Leadership
Green Ambassadors is created by the youth and and many adults.
Founder/Program Director: Sara Laimon
Sara Laimon, founder of GreenAmbassadors.org, headquartered at Environmental Charter High School has been a positive light within the sustainability movement for the past twelve years. At age 17, Laimon ran for the City Board with a platform for greening her hometown of Pewaukee, WI, losing by only three votes. This loss did not stop Laimon form pursuing her passion to create change. At age 20, Laimon started a dairy farm in Zimbabwe, which was the green spark that led her to understand how the United States systems needed to change in order for the rest of the world to have a sustainable model to follow. This green spark kept sparking which led her to doing sea turtle research in Baja California Sur, Mexico with Wallace J. Nichols. Since that time she has spent her life educating youth about sustainability and seeking unique and varied ways to reach this important audience. Laimon, a National Board Certified Teacher, was in the classroom for 6 years and noticed the importance of inspiring actively contributing students that are being stewards of this planet. Laimon took what worked in her classroom and started the Green Ambassador Program, empowering youth to empower their community, peers, and and all youth to be part of green solutions. The Green Ambassadors have spread to 10 different schools and have been recognized for creating youth leaders that presented at Bioneers, keynote speakers at International Youth conferences, grant award winners from the California Depart of Education and State Farm Insurance. With this powerful youth program and while serving on the board of the Green Charter School Network, Laimon is dedicated to making every school the center of green solutions, within every community across the nation and ultimately the world.
Green Leaders:
Jordan Howard
Jordan Howard, a Green Ambassador at Environmental Charter High School and Youth Leader, has been an exemplary leader for Green Ambassadors changing the lives of many and encouraging them to make a difference in the world and to spread the leadership and green solutions to other youth and around the world. Her amazing leadership and accomplishments are always being recognized, only this time, on national television! For Earth Day, Nickelodeon had special feature shows and segments encouraging youth to make simple changes in their lives to make a difference in the world. During their broadcasting, they created special segments in which youth around the country were featured showing youth the difference that they are making in the environment and how they are being leaders. Because of her creation of Rise Above Plastics, a program teaching and training students to talk about the harmful effects of plastics and the alternatives for disposable plastics starting from reusable canteens to reusable plastic bags.Congratulations Jordan!! “I was resistant towards the green movement because it seemed so pessimistic. Through Green Ambassadors I learned about positive solutions…these solutions illuminated my mind. I now had a vision, to lead and inspire people to live a life that coincides with the planet.”
- Jordan Howard, Green Ambassador….
Rudy Sanchez
Rudy’s life would not be the same after the youth empowering class known as the Green Ambassadors sparked an idea in him that he had known as the Green Ambassadors sparked an idea in him that he had the power to make a difference, create change, and have a say in the world, even at 15 years of age. Through the study of sustainable concepts and solution based actions, Rudy went from trying to survive concepts and solution based actions, Rudy went from trying to survive high school to thriving in the world. With a need for action, Rudy took his education to the next level, by taking solutions home to share and apply with his family, giving presentations on the dangers of disposable plastics and benefits of composting to other high school students and adults , and changing his own way of living, knowing he will not see change until he himself changes. with his family, giving presentations on the dangers of disposable with his family, giving presentations on the dangers of disposable plastics and benefits of composting to other high school students and adults , and changing his own way of living, knowing he will not see change until he himself changes. plastics and benefits of composting to other high school students and plastics and benefits of composting to other high school students and adults , and changing his own way of living, knowing he will not see change until he himself changes Before just an excessively used statement with no substance, the phrase“Education is Power” took on a whole new meaning for him, to the extent of wanting empower himself with knowledge and sharing that with others. Just as Rudy’s life was changed, he hopes to change the life of others in his community, knowing that with each person inspired, is just another step closer to seeing the change he wants to see in the world. others in his community, knowing that with each person inspired, is just another step closer to seeing the change he wants to see in the world.
Green Teachers:
Katy Atkiss: Atkiss is co-founder of Root Down LA, a nutrition and food systems education and advocacy program at Manual Arts High School in South Central Los Angeles. She works to engage youth in creating a healthier food environment in their school and community by to getting their hands on real food, and empowering them with knowledge, and personal and professional skills. Katy also works as a Health and Wellness Consultant for The Accelerated School, where in 2005 she facilitated a participatory process to create the school wellness policy, and developed the school garden to teach students and their families about nutrition, food systems, and how to grow their own food. Monthly community workdays still attract close to forty volunteers. In 2004, Katy earned her Masters in Public Health from UCLA. She has also completed UC Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener training, and Grow Biointensive and permaculture courses. Katy is thrilled to cross-pollinate between people, places and ideas by working with Environmental Charter High School.
Gabriel Avenna wears many hats and most of them are green. Mr. Avenna is a teacher and a life-long learner. Gabriel upholds the belief that ‘Green’ isn’t merely a color… but it’s a state of mind, and a philosophical foundation. He adheres to a pragmatic acceptance that human beings may continue to prosper, but only by recognizing and embracing our integral duty as planetary stewards. By taking responsibility for the biodiversity of life and the replenishing the soils that feed us, Gabriel believes we may attain long-term ecological balance, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
Mr. Avenna is currently a teacher of the Green Ambassadors education program, piloted at Environmental Charter High School, in Lawndale. Working together to develop a model curriculum for team-teaching and service-learning, Mr. Avenna has been fortunate to find an educational outlet for his philosophy and expertise. Beyond the classroom, Gabriel is the Environmental Education Director for NextAid, a non-profit organization his wife Lauren, co-founded in 2002. Gabriel also sits on the steering committee for the Coalition for a Sustainable Africa; a consensus-based network of NGO’s all dedicated to sustainable development projects on the ground in Africa.
Guzel Gjenasaj: is a first generation city dweller. She comes from a long line of farmers from Montenegro (the Former Yugoslavia). Her love for nature began during trips to Montenegro throughout her youth. Her family there loved off the land. In 2008, Guzel spent 5 months living on an organic farm in Costa Rica. There she tapped into her roots by living off the grid. Rainwater catchment system, solar energy, community building all run on the permaculture ideals taught Guzel that she could bring that knowledge home. Currently, she resides in a home in Santa Monica, CA where she is creating an urban model of sustainability. One of her biggest joys is sharing the process with the community and students in the inner city.
Sandra Valencia: Originally from Colombia, Sandra Valencia has taught High School Spanish for the past five years at ECHS and Dorsey High School (LAUSD). She has a California Clear Teaching Credential and is Nationally Board Certified. She has been an environmental activist for the past five years working with the Los Angeles Biodiesel Coalition, Dorsey High School’s club Global Warriors. Sandra graduated from UCLA with a major in History and a minor in Latin American Studies. She has traveled extensively through the US and the World (sometimes with students). She has lived most of her life in her native country of Colombia, but she has also lived in France and Brazil, thus she can speak four languages. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with ECHS’ Green Ambassadors.
Advisory Board:
Alison Suffet-Diaz Founder of Environmental Charter High School
Ray Cirino Permaquest
Josh Tickell Biodiesel America
Margert Moilov California Conservation Corps
Anna Cummins Bring Your Own
Marcus Eriksen Algalita Marine Research Foundation
Stahsha Stanowicz Educator
Amy Frame Environmental Charter High School
Benjamin Haffner Divine Nourishment
Kim Crawford Communications Specialist /Entrepreneur/MBA
Evan Marks The Ecology Project
Karin Haase-Sehr Production Designer
Online communications support:
Danilo Krahl Environmental Communications
