Throughout the school year, if someone were to walk into Truckee High’s classroom 113 during lunch on a Monday, they would find a small group of high school students gathered in the back two rows of desks. The group doesn’t look particularly consequential; oftentimes, they are speaking in a discussion-like manner, eating home-made lunches, and sitting around in a circle with their advisors. However, this group of students makes influential decisions about the future of their cohort in the face of climate change and how to relate to the school board and their local community on this issue.

Tahoe Youth Action Team (TYAT) is a club based out of Truckee High School. The club is an off-branch of Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) and is advised by community leaders, Adrianne Kimber and Deirdre Henderson. This past year members of the club such as Aili Scott, Issac Medina, Charlie Derrick, Lillian Schnick, Jayna Palmer, Grayson Martin and Oona Davis, could be found in school board meetings making public comments, meeting with the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) sustainability coordinator, holding Zoom meetings with their local Congressional representative Kevin Kiley, or scheduling events such as the voter registration drive which they put on twice each year. Every single member of the TYAT has committed countless hours outside of school, while balancing work, sports and other extracurricular activities. 

One of the main priorities of TYAT is reduction of the impacts of climate change. This is reflected by its primary project: the proposed TTUSD Climate Resolution. This resolution, outlined in a detailed document, has been researched, drafted and revised, entirely by the members of TYAT. The goal of the resolution is to reduce the carbon footprint of the community by lobbying the school district to eliminate the use of fossil fuels for energy and to transition to electric energy for heating, cooling and transportation. The students continue to work to refine the strategy and lobby the school board to pass the resolution. Some parts of the resolution have been accepted and implemented, such as the introduction of a sustainability coordinator, a major accomplishment for the students. However a high priority of the action team is to encourage TTUSD to commit publicly and in writing to a pathway to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. This past spring, the members of TYAT sent out dozens of emails to the teachers of TTUSD, asking them for support for the resolution. In this new school year, student TYAT representatives will once again make public comments at school board meetings in favor of the Climate Resolution and work to build political will in the community for its passage.

Another climate-related issue that TYAT addresses is the huge lack of clear information available to young adults regarding the process of registering to vote. To address this problem, TYAT began holding an annual voter registration drive. Club members step into Senior and Junior level classes to give presentations educating students about registering to vote. For students who are under 18, TYAT also provides resources to pre-register. Club members give presentations about absentee voting for students who go to college out of state and provide information about items on the ballot that may interest young voters. One of the most important things anyone can do to address the effects of climate change is to vote. In addition, TYAT wants to make sure that their peers are empowered to vote to influence issues that could affect them directly. For example, this past November, Proposition 32 appeared on the ballot in California, proposing a raise in the California minimum wage. Many high school students work minimum wage jobs, yet very few know about Prop 32. This lack of education can be consequential for them. As a result of TYAT’s hard work, over 150 high school students have been registered or pre-registered to vote– this effort includes the registration of over 60 students in one day, an all-time high for the club.

The members of Truckee High’s Tahoe Youth Action Team are not only gifted students, they are dedicated to a more sustainable and progressive future and are learning and practicing the civic skills to fight for this future. They represent the vanguard of a remarkable generation ready to take the world by storm. 

Makenna Hogland is a senior at Truckee High School. As a member of Truckee High’s Tahoe Youth Action Team, she appreciates the opportunity to influence local government and ensure that her voice and opinions are heard.