As a teacher born into a family of teachers, Ellenor Llona understands the importance of continuing education.
Decades into her career as an educator, including her current position as a chemistry teacher at Pioneer Junior-Senior High School in Royal Center, Ind., Llona spends much of her free time—even weekends—attending workshops to be the best science teacher she can be.
“It doesn’t just benefit me as an educator,” she said. “I translate the material to my students, who are our future scientists.”
This summer, Llona’s dedication to her craft led her to Indiana University Bloomington to attend the Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) Summer Science Institute (SSI), a week-long workshop for K-12 teachers focused on climate change education.
The program provides teachers with an immersive week of learning led by IU faculty and covers concepts and curriculum attendees can adapt for their own classrooms.
“There are resources that we as teachers are looking for that we can’t find easily,” Llona said. “EfEC provides it for us, and I have a lot of gratitude for the IU faculty who make the program so valuable.”
EfEC also fills an important gap in climate science education felt nationally.
Nearly three quarters of Americans believe that public schools should include climate change in their curriculum, but only six states currently mandate this. While most states have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), these standards are voluntary, and different states incorporate them at varying levels. Indiana’s own standards are very closely based on NGSS.
Educators in rural communities like Llona’s have a tremendous role to play in helping their communities understand and address climate change, a topic that’s sometimes viewed as controversial in the U.S.
Llona said she strives to incorporate climate science as much as her curriculum allows.
“So far, there’s no pushback, really,” she said. “Students are getting smarter, and they are becoming more aware. Since most of them are exposed to social media, they can already see what other people are experiencing in other places.”
Studies show that equipping students with a strong grasp of climate science is one of the best ways to address the challenge. Even taking a single class on the topic has been linked to meaningful reductions in individuals’ carbon emissions.
During her week at IU Bloomington, Llona participated in activities such as making field observations, measuring soil respiration, and forecasting the weather.
The workshop provided exactly the type of learning environment that inspired her to become a teacher as a youth in the Philippines.
“Most of my relatives are teachers, including my sisters,” Llona said. “It’s a noble profession, and teachers have such a huge impact on your life. I think I was really born to be one.”
After 18 years as an educator in the Philippines, Llona took a chance and moved to rural Indiana in 2022 , where she said her school and community have welcomed her with open arms.
“If there is one person who is truly blessed, I believe it’s me,” she said. “Everyone that surrounds me in my school—the admin, our superintendent, our principal and assistant principal, my mentors, even my colleagues—are very supportive. I never felt that I was away from home because they made me feel like I was home.”
By empowering students to better understand the science underpinning the world—and climate—around them, Llona is embracing her adopted community right back.
“There are so many ways to get students to see climate change,” she said. “If you let the students do hands-on activities, you would be surprised at how it opens their eyes to see these things that are happening.”
EfEC is made possible by a collaboration between IU faculty, the IU Environmental Resilience Institute, and the IU School of Education, with funding from the IU Center for Rural Engagement and two anonymous foundations.
About the Environmental Resilience Institute
Indiana University's Environmental Resilience Institute bridges academia, applied research, and community resilience to deliver the science-informed, equity-centered solutions needed to flourish in a changing climate. Through community partnerships, transformative research, and immersive learning, ERI is creating a more sustainable and prosperous future. Learn more at eri.iu.edu.
