Manteca Unified School District (MUSD) is the first district in the state to implement California’s landmark Education and the Environment Curriculum (EEI). The curriculum’s launch that included the first teacher training was held at the Gen7 Green Learning Center in Manteca on December 16th.

This first-in-the-nation environmental curriculum will help change the way we look at solving our environmental problems and is designed to help prepare today’s students to become future scientists, economists, and green technology leaders. In an ongoing partnership to promote environmental stewardship Manteca selected the Gen7 Green Learning Center to train the first thirty teachers in the state. “Gen7 is a good example of an environmentally responsible learning environment that can enhance and add to a green curriculum. Additionally, it is a space where not only students but teachers can thrive” said Victoria Brunn, Energy Education Specialist and the Sustainability Coordinator for the Manteca Unified School District’s Leadership on Green Initiatives Committee (LOGIC). Manteca has been committed to encouraging environmental stewardship and had developed some environmental coursework on its own but was looking for ways to enhance the current program. “We’d looked at a number of different curricula,” Brunn said. “We felt EEI was the strongest. The curriculum looks at environmental issues from a global perspective.”

Actor and Environmentalist, Ed Begley, Jr. came from Los Angeles to Manteca to speak to the teachers on this important initiative. “I have been a long time supporter of many environmental issues but none is more important than education. It’s great to see a district step up and lead the way!”

The development of EEI was a collaborative effort led by the California Environmental Protection Agency Cal/EPA and was supported by many public and private organizations. Some of the members of the EEI Leadership team (click here to download a pdf about the team) were also in attendance.

Jack O’Connell, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the California Department of Education, supported the initiative and planned to attend the launch. He had this to say about the curriculum: “Students today will be responsible for making the decisions that influence the health of the world in which we live. The EEI curriculum provides the foundation to prepare students to be informed, environmentally-conscious decision makers.”

Linda Adams, Secretary for Environmental Protection said, “Our goal is to ensure that every classroom in California has the opportunity to learn from the most up-to-date textbooks on environmental education. However, we rely solely on non-state support to print these materials and train teachers in its implementation. Without it, the next generation of teachers, lawmakers and scientists miss out on valuable lessons about environmental preservation. As you know, we rely on this next generation for our future and it is essential to set a solid foundation on the environment. I am thankful that American Modular Systems, PG&E and SJC Public Works have stepped up to the plate to bring this curriculum to the students in Manteca and I look forward to working with other businesses and foundations as we move forward implementing this across the state,”

Co-Founder of American Modular Systems and manufacturer of Gen7, Tony Sarich, is a strong advocate for environmental education. “We are excited to host the launch of EEI and are committed to assisting the district with implementation of this innovative curriculum. While our company is transforming the way classrooms are built, we are committed to taking a leadership role in the community to encourage environmental stewardship.”