CCEO Fellowship OverviewThe Climate Corps Education Outside (CCEO) fellowship is an AmeriCorps Program. Participants gain experience in the field of environmental education while building skills in teaching and facilitation, garden maintenance and food production, and community outreach. As a CCEO Fellow, you will teach garden-based science and environmental literacy lessons to inspire the next generation of earth stewards at a public elementary school in the Bay Area.
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Fellowship Details
- Complete 1,700 service hours over a 11.5 month term at a Bay Area elementary school as an AmeriCorps Member
- Participate in professional development sessions with a cohort of emerging education and sustainability professionals, hearing from experts around the Bay Area
- Plan and teach ecoliteracy lessons for K-5 classes using provided CCEO curriculum
- Cultivate and maintain an outdoor classroom to promote students’ connection to the environment and nature
- Activate community members and volunteers to support garden maintenance and engagement in the outdoor learning program
- Identify and fulfill one fundraising opportunity to promote the continuation of garden programming at a school site
- Receive a monthly stipend, benefits and an end-of-program education award
The 2025-2026 Fellowship will start on August 18, 2025 and end on July 31, 2026.
2024-2025 CCEO school sites
Program Pillars
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Learning and Teaching Outdoors
Develop essential teaching and facilitation skills. Training topics include:
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Outdoor Classroom Design
Learn to maintain a healthy and thriving garden. Training topics include:
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Leadership for Community Engagement
Build skills in community outreach. Training topics include:
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Fellow Stories
"I am excited about connecting the students to nature and their food through our beautiful garden." As a Get Up! program graduate from Garden for the Environment, "I got really excited about teaching composting. I saw firsthand how gardening and composting helps us be grounded and connected to the natural world. I changed careers to inspire the next generation and help them connect to nature."
— Raphael Hitzke |
"I was inspired to become a Garden Educator because I loved being in nature in any capacity as a child. The love and care the ER Taylor community has shown me has been overwhelming. Everyone's ecstatic to have a Garden Educator bringing in outdoor education. I am most excited to foster a generation of future leaders that care about the environment as much as they care for each other. And to grow and eat some snap peas!"
— Aaron Bermillo |
"There is something so precious about watching a child express so much joy after holding a small squiggly worm for the first time. I've seen students marvel at the migration of monarch butterflies. I've seen students light up when learning they can rub a leaf with a crayon and leave the imprint behind. I've seen students beam when making family connections to the Cempasuchil flowers we planted in the garden for Dia de los Muertos. There has been so much joy and laughter and wonder in this space, and it truly never grows old."
—Ysabel Wulfing Mora |
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Let's ChatIf you have questions about the Climate Corps Education Outside program, please reach out to our team at [email protected].
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Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS AMERICORPS?
AmeriCorps is a civil service program that recruits Members to commit to and serve their local communities. Over 1 million AmeriCorps Members have served since 1994, and it can be described as a “domestic Peace Corps”. To learn more, visit the official AmeriCorps website here.
WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS WILL CCEO FELLOWS WORK ON / WHAT TRAINING WILL THEY RECEIVE?
Climate Corps Education Outside Fellows will increase student science activation and environmental knowledge and awareness by engaging students and volunteers in maintaining school gardens, supporting outdoor science lessons, and championing school-based stewardship and sustainability initiatives. On-site and remote training sessions will be held every other week to support Fellows in their educational and professional skills and goals. Training topics include Introduction to Child Development stages, Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices, Basic Gardening, and asset-based community engagement.
HOW MANY CANDIDATES WILL BE ACCEPTED?
The number of open positions varies between 15-20, as it depends on how many current Fellows will return for an additional year.
What are the prerequisites to become a CCEO Fellow?
Fellows should have a background working with youth (teaching, camp counselor, tutoring, etc) and an interest in gardening/farming. When applications open, please review the full position description for a complete list of prerequisites.
do fellows get to choose which SCHOOL they're assigned to?
Upon acceptance, the CCEO team will work to match the Fellow at an open school site, taking into consideration various factors (e.g., school needs, site language needs, candidate's geographic preferences)."
Why become a CCEO fellow?
Climate Corps is a “bridge-to-career” program that provides essential training and the unique opportunity to gain work experience as a teacher bringing hands-on, outdoor science education to urban elementary schools.
Where are cceo fellows located?
Fellows serve at public elementary schools around the Bay Area. See map above for specific locations.
What are the program Goals?
The purpose of this program is to advance science education and environmental literacy by teaching outdoors in public schools. Activating interest in science during elementary school is critical, as studies suggest that children who develop interest in science at an early age tend to stay engaged in science and/or contribute to scientific discovery and innovation in their adult lives. We will spark children's interest in science and connect them to the natural world through hands-on learning in school gardens.
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Administered by California Volunteers and sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
