Transforming schools into innovation hubs where students test real-world solutions for food, climate, and community challenges while building the skills to lead sustainable change.
“You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.”
― E.O. Wilson, world-renowned biologist and naturalist from Alabama
The Program
LiftUp Alabama’s YEL Earth program transforms a school into an innovation lab where students test ideas and create solutions for a healthier planet. The school becomes a hub for exploring ways to grow nutritious food, restore biodiversity, reduce food waste, reuse plastics, and eliminate greenhouse gases. Each lesson is designed around the vision of UNICEF USA’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative, where children help shape communities that are safe, sustainable, and inclusive.
Students engage in hands-on projects, from building edible gardens to experimenting with composting and renewable energy. They strengthen financial literacy by managing project budgets and tracking the economic benefits of sustainable choices. Community engagement is central, as students bring their knowledge and innovations home to inspire change in families and neighborhoods.
Global Connection
Through global exchanges, classrooms connect with peers across the USA and around the globe. Classrooms and EcoSprouts Club members connect with peers living across the globe and create friendships, share ideas and collaborate on solutions. Students see how their actions link to a global community and gain a sense of belonging in a wider community of young changemakers. These collaborations broaden perspectives and spark cross-cultural innovation, showing students how local action contributes to global impact.
By integrating sustainability education, financial literacy, global exchange and community connections, the YEL Earth program equips young people with the skills and experience to help lead the way toward a more sustainable future where people and planet will thrive.
YEL Earth empowers young people to become sustainability-minded leaders and global problem solvers.
YEL Earth Internship Program
YEL Earth Internship Program empowers undergraduate and graduate students to become sustainability-minded entrepreneurs and global problem solvers. Through hands-on training and applied internships, participants explore the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and community impact. Interns gain real-world experience with local and global partners, developing the skills and networks needed to launch sustainable solutions that benefit local communities and the planet.