A B O U T U S
by Youth & for Youth
The Bay Area Youth Climate Summit is an entirely youth-run network of movement-builders, creating in-depth and interdisciplinary workshops and mobilizing local Bay Area high schoolers.
our story!
The Bay Area Youth Climate Summit (BAYCS) was born out of a need for effective virtual activism during the pandemic. Founded in May of 2020, the inaugural BAYCS Youth Advisory Council connected environmental leaders from 15 schools based in San Francisco, becoming a community hub that has grown ever since. After five months planning, BAYCS put on the first-ever Bay Area Youth Climate Summit on September 12th, 2020, bringing together over 280 youth from 88 schools and 14 states for a day of workshops, discussions, and Climate Action Planning.
Outside of our summits, we have run monthly workshops on topics ranging from local air quality inequity to Indigenous climate activism to ARTivism. These workshops are opportunities to explore different facets of the environmental movement and for youth to meet and connect. Additionally, in 2022, we hosted our first annual Earth Day Festival focused on climate joy and hope, bringing together Bay Area school environmental clubs, bands, and artists. BAYCS has also worked to support community mutual aid efforts, donating over $15,000 in hygiene kits to local community fridges in Oakland, Marin, and San Francisco, 430 books to the Children’s Book Project, and supporting circular fashion efforts through a Smartwool Sock Drive in 2023.
Since this first summit, we have built off this foundation and our summits have grown. Our 2021 summit consisted of both a virtual and in-person section, hosted at St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Francisco. We hosted our 2022 summit at the World Affairs Building, uniting over 100 youth and educators through nine interactive workshops. In 2023, we held our summit at the California Academy of Sciences, uniting over 230 youth. Finally, our most recent summit, in September of 2024, was held at the University of California, San Francisco, with over 14 workshops and 215 attendees.
The Bay Area Youth Climate Summit strives to foster a local community of high schoolers that is empowered to both learn deeply about the climate crisis and take action. If you are an interested young person, we encourage you to join us in the fight for climate justice!
by the numbers!
9k+
total youth engaged
113+
climate-related
workshops
240+
high schools connected
2.8k+
social media followers
180+
people reached
through CAPs!
meet the team!
McKinley is a Senior at Abraham Lincoln High School. She is very passionate about climate justice and is also the vice president of her school's chapter of Youth vs. Apocalypse. From a young age she’s loved everything outdoors, from hiking through California’s forests to swimming in its beautiful oceans. She is eager to continue her time at BAYCS as it combines all of her environmental passions.
Emily is a senior at Menlo-Atherton High School. She has worked with BAYCS since 2022, and is specifically interested in environmental health and interdisciplinary climate work. She has also been involved in population and biological research centered around climate change, studying ecological shifts in relation to global warming. She spends most of her free time running, hiking, playing music, and rowing, and experiencing climate change through the landscape of the Bay has fueled her interests.
Aishani is a senior at Design Tech High School and is very passionate about climate education. She started her own podcast called The Climate Career Kit to help other high school students learn more about different climate careers. She is also the president of the Model UN team at her school.
Royal is a junior at Abraham Lincoln high school and has been interested in environmental sciences, climate, & environmental activism from a young age. Early on, she was able to discover her passion for environmental science through girl scouts, which she is still a part of to this day. In high school, Royal began to get more involved in climate activism through school clubs such as Youth vs. Apocalypse, where she dedicates extra time to working on the YvA newsletter.
Some things Royal has done to maintain a relationship of reciprocity with the Earth, includes shopping at sustainable stores/markets and maintaining a vegetarian diet. Royal also has a very strong passion for youth activism; she finds it very important to amplify youth outlets to speak up and share their stories. She loves to work with new people and hear everyone's stories so she is very excited to be a part of the team!
Ysabel is a senior at Berkeley High School. Ever since learning about the devastating effects of the climate crisis as a child, Ysabel has been passionate about discovering how she can mitigate it through action. In particular, she’s interested in the climate change’s effect on ecosystems & wildlife.
At school, she is the co-editor-in-chief of the Berkeley High Jacket Newspaper, and in her free time she can be found reading a good book or playing with her dogs.
