Roots & Shoots USA

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Roots & Shoots USA

Roots & Shoots USA is the Jane Goodall Institute's youth program. Welcome to the Roots & Shoots USA page!

Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots is a global movement of youth who use their voices and actions to help people, other animals, and the environment we share. Connect with global Roots & Shoots offices here: https://www.rootsandshoots.org/about-us/our-global-chapters/

Roots & Shoots is the youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute. Roots & Shoots is about making positive change happen — for our comm

unities, for other animals and for the environment. With tens of thousands of young people in over 50 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth of all ages who share a desire to create a better world. Young people identify problems in their communities and take action. Through service projects, 1-Click Actions, Challenges, and an community collaboration, Roots & Shoots members are making a difference across the globe.

08/28/2026

As many folks get ready for a new semester of school and Roots & Shoots clubs, it's important to reflect on last year’s activities and impact! 🌟🍏

The Fernbank Museum's Roots & Shoots group took a moment at the end of last semester to do just that. Together with student participants, interns, and partners, this group held a final club meeting and celebration to reflect on and celebrate all the community projects they'd planned and done, including:

🪏 Removing invasive plants from Fernbank Forest's Elephant Rock and replacing them with native species that combat soil erosion

🐟 Cleaning up their local creek and doing water testing to ensure a healthy environment for local wildlife

🌱 Celebrating 35 years of Roots & Shoots with reflections on how they want to create positive change

They were joined by members of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Youth Council, Anna R. and Sophia Y., who congratulated them on all their hard work and presented some of their own projects for inspiration! ✨👏

None of this would be possible without the support from our partners, including Delta Air Lines and . We’re so proud of the collaboration between our Atlanta Basecamp and interns, Fernbank Museum’s dedicated staff, and of course our incredible participants! We can't wait to see what you do next. 💚

Check out this great video our Atlanta Basecamp interns put together to celebrate their group >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxU5pcAXutU

If you're local to Atlanta, register for the next semester of Roots & Shoots at Fernbank Museum! >> https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=bGXCU3jZhkyhMPi7vBqscoI_E7b_mUZLgHyBFb0jpzxUMkQ5RDNaVVZQRlFFWlo0NTJGWEhLSkhBRi4u&route=shorturl

📸: JGI/Angelle Cooper

08/27/2026

What happens when a teacher puts environmental action in the hands of young people? 🤝🌱

Bronx middle school teacher Renée Gunther discovered the answer to this question in 1997, when she had the opportunity to hear Dr. Jane Goodall speak about her Roots & Shoots program at an event sponsored by UFT - United Federation of Teachers.

🍁🌳 For years, Renée had tried to teach her students to care about nature. Since many of them didn't have access to green spaces, she took them on field trips to nearby Roberto Clemente State Park to examine leaves and twigs and match them to their trees. But Renée still struggled to connect her students to the big picture.

🔓🗝️ Then, Roots & Shoots unlocked something with its premise that students can not only learn about their environment but actively seek ways to improve it! She immediately shared the program with her class, emphasizing that this wasn't a homework assignment — just something they could join for fun.

📢🥤 A year later, these middle schoolers presented their project to the trustees of their school district. They shared their concerns about polystyrene foam usage at their school cafeteria and in the city and provided solutions. Most importantly, these students presented on their own. This was their project, and Renée knew that they should be the ones to present it.

🌟🏅 Renée continued facilitating Roots & Shoots with her students throughout her career, and the Jane Goodall Institute awarded her the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award for Excellence in Education in 2011 and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Roots & Shoots' 30th anniversary in 2021. Jane also shared many of Renée's classroom stories at her lecture events.

To learn more about Renée and her transformation from a sage on the stage to a guide on the side, check out her e-book, co-written with author Nancy Bain, called "The Epiphany of a Bronx Middle School Teacher" >> https://www.amazon.com/Epiphany-Bronx-Middle-School-Teacher-ebook/dp/B0FP9RV2LV

📸:
1: Jane Goodall Institute
2-6: Renée Gunther

08/26/2026

Happy ! Get inspired by this group who created dog toys for local pups in Winnetka, California. 🐶🐾

Roots & Shoots member Natali D. was inspired to start her project, Toys 4 Pups, by her own two dogs. "They didn't have many toys due to my family's financial situation, so I created some dog toys for them. It was mainly from old, torn towels or shirts, but they enjoyed them." What mattered wasn't the material itself, but the love and effort put in. 🫶🐕

When Natali heard about our Roots & Shoots Project Grants, she realized she could expand these efforts to other dogs in her community! She applied and received a grant, which she used to buy old shirts, towels, and other fabrics from her local thrift stores. Then, she got to work creating toys in three simple steps:

✂️ Cut up the fabric into strips

🪢 Braid the strips together and tie the ends off

🧀 Hide snacks in the braid for a puzzle toy, or simply play tug of war!

