Climate Leaders Fellowship is a 8-week online climate impact program for high school students ages 14–18. Students join a global cohort, build leadership skills, and design a measurable climate or environmental project in their own community.
The program is 100% virtual, requires about 2–3 hours per week, and uses a Pay What You Want model.
Ages 14–18 · 100% virtual · 2–3 hours/week · Pay What You Want
Why Join the Climate Leaders Fellowship?
Build real leadership experience
Design and complete a climate action project you can explain in college, scholarship, and career applications.
Start making an impact now
Students do not have to wait for college to work on environmental problems. Fellows identify a local challenge and take action in local communities.
Join from anywhere
The Fellowship is 100% virtual and open to motivated students ages 14–18. No prior climate experience is required.
Pay What You Want
The program uses a Pay What You Want model so cost does not prevent students from participating.
- Minimum: $0
- Suggested contribution: $500
- Average contribution: $125
- No student is turned away for financial reasons
Finish with measurable results
In 8 weeks, Fellows complete a project with defined goals, community engagement, and documented impact.
Who Runs the Climate Leaders Fellowship Program?
Climate Leaders Fellowship is operated by the Rustic Pathways Foundation, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, the nonprofit arm of Rustic Pathways, in collaboration with Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab.
CLF was co-founded by leaders from Rustic Pathways and Stanford University.
Climate Leaders Fellowship Co-Founders
- Shayne Fitz-Coy — CEO, Rustic Pathways. 15+ years of experience in education and youth development. Meet Shayne Fitz-Coy
- Dr. Alice Siu — Associate Director, Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab. Expert in political communication and deliberation; ensures curriculum quality.
- John Hsu — Director & Co-Creator, Climate Leaders Fellowship. Leads program design and student engagement.
Meet the Climate Leaders Fellowship team
How Climate Leaders Fellowship Works
Program Format
- 100% virtual
- Weekly live cohort sessions + self-paced local project work
- Online mentorship and peer feedback
- Time commitment: 2–3 hours per week
- 1 hour: Weekly live session with your cohort
- 1–2 hours: Local project work and online activities
Requirements
- Computer and reliable internet access
- English proficiency (conversational level)
- Available globally — no geographic restrictions
The Climate Leaders Process (8 Weeks)
Phase 1: Build Your Foundation (Weeks 1–2)
- Identify local climate challenges
- Analyze resources and potential partners
- Understand community needs
Phase 2: Develop Your Leadership (Weeks 3–4)
- Design solutions
- Get feedback from peers and mentors
- Build local partnerships
Phase 3: Create Your Impact (Weeks 4–8)
- Implement your action plan
- Measure and document results
- Share your success
What Fellows Achieve
Every fellow completes a 8-week project with measurable community impact.
Recognition Opportunities
- Certificate of Completion (all graduates)
- Climate Leadership Award (top projects per cohort)
- Letters of Recommendation (upon request)
Project Requirements
- Address a local climate/environmental challenge
- Include measurable impact goals
- Engage at least 10 community members
- Complete within 8 weeks
- Submit final impact report with data
Proven Global Impact (2021–2026)
Climate Leaders Fellowship launched in 2021, and has now grown to 4,041 students from 61 countries.
Climate Leaders Fellowship has hosted in-person summits in Guatemala and Denver, Colorado.
Open to Apply. Earned to Finish.
Admission to CLF is open to every motivated student, but finishing is earned. Completing the Climate Leaders Fellowship means designing and implementing a real community project over 8 weeks.
As of June 2026, 4,041 students have enrolled and 1,583 have graduated as Climate Leaders, each delivering a documented local impact.
Climate Leaders Fellowship Students
- 4,041 students enrolled
- 1,583 graduated as Climate Leaders (from 61 countries)
- 47,517 attributable service hours, and counting (as of June 2026)
Climate Leaders Fellowship Environmental Impact
- 60,000+ lbs waste diverted from landfills
- 25,000+ trees planted worldwide
- 500+ community projects completed
Recognition for Climate Leaders Fellowship
- 2026 GoAbroad Innovation Award — Winner, Innovation in Climate Action (sponsored by Sustained Travel)
- Climate Leaders Fellowship has 34 Presidential Volunteer Service Award Winners earned by 31 students between 2022 and 2024, when the program was paused
- Gold – 9
- Silver – 4
- Bronze – 21
- Average Net Promoter Score: 67 (Excellent — measures how likely students are to recommend the program)
Climate Leaders Fellowship Success Stories
The ReBottle Project — Texas, USA
Jessie Choi (17) prevented 15,000 single-use plastic items from entering landfills by partnering with local cafés.
Climate Summit ’24 — Turkey
Three Fellows organized a 2-day summit bringing together 60+ youth leaders and experts.
Community Waste Management — Washington, USA
Isha Mehrotra (17) diverted 5,000+ lbs of hard-to-recycle waste through campaigns and community drives.
“You don’t need prior experience with climate activism to join. The Fellowship provides an excellent introduction for beginners while offering valuable structure and motivation for those already involved in environmental work.”
Ella Perin | Durham, North Carolina
Climate Leaders Fellowship For Schools & Communities
School Partnerships
- Integrate CLF’s model into classrooms
- Align with environmental science, leadership, or service-learning curricula
- Provide guided pathways to measurable climate impact
Community Partnerships
- Support local sustainability challenges
- Connect motivated Fellows to real-world projects
- Deliver outcomes in 8 weeks
Benefits for Partners
- Documented environmental impact for reporting and recognition
- Scalable, student-led projects
- Global network of educators, mentors, and youth leaders
Climate Leaders Fellowship Advantages vs. University Programs
- Accessibility: Global participation, no prerequisites
- Affordability: Pay What You Want model
- Real-World Impact: Projects implemented during the program
- Time Efficiency: 8 weeks vs. 9 months
- Global Community: Students from 61 countries across multiple time zones.
“The Fellowship helped me discover that I could make a real difference in my community. I was an introvert, but connecting with students from around the world pushed me outside my comfort zone and sparked ideas I never would have thought of on my own.”
Sanjay Kumar | Johor, Malaysia
How to Apply to Climate Leaders Fellowship
Application Timeline
- Applications open: July 1, 2026
- Priority deadline: September 20, 2026
- Program dates: October 9 – December 8, 2026
Next Cohort Starts: October 9, 2026
Your cohort is your class of fellow students from around the world.
- Complete the online application (15 minutes)
- No prerequisites or prior experience required
- Rolling admissions until cohort is full
- Admission decision within 1 week
About Rustic Pathways
Rustic Pathways is an educational travel company for students ages 14–18, offering teen travel programs and custom school group travel in 38+ countries. Founded in 1983, Rustic Pathways has served 155,829 alumni.
The Rustic Pathways safety infrastructure, a board-certified emergency-physician Medical Director since 2015, a documented ratio of 4.37 students for each staff member, and 24/7 emergency support, earned the 2024 Travel Weekly Magellan Gold Award for Outstanding Health & Safety Innovations.
The Rustic Pathways Foundation (501c3), which operates the Climate Leaders Fellowship in collaboration with Stanford University Deliberative Democracy Lab, is the nonprofit arm of this work.
Learn more about Rustic Pathways
Climate Action Program for High School Students | Climate Leaders Fellowship 