Charlotte is a senior at Lick-Wilmerding High School. At a young age, she has always admired the earth where she spent most of her time outside on nature hikes, swimming and enjoying what nature has to offer. Since learning about environmental issues in middle school, she's grown passionate about climate activism. As a new member of BAYCS, she is excited to learn about new elements about the climate movement. Charlotte enjoys dancing, reading, writing songs, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family during her free time.
Kimia is a senior at the Urban School of San Fransisco and a student at the Mountain School of Milton Academy. At the Urban School, she is involved with their school newspaper as well as the Middle Eastern North African affinity group. During her time at BAYCS, she is interested in the intersection of her Iranian identity and the climate crisis, as the Middle East is one of the regions most vulnerable to global warming. During her free time, she enjoys knitting, water coloring, and going on walks with her dog.
Caroline is a junior at Marin Academy. She is very interested in climate change and how it affects marine life and conservation efforts. Being part of BAYCS, she is excited to grow as an environmental activist and connect with her community about climate issues.
Padma is a junior at Mission San Jose High School, where she’s involved in the school newspaper and orchestra. She’s passionate about all things journalism, especially its intersection with climate change and climate policy. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching Ghibli movies and going on walks.
Tara is a senior at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco. As a kid, she was involved in environmentalism through protests and making public comments and was excited by the idea of making a difference on climate change. She currently co-leads the sustainable fashion club at her school and loves learning about different climate solutions through BAYCS. In her free time Tara enjoys dancing, baking, playing water polo, and running her Etsy shop.
Ella is a junior at the Nueva School. She has been very passionate about sustainable living, focusing on food and packaging waste. She enjoys being able to educate and work with others on climate issues. In her free time, she loves to spend time with friends, bake, and explore different creative crafts.
Juliana is a senior at Lick-Wilmerding High school and co-leads the Enviro-Club at her school. She grew up loving nature and its opportunities for exploration, and when she learned about the climate crisis, she became very passionate about protecting wildlife and about preventing the continued emission of greenhouse gasses from massive corporations. She is very excited to work with people her age and to have the opportunity to take action and make an impact on the community. During her free time, she enjoys singing, reading, creative writing, going on daily walks, and spending time with friends and family.
Bella is a junior at Heritage High School and has always been eager to make an impact on her environment. Her passion is directed towards Climate Psychology and the effect of climate on the daily lives of many. Through her school, she is part of a variety of clubs including Project Climate, Animal Care, and Garden Club. Although one of her most prominent passions is climate activism, she also enjoys cooking, traveling, and water polo. Though she is new to BAYCS, she is excited to make a difference through our organization!
Kate is a junior at St. Ignatius College Preparatory, leading the school’s Green Team with trash cleanups and collaborative events. She is passionate about contributing to positive social change and protecting our future through our collective agency; she strives to pursue her passions for social justice and STEM and is excited to further her goals through her involvement with BAYCS. Outside of the climate movement, she enjoys rowing for SI’s crew, listening to and performing music, and spending time outdoors.
Maggie is a junior at Lick Wilmerding High School. Since she was young, she has loved animals and found joy in hiking, swimming, and exploring nature. Having learned about various aspects of climate justice through different experiences, she has become interested in environmental racism, nature and wildlife preservation, and fostering a sustainable lifestyle in small ways. She loves to connect with similarly-minded peers and is excited to grow as a new BAYCS team member.
In her free time, Maggie plays numerous sports, serves on the board of her school’s mental health club, volunteers, spends time with her rabbit and two dogs, and can be found buried in a book. Currently a vegetarian, she loves plants and spending time with loved ones.
Luci is a sophomore at Heritage High School in Brentwood. She has a passion for climate justice and ocean conservation, and she’s so excited to take climate action. Outside of BAYCS, Luci enjoys playing water polo and swimming.
Emily is a junior at Balboa High School in San Francisco. She is very passionate about climate change policy and environmental science. She has demonstrated her advocacy work by volunteering in political campaigns. At Balboa High School, she is the commander of the JROTC Exhibition drill team, JROTC Administrative officer (Battalion S-1 Adjutant), and curriculum planner for ABCC. In her free time, Emily loves playing the flute, soccer, volleyball, swimming, and listening to K-pop.
