With support from Stonyfield Farm (http://www.stonyfield.com) and in partnership with Climate Counts (http://www.climatecounts.org), the Will Steger Foundation (http://www.willstegerfoundation.org) is embarking on a new kind of expedition; one that brings youth voices to the global climate negotiations in Copenhagen. We will: lead a Midwest Youth delegation to Copenhagen; create an interdisciplinary standards-linked curriculum for grades 9 – 12 in partnership with the National Education Association; and provide multimedia blogs and real-time communications between youth delegates and classrooms in the U.S.

Believing that the Midwest is a key player in driving national climate policy, public opinion, and the renewable energy revolution, Will Steger Foundation is committed to engaging young emerging leaders across the Midwest in the international climate negotiations. Will Steger Foundation has selected ten dynamic youth leaders representing diverse communities from each of the following Midwest states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois.

Midwest youth delegates will participate in educational outreach and a regional climate campaign over the course of 2009. Delegates will work with the Will Steger Foundation and student/staff organizers to foster peer engagement in the climate negotiations, including peer education and large-scale grassroots organizing throughout the region.

In Copenhagen, the Midwest youth delegation will play an active role in negotiations and share their experiences online with students and the general public across the United States. In the tradition of Adventure Learning and Will Steger expeditions, high school classrooms will follow the delegates online, and participate virtually in the negotiations through daily multi-media updates.

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