New Video Gives A Student's View Of The Climate Teach-In Held at Elmira College

Elmira, NY (05/12/2022) — A new video featuring Leila Tevlin '25, an Environmental Science major, shares some of Tevlin's experiences from the March 30 Worldwide Climate Teach-In at Elmira College. In the video, Tevlin talks about the day's events, attended by more than 400 students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Tevlin takes viewers to the Upcycle Flea Market, to a couple of panel sessions, and shares their gratitude as fellow students and community members engage in a topic that matters deeply to them.

"The day was so inspiring and energetic," said Tevlin. "Many students spoke during the panels and seemed like they were having a good day. My hope for the campus and the world is for everyone to understand sustainability and know how to live more sustainable lives. The panels and the flea market during the Teach-In were only the beginning. Elmira is ready to be a leader in sustainability."

Dr. Trevor Browning, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and one of the key organizers of the event got a cameo in Tevlin's video. Browning, along with Dr. Doc Billingsley, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, initiated Elmira College's involvement in the event, an international event held at hundreds of colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and faith organizations around the world.

"I was very impressed by the passion and turnout by the entire campus but especially the students," said Browning. "The students demonstrated that this is an issue they care about through their attendance, insight, and engagement during the panels."

April Hart and Bill Krovetcz, owners of Bespoke Apothecary, attended the event and their booth featuring all-natural products is included in Tevlin's video.

"We were impressed with the effort put forth to raise awareness by Elmira College," said Hart. "Reminding people that there is a real connection between nature and people is invaluable. We often lose sight of this and discussing and planning changes in how we treat mother nature are necessary and vital if there is ever going to be real change."

The goal is to make the Teach-In an annual event at Elmira College, among other efforts by the College to build more sustainable practices into every aspect of the campus.

As Tevlin says in the video, "It's not about what we do on days like the Climate Teach-In. It's not about going to the panels and just listening and taking nothing away, it's about what you do after those days that really make a difference."

Watch Tevlin's video here. Recordings of all of the Teach-In Panel sessions are available here.

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