Pearl is a sophomore at Lick-Wilmerding High School. Pearl grew interested in the scientific and social aspects of climate change from a young age, and she wanted to take immediate action. She introduced climate literacy into her middle school’s curriculum, and participated in “Fridays for Future” by organizing a school march to her city hall. Since then, Pearl has worked with her school club to explore the intersection of climate change and gender justice. She leads a low carbon footprint lifestyle, practicing vegetarianism, second-hand purchasing, and encourages sustainable power use.
Zoe is a sophomore at The Nueva School. From a young age, she loved to visit aquariums and go on hikes, which led to her love of nature and passion for environmental activism. She is part of two environmental-related clubs at her school and has enjoyed leading/participating in events, including fundraisers, eco action raisers, etc. In her free time, she loves to play volleyball, listen to true crime podcasts, and eat tasty food. She also loves to travel the world and experience different cultures. By joining BAYCS, she hopes to inspire other youth to make their voices heard in the climate space and to continue her journey of learning.
Alexandra is a junior at Lick-Wilmerding High School. She loves to create art and bake pastries for her friends and family. Alexandra is the co-leader of First & Proud, a club at Lick that supports first generation students from across the Bay Area with their educational journeys. She aspires to inform about the climate crisis with STEM, especially the ways in which toxic chemicals emitted into the air contribute to its pollution, impacting both the environment and the organisms within it.
Ryan is a junior at the Head-Royce School in Oakland and has been actively engaged in climate and social activism since the second grade. He is the leader of Head-Royce's Environmental Justice Initiative and Green Operations Squad, and as a member of the Community Engagement Board, he works with faculty and administrators to raise awareness for climate injustices in the East Bay and around the country. Ryan is the founder and host of A Change is a Chance, a podcast and youth community focused on surfacing truths around some of the most pressing global issues. In his free time, Ryan loves to sing karaoke, play with his little brother, or cook up a hearty hot pot for the family!
Tanvi is a junior at Mission San Jose High School where she’s involved with her schools youth 4 climate and green club. Currently she’s been involved & interested in food waste management as well as its intersection into food insecurity and the climate movement. She loves backpacking, scuba diving, watching Wong Kar-wai films and crocheting (@tanvi.crochetcloset). She looks forward to making a change in her local community and all across the bay!
Zoe is a junior at the Bay School of San Francisco. She is really passionate about climate action. At her school, Zoe is a member of Project Super Plants, another youth-led organization to educate students about the growing climate issue. In Zoe's free time, she likes tutoring, playing piano, and fencing. At BAYCS, Zoe hopes to create an innovative and positive influence on the world’s current situation.
Alan is a sophomore at Balboa High School. He is determined and passionate in making positive environmental impacts by collaborating and working with other high school students to implement environmental-friendly projects. Alan is a substitute volunteer captain / intern for Refuse Refuse. In his role, he co-led 9 cleanups, worked with a group of three distributing over 7k door hangers to inform the public in regards of upcoming cleanups, and collected over 140 pounds of trash. Alan strives for the best and he is excited to continue his contributions for the environment!
partners
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featured
alumni
Meet the alumni of the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit team!
Lick-Wilmerding High School '22
Amelia Fortgang
Amelia Fortgang is the founder and former chair of the Bay Area Youth Climate Summit (2020-2022). She absolutely loved her time with BAYCS, whether planning workshops, speaking at climate strikes, or meeting like-minded friends from other schools. She graduated from Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco and now attends Yale University, double majoring in environmental studies and political science. Amelia continues to work with EarthEcho International, serving on their Youth Leadership Council and formerly working with their water challenge. In her free time, she loves to create climate advocacy-related prints and go on hikes around the Bay Area or New Haven. She still works with BAYCS as an advisor, and she can’t wait to see where the new leadership will take the organization! (last updated June 2023)
Marin Academy '24
Finn Does
Finn is a former co-chair and lead of the Newsletter, Grants, and Workshops teams. Now, he offers support as an advisor to BAYCS. Finn is an incoming freshman at UC Berkeley majoring in Society and Environment. BAYCS has been the best part of Finn's life for the past 3 years. As a closeted 14 year old who didn’t know his inherent self-worth, our Sunday meetings gave Finn the space to learn how to love himself while fighting alongside his friends for the future we all deserve. Surrounded by teammates who refused to give up on both a burning planet and each other, BAYCS has done more than “given” Finn hope, it's allowed him to create hope and share it. He's leaving as a fierce, strong, and proud organizer that he never would’ve dreamed of becoming.
