF into middle and high schools!
Copy of Y4SF Zero Waste Training Video.MOVY4FS News Releases !
KFMB 4-28-22 Tackling Food Waste BVH.mp4Check out the new coverage of one of our Youth 4 A Sustainable Future school locations!
Y4SF School Leads
Otay Ranch High:
Kate Van Wormer
My name is Kate Van Wormer, I’m a junior at Otay Ranch High School. I am also this years leader of Y4SF, and we are working on preventing mass food waste at our schools and trying to improve our schools environment! I am very excited to participate in Y4SF and see the sustainable progress we continue to make as a school and community.
Otay Ranch High:
Dayna Coates
My name is Dayna Coates and I am a senior at Otay Ranch. I work to help recycle food waste back into our planet and to those in need by composting and rescuing discarded food. In addition I am helping plan and assemble our school garden in order to give fresh organic produce back into our local community. Y4SF is meaningful to me as it gives me the opportunity to create active change towards sustainability and educate my peers on the issue.
Otay Ranch High:
Kiley Balko
My name is Kiley Balko, a senior at Otay Ranch High School. Helping to divert food waste from the landfills, I want to help spread awareness on the issue of the greenhouse gases produced, especially through Y4SF.
Otay Ranch High:
Aaron Vossenkemper
My name is Aaron Vossenkemper and I am a senior at Otay Ranch High School. I've always had the interest in maintaining our environment and doing my best to keep it healthy. After taking AP Environmental Science with Ms. Salazar in my junior year, I became very aware of the ongoing issues that are bringing harm to our beloved planet. Once I joined the Y4SF club at Otay Ranch, I had the opportunity to improve my school's output of waste and spread the word to other students on ways they can make their lifestyles more sustainable. As of right now, I work a couple of days in the week to recycle foods and turn them into compost. I truly believe that if everyone makes the effort to reduce our output into landfills, the the world can once again shine as much as it used to. I look forward to encouraging fellow students throughout the year to join Y4SF and/or to become more environmentally friendly.
Otay Ranch High: Kiana Ebrahimpour
My name is Kiana Ebrahimpour, I am a senior and I am a garden lead for y4sf at Otay Ranch high school. I enjoy being a part of y4sf because it allows me to spread awareness about climate change and make a difference in our community and the world. I’m really looking forward to having a great year and making an impact!
Otay Ranch High:
David Roxas
My name is David Roxas, a senior and lead of lunch crew at Otay Ranch High. I’ve always had a distaste for waste along with a semi-obsession for cleanliness but was never afraid to get my hands dirty, so when I heard about Y4SF I knew I had to get involved! I look forward to playing a part in creating a sustainable community and participating in something bigger than me.
Otay Ranch High:
Mya King
Hello my name is Mya King I am a senior VP of ORHS Y4SF this year! I am passionate about climate justice and working to better our future, I believe our work on campus is really important in spreading the word and making a difference! I am in charge of the morning crew that helps our composting and waste diversion run smoothly. I am so excited for this year and I'm so thankful I get to be part of this amazing organization!
Otay Ranch High:
Elizabeth Hernandez
Hi my name is Elizabeth Hernandez and I am one of the lunch crew leads here at Otay, helping ensure the food waste on campus is minimized as much as possible. I’m very passionate about spreading awareness in regards to the harm of food waste so upon finding a club such as Y4SF I was eager to help take action off and on campus. I hope to continue to spread this information and teach my community how to live a sustainable lifestyle!
Bonita Vista High:
Aaliyah Victoria
Hello, my name is Aaliyah Victoria I am currently one of the lunch crew leads at Bonita Vista High School helping ensure the food waste on campus is minimized as much as possible. Subsequently, during my first month of being enrolled in IB Environmental Systems and Societies a program offered at Bonita my passion for spreading awareness on sustainable practices such as the harmful effects of food waste specifically within the schools so upon finding an organization such as Youth 4 a Sustainable Future in the school system I was eager to help take action on and off campus as well as continue to education myself in addition to my community.
High Tech High:
Brooke Compton
Hi, my name is Brooke Compton, and I am a senior at High Tech High Chula Vista. I have been a part of the Y4SF program as a lead since the beginning of my junior year. Then shortly after I interned with SBSC where my life completely changed for the better! Because of this organization, I have been able to make so many wonderful memories within my community and help our planet grow. I enjoy educating others on how to live more sustainably and give back to our earth. My biggest hope is to inspire those around me to be apart of the fight against climate change and make an active difference. I believe we all have the power within us to help our world be a better place.
Not only is Y4SF a student run club under South Bay Sustainable Communities, but these students are actively involved in the community, advocating for a greener future. Students also participate in council meetings in support of sustainable ordinances and new regulations. These regulations include but are not limited to:
Single-Use Plastic Ban Ordinance
Declaration of a Climate Emergency
Students of Y4SF urged Chula Vista Council to adopt the Climate Emergency Declarations
Interested in hosting a Y4SF Club at your school?
Email Tina Matthias for more information!