Through her local Bridge to the Future program, Natali was also able to promote her project! She set up a table at local produce distributions to hand out toys and make them with passersby. By the end of her project, Natali had made and given out over 150 dog toys in her community, upcycling old fabric and putting smiles on many pups' faces. 😍🌟

Learn more about Toys 4 Pups >> https://rootsandshoots.org/projects/toys-4-pups/

*This photo taken at Jane Goodall's Celebration of Life, not representing dogs impacted by this project.*

📸: Washington National Cathedral

08/17/2026

Meet Joshua O. from Maryland, one of our members combatting economic disparities in his community! 🤩🤝

Joshua’s main focus is addressing diaper poverty. With his organization, Kid Changemakers, he hosts monthly pop-up pantry events to provide free diapers and food to under-resourced families in his area. He also led a successful lobbying effort to eliminate the diaper tax in Maryland, saving families $12 million annually. 🧷🍼

In high school, Joshua was a member of the National Honor Society and his school’s Photo Club. Fostering a newfound passion for photography, Joshua frequently volunteers as a photographer at community events. This past year, Josh participated in and won Disney Dreamers for his advocacy and service work. For fun, Joshua likes to play basketball and tennis. 📸🏀

Now in his first year of college, Joshua offers encouraging words to other changemakers saying, “Don’t let a 'no' stop you. You may feel discouraged but change requires perseverance.” That's that indomitable human spirit that Dr. Jane Goodall always talked about! 💪✨

Learn more about Joshua and the rest of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA >> https://rootsandshoots.org/about-us/rsyc/

📸:
1+2: RSYC member Joshua O.
3: JGI/Eric Guzzetta

08/06/2026

These students are working to bring clean drinking water to their high school in South Gate, California! 🚰🌟

💧♻️ This youth-led group previously organized a project to distribute reusable water bottles to their community, then realized that students weren't using them because they didn't like the taste of the school's water. The next project was clear — they decided to install a water filtration system!

🏫🧊 The group applied for and received a grant from our Los Angeles Roots & Shoots Basecamp, which they used to purchase and install small water filters in their classrooms and an ice maker for those hot days.

🧪📊 And they didn't stop there. To make sure the system was working effectively, students tested the water for total dissolved solids (TDS) and filled out surveys on the taste of the water before and after the filter was added.

The tests found that there is still room for improvement, so now, the group is looking into new options, including water delivery. As the group's adult mentor and science teacher Ralph Gomez reflected, "It’s more work, but it feels like we’re getting closer to figuring out what really works for our school." 👏 👏

Not every project works on the first attempt, but as long as we keep trying to make our communities safer and healthier, that's a success in our books. We can't wait to see what this group thinks of next! 💚

📸: Ralph Gomez

08/02/2026

Meet Jared L. from New Jersey, one trailblazing member of our ! 🤩🧢

Jared merges his love of baseball with meaningful service. His primary project, the Livingston Gear Exchange, aims to support under-resourced baseball teams by collecting, sanitizing, and redistributing refurbished equipment.

The project has grown so much since Jared first co-founded it with his brother. Last year they expanded to nearby Newark, New Jersey, providing both equipment and instruction to pre-teens. This year, Jared is working to bring the Livingston Gear Exchange to Ithaca, New York, and he is in the process of establishing a Roots & Shoots chapter at his university.

Outside of Roots & Shoots, Jared loves to play baseball, hike, and go cliff jumping. At college, Jared studies Global and Public Health Sciences. In the face of challenges, Jared finds inspiration in acts of kindness and community connection.

Jared offers advice about risk-taking saying, “The worst that can happen is you decide it’s not for you — but the best that can happen is discovering a new passion.”

Learn more about Jared and the rest of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA >> https://rootsandshoots.org/about-us/rsyc/

📸 credit: RSYC member Jared L.