(last updated July 2024)
Lick-Wilmerding High School '24
Sophie Merickel
Sophie was a co-chair of BAYCS and lead of the Workshops team. She will soon attend Williams College and study Biochemistry and plans to attend medical school in the future. Leading BAYCS has been one of the most important parts of her high school experience. As a quiet and nervous 14-year-old, BAYCS created a space for Sophie to find her voice and explore her passions. As she moves towards college, Sophie is excited to continue to grow this voice. (last updated July 2024)
Heritage High School '24
Sophie Eilersen
Sophie was a co-chair of BAYCS leading the Social Media and Newsletter teams. She is an incoming freshman at UCLA studying Biology. Leading BAYCS has been the single most meaningful and passionate part of Sophie's time in high school. Working with her fellow co-chairs to put on the summit and Earth Day Festival taught her so many skills in organizing and leading, as well as gave her an outlet for climate activism. Having the opportunity to work with like-minded youth and inspire others to fight for a more just and equitable world has been a privilege, and Sophie can’t wait to see what else BAYCS accomplishes. She looks forward to continuing to push for a greener and healthier planet when she starts at UCLA in the fall.
(last updated July 2024)
Lick-Wilmerding High School '23
Natalie Heller
Natalie Heller is the former co-chair of BAYCS (2022-2023). While at BAYCS, she loved learning, growing, and meeting other passionate youth, making lifelong friends. She began her time at BAYCS on the original youth council for the virtual summit in 2020 and then soon found herself loving the team and Sunday meetings. She became co-chair in 2022 as she led BAYCS to become a fiscal nonprofit and was featured in 2 US Department of State films for international countries on climate change and resilience. Natalie is graduating Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco and is headed to George Washington University in D.C. She plans to double major in Environmental Studies and International Affairs and minor in sustainability with a concentration in food sustainability. Natalie continues to be outdoors: hiking, snorkeling, diving, camping, and backpacking. She is excited to see where BAYCS is headed in the future! (last updated June 2023)
Berkeley High School '23
Emily Lao
Emily joined BAYCS at its start in 2020, and was involved until she graduated. From being a newbie to becoming a co-chair in her last year, BAYCS has been one of her favorite experiences in high school and she’s made some of her closest friends through the team. Alongside BAYCS, she also helped lead her school’s robotics team and environmental club. Emily will be attending UC Santa Barbara next year to study computer science. She hopes to apply a future computer science degree to the field of environmental action and continue her activism in climate change through the lens of engineering.
Alameda High School '23
Alyssa Goldfield
At BAYCS, Alyssa Goldfield was a co-chair as well as a lead of the newsletter team. After joining in 2020, she continued to work with the team, meeting some of her best friends, and learning to navigate challenges with them. While at BAYCS, she helped create over 30 newsletters, organize 4 major BAYCS events, and several workshops, and spoke at 3 climate strikes. After high school, she is attending UC Davis to study Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning with a minor or double major in economics. She hopes to move to Washington DC and work with Congress to craft environmental legislation that may propel our country toward a healthier and brighter future. (last updated June 2023)
Lick-Wilmerding High School '23
Bruno Kai Ong
Bruno Kai Ong was a co-chair of BAYCS and led the workshops and partnerships team. He loved the team community and enjoyed organizing and hosting a variety of action-oriented events. In addition to BAYCS, Bruno served as his school’s first Environmental Chair, where he led initiatives to reduce energy usage, reduce food waste, and divest. Next fall, he’ll be attending Yale University. (last updated June 2023)
Lick-Wilmerding High School '22
Erika Tam
Erika is a former co-chair for BAYCS. will be a first-year at UC Berkeley studying Molecular Environmental Biology, hopefully with a focus in Food Studies or Environmental Economics! She plans to continue playing tennis, going on nature walks, and discovering good food in Berkeley. Recently, she has been really interested in researching sustainable capitalism and community gardens! In the fall she will be working for Forest and Flour’s farmers market bakery, so come visit, and if you have questions about Berkeley or college at all feel free to reach out! (last updated June 2022)
St. Ignatius College Preparatory School '24
Elise Priesman
