Youth Action

July Project of the Month (POTM): Boys & Girls Club Using Art to Stamp Out Teen Tobacco Use

April 01, 2026 — The fight against Big Tobacco’s targeting of teens is still in full swing, both in the courtroom and on the streets, but for the first time in years we are starting to see some positive effects. In recent years it has come to the public’s attention that tobacco companies are specifically targeting young people because […]

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Roots & Shoots is all about YOUth!

April 01, 2026 — Does one person taking on major companies by demanding they use sustainable ingredients sound impossible? It definitely isn’t. How about planting one million trees and thereby becoming a true environmental hero? Totally doable. And what about saving your favorite animal from extinction by raising awareness with flair, just like Dr. Jane Goodall? Not only can you […]

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Compassionate Leaders You Should Get to Know: Bradley Ferguson

April 01, 2026 — While fireworks and backyard barbecues were staples of most of our 4th of July celebrations, it is important to remember that the day signifies a victory that was won by our dedicated military, and they deserve to be commemorated for their service. Youth Leader Bradley Ferguson does this not only on the 4th of July, […]

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Twelve-Year-Old Singing for Her Hero, Dr. Jane

April 01, 2026 — The enthusiasm and creativity of young people holds a special place in Dr. Jane’s heart.  As one of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots National Youth Leaders, I would love to share the story of a twelve-year old singer who stole all of our hearts.   Meet Ava Willis.  She wrote a song about Dr. Jane […]

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Happy Birthday Malala Yousafzai!

April 01, 2026 — While some students fight for fewer assigned reading pages, others fight for their right to read at all. Education is not a given right in some places, which is a hard truth that young activist Malala Yousafzai is working to change. Today is Malala’s 20th Birthday and she is one of today’s most compassionate leaders. […]

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Compassionate Leaders You Should Get to Know: Laurie Findley

April 01, 2026 — With the refugee crisis in such a dire state, it is hard to know where to begin, but young leader Laurie Findley knows that the first and most important step is just to begin. Laurie’s activism work began with something as simple as tuning in to where her candy bars came from and now has […]

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June Project of the Month (POTM): An Eco-Fair Project Idea Worth Recycling

April 01, 2026 — It is easy to feel hopeful about the fate of our planet if we stop to notice the actions of young people happening all around. Children are the future, and the children of Hutchinson Elementary School are a shining example of environmental stewards. The Hutchinson Elementary Environmental Club in Lakewood, Colorado has been delving into […]

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Jane & Payne: Two Icons, One Film

April 01, 2026 — Dr. Jane Goodall and Roger Payne have long admired one another. Both have made stunning breakthrough discoveries in the field of wildlife biology, and are passionate conservationists. Dr. Jane is known for her work with chimpanzees, Roger Payne for his work with whales. So what would it be like to pair these two amazing animal […]

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Using Tech & Imagination as Driving Currents on World Oceans Day

April 01, 2026 — Populations are rising, cities are becoming more crowded, and this means that we are producing more and more waste. Whether it’s pesticide runoff from a recent rain, or plastic blown by the wind, this pollution often ends up in our waterways. Starting from rivers or canals, a great deal of the waste we produce eventually […]

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Compassionate Leaders You Should Get to Know: Reese Arthur

April 01, 2026 — Mothers are truly special beings of the world, as we reminded ourselves this past month, and they embody how important it is to lead by example when you have such impressionable minds at the table. There is a hardly a better example of this than Roots & Shoots leader Reese Arthur and her mother who […]

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