08/01/2026

An Atlanta area senior center is getting involved in Roots & Shoots with help from a young farmer named Kendall! 👩🏾‍🌾✨

Kendall is a member of our Atlanta Basecamp and the youngest certified farmer in the state of Georgia. She has inspired many people to get involved and grow their own produce! Her local senior center wanted to join in, so they applied for and received an Impact Grant from the Atlanta Basecamp to develop a community garden and host guest speakers on related topics. 🫜🎤

The senior center invited Kendall to serve as their final speaker, and Atlanta Basecamp Coordinator Angelle Cooper joined to listen! Kendall talked about her work and how she got started, and she answered their gardening questions. She had plenty of stories to tell, from her time as USDA’s National Urban Agriculture Youth Ambassador, to her recent beekeeping adventures on her one-acre urban farm! 🐝🌾

This story warms our hearts because it shows what happens when different generations are inspired by one another to take action. 🫶💫

Learn more about our Atlanta Basecamp >> https://rootsandshoots.org/groups-landing/atlanta-basecamp/

📸: JGI/Angelle Cooper

07/31/2026

Meet Aaryan D., a member from California! 🤩🎤

↻💰 Aaryan leverages innovation and education to champion a circular economy for the benefit of the planet! Through his organization, CirFin, Aaryan launched the Earth Day Everyday podcast and a global creativity challenge that has funded 36 youth climate projects.

📗🌿 Aaryan’s goal is to raise awareness and to surface circular solutions to combat climate change. He even wrote a book, “Designing on the Brink,” which explores product redesigns for sustainability. Last year, Aaryan created a documentary to showcase the impact of CirFin initiatives.

🎸🚲 Outside of Roots & Shoots, Aaryan studies Climate and Computer Science at college. He was named a 2025 Global Teen Leader by the We Are Family Foundation, mentoring other changemakers. In the free time that remains, he plays classical guitar, writes, draws, plays basketball, and swims.

Reflecting on why he admires his Roots & Shoots community, Aaryan says “The people. You need good, kind, caring people in order to help the environment.” We're glad to have Aaryan as one such caring person leading the movement! 🌱🫶

Learn more about Aaryan and the rest of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA >> https://rootsandshoots.org/about-us/rsyc/

📸 credit:
1: RSYC member Aaryan D.
2+3: JGI/Eric Guzzetta

07/25/2026

Working together to make coasts clean for all! 🏖️🐚

This year, our Los Angeles Basecamp got to participate in a special beach cleanup with Los Angeles group KIDS OCEAN DAY, an organization that works hard to connect kids to their local ocean habitats. This annual event includes a special art component that brings thousands of kids together to connect and share an important message. 👏🎉

As you can see from the final photo here, this year's theme was "Coast for All," emphasizing that everyone should have access to the coast. But who wants to visit a beach full of litter? As well as dissuading visitors, garbage on the beach can do a lot of harm to sea creatures, who may confuse the garbage for food. 🌊🥤

1,824 kids from 20 different schools — including Roots & Shoots groups — came out to remove litter from Dockweiler State Beach. What's more, for 364 of these kids, this was their first time at the beach! By supporting these experiences early on, Kids Ocean Day and Roots & Shoots are helping to shape future conservationists. 💚🦀

Learn more about our LA Basecamp >> https://rootsandshoots.org/groups-landing/basecamps/

📸:
1-4, 6: Kids Ocean Day
5: JGI/Erin McCombs

07/22/2026

Meet member Nate T. from Texas! 🤩🪏

🌱 Nate is a steadfast conservationist and plant enthusiast who engages with his community to make lasting impacts. Through his involvement with the “Prairie Restoration Crew,” Nate works to preserve the unique diversity of the Texas grasslands.

🌿 Nate partners with other high school students and community members in the Dallas area to propagate, rescue, cultivate, and plant native plants. So far, they have planted over 1,000 species in various locations, including more than 50 endangered species! Nate notes that collaborative restoration efforts are crucial in Texas, where 99% of tallgrass prairies have been lost to urbanization according to Native Prairies Association of Texas. Recently, Nate has also been investigating the intersection of air pollution and environmental justice.

✍️ For fun, Nate likes creative writing, running, swimming, and cycling. He was recently selected as an American Climate Leadership Award Finalist, which included an award of $5,000 towards his prairie restoration work!

Nate offers advice on how to maintain hope, saying: “Take time to read about the positive things happening in the world!” 💫

Learn more about Nate and the rest of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA >> https://rootsandshoots.org/about-us/rsyc/

📸 credits:
1: JGI/Eric Guzzetta
2: JGI/Kira Leinwand

Address

1120 20th Street NW, #520s
Washington D.C., DC
20036

Website

http://www.rootsandshoots.org/

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