U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Awards $100,000 Grant to Environmental Justice Freedom School to Empower Chicagoland Youth in Climate Action
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Environmental Justice (EJ) Freedom School, an innovative program that educates and empowers high school students across the Chicagoland area to champion climate action and environmental justice. With this funding, the EJ Freedom School, led by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), will expand its impact over the next two years, guiding students from schools in areas of high environmental contamination to develop climate action plans tailored to their local communities.
This intensive two-week summer program, set to run from June 16 to June 27, 2025, brings together twenty students (grades 9-12) and four teachers to explore the causes and consequences of climate change, particularly in underserved areas. The EJ Freedom School provides a unique opportunity for students from ten participating Chicago Public Schools—including Washington, Corliss, Kelly, Bowen, South Shore, Little Village, Back of the Yards, Gage Park, Julian, and Fenger High Schools—to develop skills in climate adaptation and mitigation planning. The program equips youth with the knowledge and tools to articulate environmental issues, engage in climate advocacy, and build resilience within their school communities.
Collaborating with esteemed environmental partners—Southeast Environmental Task Force, Chicago Ornithological Society, People for Community Recovery, Friends of Big Marsh, and Urban Rivers—the EJ Freedom School fosters hands-on learning experiences. These partnerships will enable students to assess Chicago’s air and water quality, learn about local ecological challenges, and develop practical solutions to combat climate-related issues impacting their neighborhoods.
In addition to fostering climate and environmental literacy, the program inspires a sense of agency in participants by encouraging them to lead “EJ teach-ins” for their schools and communities. These teach-ins will serve as platforms for students to share their climate action plans and insights, rallying community support for a cleaner, healthier future.
With this generous support from the EPA, the EJ Freedom School will continue empowering youth as advocates for sustainable change, advancing environmental justice across Chicagoland communities.
For more information about the Environmental Justice Freedom School, please contact:
Michael Moriarty, michaelmoriarty@ctuf.org