In this episode of Healthier, Happier, Smarter, hosts Jaeden and Xia sit down with the Chippewa Falls Green Team — seniors Zoe, Chloe, and Ellie — to explore how student-led environmental action is transforming their school and community. The trio shares how their mostly student-driven group secured drone pilot licenses, wrote grants to fund a solar panel installation at Camp Nawakwa, and brought hands-on renewable energy lessons to elementary classrooms and energy career fairs. From navigating a failed rooftop solar project at their high school to winning the SoulStock competition and earning the Solar Moonshot grant, the Green Team offers Wisconsin educators an inspiring model of what's possible when young people are given the freedom, mentorship, and resources to pursue passion-driven environmental projects.

Links + Resources:

Follow the Chippewa Falls Green Team on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chihienvironmentalclub/

Follow Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chippewafallsschool

Show your support for environmental education by becoming a member: waee.org/join

Follow the show online:

Facebook: @WisconsinAssociationforEnvironmentalEducation

Instagram: @wisconsinassociationforee

LinkedIn: wisconsin-association-for-environmental-education-inc

YouTube: @wisconsinassociationforee

View all book recommendations from the podcast:

https://bookshop.org/lists/healthier-happier-smarter

Thank you to our sponsors:

James E Dutton Foundation: https://www.jameseduttonfoundation.org/

Natural Resources Foundation: https://www.wisconservation.org/

WAEE Funding Partners: https://www.waee.org/our-supporters

Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin: https://green-and-healthy-schools-wi-dnr.hub.arcgis.com/

If you’d like to become a sponsor, contact us at podcast@waee.org