This cooperative agreement is being awarded federal funding in the amount of $150,000 to massachusetts coalition for occupational safety and health (masscosh) to train young people to be advocates,…

This cooperative agreement is being awarded federal funding in the amount of $150,000 to massachusetts coalition for occupational safety and health (masscosh) to train young people to be advocates, organizers, and peer educators about educational and environmental justice in boston public schools (BPS). The recipient will work with partners (youth organizations, BPS parents, the boston teachers union, environmental advocacy groups, and academic professionals, and teens lead @ work (TL@w)) to empower young people to advocate for the tangible improvements they desire for their educational environments. Specifically, this project will organize the most impacted students to build their collective power and influence over repairs, renovations, and new construction in the school district and directly influence the design and implementation of proposed district infrastructure overhauls like the green new deal for boston public schoolsmdash; the boston public schools 'commitment to expanding access to safe, healthy, resilient, and inspiring learning spaces'.activities:the activities include youth-led education, training and workshops held in boston public schools (BPS) classrooms, clubs, and after-school programs; the teens lead @ work (TL@w) educating and organizing BPS young people facing poor indoor environmental quality from school building conditions; the TL@w and its allied organizations collaborating to create independent spaces for students to discuss concerns, grievances, understanding the root causes of district issues, and craft campaign strategies and tactics to improve environment and public health conditions and ensure meaningful youth engagement in problem solving.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include: - bimonthly meetings with organized boston public schools (BPS) students (target: 8 schools with a minimum of 20 students/meeting) - 8 (1/school) social media infographics, 1 policy recommendation (updated biannually as more walkthrough data is collected), and 1-2 academic report based on school walk through data - creation of student recommendations and EJ standards for classrooms - petition for the implementation of those standards and recommendations with 200+ signatures delivered to BPS and city decision-makers - student testimony delivered to BPS decision makers 1/month at school committee. - student testimony delivered to city councilors on 4 occasions. - the implementation of student environmental justice recommendations within the green new deal for BPS planning and overhaul of district infrastructure - conduction of a health impact assessment the expected outcomes include: - the implementation of student environmental justice recommendations within the green new deal for BPS planning and overhaul of district infrastructure in 2 schools. - infrastructural improvements guided by organized students resulting in indoor environmental quality improvements such as universal HVAC systems, sustainable energy systems, and healthy built environments, with major beneficiaries being the most vulnerable BPS students. - official student and teacher oversight established through a green new deal student and teacher advisory committee, where students are in the room during the planning, design, and implementation. - increase of organized BPS student advocates (target: 100) - increase of students aware of environmental injustice and student recommendations/organizing (target: 750) the intended beneficiaries include residents of boston, MA.