About BEST
BEST is an environmental leadership program building the next generation of Bay stewards by training upper level high school students to be educators and mentors for younger learners in the field of ecological restoration. Mentors develop leadership skills and model environmentally responsible behaviors as they lead younger learners and collaborate with other emerging environmental leaders.
The BEST program requirements: minimum 15 and maximum 35 students, mentor grade levels: 11-12th, one mentor teacher. Mentee grade levels: 5-9th, one mentee teacher.
Do Your BEST
Two field trips
(one mentor & one mentor/mentee)
Students will instruct students on various aspects of wetland ecology, restoration and native planting at our local restoration sites. Check out our map of local restoration sites and help recruit the BEST schools by posting our flyer.
2 classroom lessons
(one by Save The Bay & one mentor-to-mentee)
These interactive classroom lessons are designed to familiarize students with the San Francisco Bay salt marsh ecosystem and provide a basic overview of restoration ecology.
Community Action Project
Students will choose an environmental issue facing their community and take action to implement a positive solution. Example of CAPs could be start a school recycling program or planting native plants around the school grounds.
Youth Leadership Summit
This a chance for students to showcase and present their community action projects CAP, network with other students and employers, as well as learn out about environmental career opportunities.
BE THE BEST LEARNERS
The following leadership handbook contains lessons that are aligned with California State Science Content Standards.
BEST PHOTOS
Notes From The Field
"I like that I'm helping the animals. Their homes are gone because of the buildings. I don't want anyone taking up my home."
-- Alex
student at Emery Secondary School
"I would do this again with friends because we're making a difference that could change the wetlands."
-- Samantha
student at Emery Secondary School
"This was a great team-building, hands-on, and first-hand experience with classroom content. Planting, coupled with students doing the training, were the most useful restoration education activities for my class."
-- Julie Edwards, High School teacher
Emery Secondary School
Please Contact Us
The Restoration Education Staff at Save The Bay looks forward to hearing from you. We are very proud of our BEST program, eager to answer your questions, and excited to work with you to ensure that students throughout the Bay Area have the opportunity to protect and restore the San Francisco Bay! Please give us a call anytime at 510-463-6813.