About Us
We envision a world where everyone feels empowered to take action in solving climate change. To create this future, climate action begins in the classroom.
The Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Committee
The Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Committee, a monthly community of practice co-hosted by SubjectToClimate’s Oregon Climate Education Hub and OECE, supports educators across all grade levels and subjects in integrating climate change education into their teaching so students gain lifelong access to meaningful climate learning. Participants collaborate to build a supportive community, share resources, and exchange strategies for teaching the causes and impacts of climate change along with solutions for mitigation, adaptation, and community resilience. The committee also helps shape the Oregon Climate Education Hub by contributing feedback and resources, while identifying opportunities to raise awareness and deepen collective impact across the state.
Founding Organizations
Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE) is a statewide network advancing comprehensive climate education across all grade levels and subject areas. Our mission is to ensure equitable access to learning that is regionally relevant, solution-oriented, and hope-inspiring. We prioritize centering student voice, supporting professional learning, and building broad coalitions to advance a shared vision for climate education.
This grassroots movement began in 2020, sparked by students who wanted more than a few science lessons on climate change. They demanded education across subjects and grade levels that addressed local solutions and prepared them for the future. In June 2025, those voices, combined with an intergenerational coalition, led to landmark legislation requiring climate change and sustainability in Oregon’s K–12 Science, Social Studies, and Health standards.
OECE supports educators through summits, workshops, and communities of practice. Our three-pronged approach includes:
Teacher-driven resources that are vetted, regionally relevant, and grounded in strong pedagogy.
Place-based learning that reflects Oregon’s diverse regions and includes partnerships with Indigenous communities.
Cross-subject integration so climate literacy is embedded rather than treated as an add-on.
By collaborating with students, educators, regional partners, post-secondary institutions, and healthcare organizations, OECE is building a sustainable, statewide network to equip all Oregon students with the knowledge and skills to take climate action. Visit: https://www.oregonclimateed.org/ for more information.
Supporting Organizations
If your organization is interested in partnering with us, please contact the state lead.
Our State Lead: Breck Foster
Breck teaches social studies and Spanish at Lake Oswego High School and engages in intergenerational stewardship and climate action locally with her Green Team and with the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network Schools Action Team. She is active in statewide initiatives including Oregon Educators for Climate Education, the Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Committee, and the Youth Voice and Climate Education Committee of the Eastern Oregon Climate Change Coalition. She enjoys cooking and neighborhood walks with friends, family and their dog.