Elise was a co-lead of the Workshops team on BAYCS. Elise will be a freshman at UC Berkeley majoring in Society and Environment. Her high school experience would not have been the same without BAYCS. By forming a community with like-minded peers, creating tangible change within her community, and acquiring leadership and organizational skills, Elise became more inspired and prepared to integrate environmental activism and justice into her future endeavors. Elise is continuously impressed by the diligence, innovation, and creativity of her fellow team members, and she is excited to see them continue to drive change and empower other youth within the Bay Area and beyond. (last updated July 2024)
The Nueva School '24
Naomie Chien
Naomie was a co-lead of the Workshops team and a member of the Newsletter and Grants teams. She is an incoming freshman at Stanford studying Earth Systems and Computer Science. Just last year, over 250 high schoolers gathered at the California Academy of Sciences, all with different interests and niches, and all could see themselves in relation to the ongoing climate crisis. However, the excitement Naomie felt during the summit was far from new. Every Sunday and Tuesday, she felt excitement and a sense of purpose and drive from her team members. Every monthly workshop, Naomie felt completed by the hope-driven workshops they offered. It has been an honor for Naomie to find herself through the work she does at BAYCS with all of them. This is only our beginning. (last updated July 2024)
George Washington High School '24
Vivian Deng
Vivian spent her time on BAYCS as a member of the Workshops team. She is an incoming Fiat Lux Scholar at UC Berkeley studying Society and Environment & Political Science. BAYCS has been instrumental to Vivian's growth as a student, leader, and person. From forging genuine camaraderie among the team to translating passion into action through their initiatives, her appreciation for the people there knows no bounds. Vivian leaves in awe of the friends with whom she created change and aspires to pursue similar opportunities in college in hopes of becoming a human rights attorney. (last updated July 2024
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Alameda High School '24
Cassidy Chan
Cassidy was a member of the Workshops team. She will take a gap year in Taiwan as part of the National Security Language Initiative for Youth before studying Politics & Government at Sciences Po in France and Global Studies at UC Berkeley. BAYCS has really helped cultivate Cassidy's passion for climate activism, shaping her ability to lead through event organization and outreach. Being able to reach youth at the root by instilling education on the severity of climate issues and equipping them with resources to take action through the BAYCS platform has empowered Cassidy to continue her advocacy work for the environment. She is so grateful to have been part of such a zealous yet hard-working and creative team. (last updated June 2024)
Lick-Wilmerding High School '24
Ariel Fu-Chen
Ariel was a member of the Newsletter and Workshops teams. She will study Chinese in a gap year at National Taiwan University before attending Stanford. She feels so lucky to have gotten to spend her high school years as part of BAYCS. Ariel has learned so much since being a sophomore with a vague understanding of climate change, especially about just how complex the climate crisis is — and equally importantly, how many inspiring people are out there working towards solutions. From team meetings to climate summits and conferences, BAYCS has allowed Ariel to pursue her interest in environmental issues and work together with similarly passionate people. Though she is undecided on a specific major, Ariel hopes to dive deeper into these topics in college.
(last updated June 2024)
El Camino High School '24
Jasmine Ho
Jasmine served as a co-lead of the Social Media team and a member of the Grants team. She will study Chemistry & Neuroscience at UCLA. BAYCS has been such an integral part of Jasmine's high school experience. Connecting with peers her own age about similar ambitions has introduced her to a wonderful network of both partners and friends, and Jasmine is eternally grateful for all of the opportunities BAYCS has presented her. Jasmine is excited to see what the future has in store for the BAYCS team. (last updated July 2024)
St. Ignatius College Preparatory School '24
Cece Hammond
As a part of BAYCS, Cece was on the Newsletter and Social Media teams. Cece is an incoming freshman at UC Berkeley studying Neuroscience & Cognitive Science. She's very interested in the impact of the climate crisis on adolescent mental health and the importance of climate education. As a member of the workshops and social media teams, Cece learned valuable organizational and communication skills with BAYCS. She especially appreciates the inspiring connections she formed with fellow youth advocates.
