We have already gotten started...

School started last week, but the work towards clean energy has begun way before! Two weeks ago, our Tennessee and Mississippi fellows came together for a weekend retreat to plan for semester long campaigns. Southern Energy network fellows are very important to the work that we do. They are on campus running the campaigns themselves, doing events, setting up booths, recruiting more students, training new leaders, and building the grassroots.

This year, our Tennessee and Mississippi fellows are working together very closely to establish green fees on their campuses. Green fees are student generated fees that help pay for sustainable projects on campus such as renewable energy and energy efficiency. All of the fellows are working to get a green fee at University of Tennessee-Martin, Mississippi State University, The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), and University School of Nashville, the first green fee at a high school!

With big plans and big campaigns on the horizon, the fellows came together for a weekend at the Shelby Forest State Park in Memphis, Tennessee. The retreat gave them a space to organize semester plans and learn the tactics and strategies necessary to win big this semester. One of my favorite things I learned was Training for Trainers. Now, we all feel confident to train new students to continue the movement. The fellows also brainstorm to put together state summits next month. The summits will feature student-led leadership trainings and offer the opportunity to network with students around the state.