MISSION & VISION
Climate Action Pathways for Schools prepares students for fulfilling green careers through educational programs and paid work experience on projects that save money and increase climate resilience for school communities.
CAPS envisions a world in which every student has a pathway to pursue a fulfilling career in the green economy and the opportunity to attend climate-resilient, healthy, and sustainable schools.
WHO WE SERVE
CAPS programming serves all students in our partner districts, with an emphasis on building pathways to green careers for those underrepresented in the sector, including women, people of color, low-income communities, and rural communities.
CAPS partners with school districts in communities that are on the frontlines of climate change and environmental injustice. These are places where youth leadership, community collaboration, and climate urgency intersect—and where our work can help build healthier, more resilient schools while launching students into fulfilling green careers.
OUR COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE, EQUITY, & BELONGING
We believe climate solutions must be rooted in equity, and that students from communities most impacted by environmental and systemic injustice must be leaders in the green transition.
CAPS is committed to:
Partnering with school districts facing high pollution burdens, environmental risk, and histories of underinvestment
Creating paid, work-based learning experiences that expand access to green career pathways
Building a team and leadership structure that reflects the communities we serve
Uplifting lived experience and youth voice as essential drivers of climate resilience
OUR HISTORY
Climate Action Pathways for Schools (CAPS) launched in 2019 with the goal of preparing students for fulfilling green careers through educational programs and paid work experience on projects that increase climate resilience for school communities. Since then, we’ve grown to seven districts across the state. We are harnessing the interest and commitment of students to learn about climate change and apply that knowledge to solve real-world problems.
CAPS is led by professionals with diverse backgrounds in education, sustainability, and clean energy. We’re building upon years of experience working with school districts — including the development of immersive summer internships for high school students in which students gained in-depth knowledge and inspiration through hands-on, project-based learning on solar photovoltaic systems.
Through our prior work in school districts, students have successfully pursued data-driven initiatives that culminated in their serving as champions for developing climate-action projects that were ultimately designed, financed, and built for their schools.
More Stories
From Internships to Apprenticeships: How CAPS Is Expanding Green Job Training
In 2024, we received a $500,000 grant from the California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) initiative, allowing us to take a significant step toward developing a registered youth apprenticeship program for students aged 16 to 24. These apprenticeships will provide students with structured industry training and certifications, helping them transition from high school to careers in the green economy.
From CAPS Intern to NASA Researcher: Taylor Simonich’s Path to Living Her Passion
CAPS intern alum and board member Taylor Simonich credits her Porterville internship with launching a career path that took her from UCLA to NASA’s DEVELOP program. She helped test whether GIS and satellite data could assess oak tree health remotely for L.A. County partners. She later presented the project in Washington, D.C. to NASA officials. Her story shows how mentorship and student-led work open green career pathways.
Developing Student-Led Citywide Environmental Justice in Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill Unified School District is partnering with CAPS to train and employ high school interns to lead districtwide sustainability and environmental justice work. Students will conduct energy audits, assess building systems for decarbonization, and develop projects on clean mobility, green schoolyards, water conservation, and climate-smart food systems. Working with the City of Morgan Hill’s principal planner, interns will also support community engagement to shape the Healthy Neighborhoods for All plan and reduce emissions across the district.