(last updated June 2024)
Piedmont High School '24
Edwin Tang
Edwin was the Website team lead and a member of the Newsletter team. Edwin will be a freshman at UC Berkeley planning to pursue Geology. BAYCS has been an impactful part of Edwin's high school experience, shaping his views on collaborative work and the climate revolution as a whole. He found it engaging to connect with peers who share an interest in helping the community thrive and educating future generations about climate education. Edwin is excited to see where BAYCS will go in the future and how it will continue to positively change communities. He is grateful to have been part of this amazing, hard-working group and looks forward to watching BAYCS grow and evolve. (last updated June 2024)
Urban School '23
Amelia Hayward
Amelia Hayward was a member of BAYCS and worked with the team to plan workshops focused on sustainable urban gardening and composting practices. She was a former senior at the Urban School of San Francisco and was part of Urban’s Green Team. Some of her favorite pastimes are backpacking, climbing, and beach walks with her dog. Through BAYCS, she learned a lot about outreach, activism, and how to use her voice in the climate crisis. Next year she will be attending Middlebury College where she plans to major in Environmental Studies and potentially minor in Geology. (last updated June 2023)
San Domenico High School '22
Oona Clark
Oona will be starting their bachelor's degree in Climate Science at the Oregon State University Honors College starting in September of 2022. They plan on getting involved with different environmental organizations up in Oregon, and getting outdoors to enjoy the gorgeous landscape. At BAYCS, Oona was one of the original team members who worked on the logistics and workshops team to plan the very first climate summit in September 2020. They also enjoy political activism and were the President of San Domenico's JSA club their senior year. In their free time, Oona is a classical musician and loves to read. (last updated June 2022)
Jesse Bethel High School '23
Aliyah Miller
While involved with BAYCS, Aliyah was part of the workshop team, which demonstrated her dedication and leadership. Next year, she will be attending UC Santa Barbra where she will major in Computer Science.
Galileo High School '23
Lena Huang
Lena has been a member of the workshop and partnerships teams since 2020. During her time with BAYCS, she led numerous projects with partnering organizations. Next year, she will be attending UC Berkeley where she will major in Molecular Environmental Biology and minor in Environmental Science and Policy.
Alameda High School '23
Dhalia Kishnan
With BAYCS, Dhalia was a co-lead of the Social Media team. They enjoyed being part of BAYCS as they were able to discover their passion for climate justice. Next year, they will be attending UC Santa Cruz and plan to major in Environmental Studies with a minor in Music.
St. Ignatius '22
Dory Miller
Dory is an incoming freshman at UC Berkeley, where she plans to pursue Legal Studies and Society in the Environment. In addition to her wonderful experience as the Social Media Co-Lead for BAYCS, she was the president of her school’s Green Team (@sigreenteam) and the Ecological Justice chair for her school’s social justice council. She is the co-founder and co-host of a podcast called “She’s Up Next” (@shesupnextpodcast) that amplifies the voices of other activists and plans to continue recording into college in the hopes of expanding their pool of listeners. Dory is ecstatic to be attending Berkeley and gaining an even wider network of activists, but she also cannot wait to continue helping out with BAYCS when she can! (last updated June 2022)
Lowell High School '21
Christy Vong
Christy is currently a student at UC Davis pursuing a bachelor's degree in Community and Regional Development. One area of sustainability that Christy likes to work on is waste recovery and they are currently volunteering with the Food Recovery Network at UC Davis and the Davis Night Market to recover and distribute extra food to people in the community. Christy has also been engaged in a research project learning more about AAPI farmers with the Asian American Studies department and is passionate about supporting equitable food systems. (last updated June 2022)
George Washington High School '21
Mary Mangubat
After graduating high school, Mary decided to study environmental science at Humboldt State University (now California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt) with a concentration in planning and policy. She also has recently declared her minor in sustainable food systems! She spent her first year at college exploring her interests and curiosities that the field of environmental science had to offer, specifically spending her time volunteering at community farms and learning about food sovereignty. As she enters her second year of college, she's looking forward to all the exciting events she will soon be hosting as an environmental educator at Humboldt’s social justice and equity center.
(last updated June 2022)