How can today’s youth step into the world of climate advocacy and reach heights they never thought possible?

In the month of September, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) organized an enlightening conference at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, where a diverse range of climate-related topics were discussed over a duration of 8 hours. Among the many insightful panels, one stood out: the “Youth Plenary” panel.

The panel featured four outstanding high school seniors coming from parts of Indiana and Michigan. This lineup included Rahul Durai from West Lafayette, Ashlyn Walker from Carmel, Amo Kostrzewa from Kalamazoo, and local Elkhart resident, Elena Krueper.

Elizabeth Dell, a Regional Coordinator for the CCL and mentor to the group, led the panel by interviewing the students on their journey to advocating climate policy. Early on, Dell encouraged the crowd to listen to these youth voices by illustrating the impact they have on politics: “Any of you who have been in lobby meetings with young people know how powerful it can be–and the impact it has on the members of Congress. In my experience, they listen carefully to them and are very appreciative of them coming. Yes, this is a problem that’s affecting me, but it’s going to be affecting younger people…for longer. Their voices are so important and powerful, and we can learn a lot from them.”

The students came on behalf of different associations, each with a unique story on their introduction to advocacy. Krueper, a senior at Elkhart High School and reporter for the school, represented the Youth Environmental Press Team and stands as an activist against climate change. 

The Youth Environmental Press Team (YEPT) was established in 2020 under Earth Charter Indiana as a platform designed to empower high school journalists across Indiana, granting them a voice and access to the world of journalism. Jim Poyser is Director of Advancement for Earth Charter and resides as an adult advisor for the project.

Krueper’s journey with YEPT began during her sophomore year when she received a comment on one of her articles concerning climate change. This comment came from a former YEPT member, who extended an invitation to attend one of their meetings. Krueper recalls, “I got a comment on that article from this girl named Gabi, who was a part of the press team at the time, and [she] invited me to one of the meetings.”

Getting involved in climate advocacy was always destined for a nature lover like Krueper: “In 6th grade, I remember one of the things my English teacher made me do was to report on a youth advocate. And, the person that I did it on was a teenager helping to fight animal cruelty. Obviously I was…eleven at the time, and I didn’t really know how to get involved with that. I’m just really grateful that I was able to meet all these amazing people and get involved in my high school career.” 

Her involvement with the press team only encouraged this curiosity and led her to attending an event at the statehouse, where Durai and Walker were actively lobbying. This experience marked one of Krueper’s initial assignments as a YEPT journalist. She vividly remembers, “I got to see youth advocates like Rahul and Ashlyn speaking. I got to see senators speaking, students from Notre Dame and different colleges speaking, and it was just something that really helped me. Being a sixteen-year-old and not really knowing how I could get involved with advocacy, seeing someone like Rahul or Ashlyn…really inspired me to get more involved at the local level in Elkhart.”

As a testament to her dedication, Krueper is presently engaged in crafting a Climate Recovery Resolution for the City of Elkhart—an incredibly impressive task.

In addition to her contributions through YEPT and other opportunities, Krueper is deeply committed to making a positive impact at her high school. As an editor for The PENNANT, Krueper works as a mentor to her peers and helps curate article ideas. Subsequently, she proposed the idea for a special issue of the magazine, “Making a Greener Tomorrow,” which focuses on promoting the resolution and spreading word about community-based projects. “[The magazine] talks about Goshen’s tree canopy goal, about our own high school farm that helps feed the community garden and provide food for the food pantry,” she describes. Apart from getting word out to the community, this special edition was a significant moment for Krueper: “It’s really special to me because we don’t really have the money to print out our magazines anymore, so we all pitched in, and the Youth Environmental Press Team pitched in to help us print out these magazines and get the conversation started in the community.”

While getting the message out to the general public is critical to solving any issue, the concern ultimately falls on whether the community chooses to listen. Support is a huge factor for youth activists as they rely on encouragement and endorsements. Without such, people are less inclined to believe that these students are able to pursue and achieve these testaments. Fortunately for Krueper, she has had nothing but encouragement from the adults in her life; from Poyser of YEPT, Dell of CCL, to her own teachers. “I’ve always really liked biology and environmental science, and I’ve been lucky enough to have an amazing teacher, Mr. Jantzen, who made that really, really fun.” Krueper aims to continue “fighting the good fight” by advocating for the preservation of earth and hopes to pursue something related to biology in her college career. 

This student’s story serves as an inspiring example for all young individuals who may find the prospect of getting involved in bigger issues, or activities, intimidating. While students and the youth in general may initially feel overwhelmed, Elena Krueper’s journey highlights the potential for meaningful and impactful engagement in the fight against climate change.