At YES! Delaware high school students explore many of the most pressing state, national and global environmental issues and engage in steps they can take on campus and beyond!
The seventh annual Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) will feature a student-led conference:
- When: Friday, February 20, 2026
- Where: Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware
- Free for Delaware high school students and educator/advisors to school teams, including breakfast & lunch
- Registration is open until February 6 at www.DelawareYES.org. Students must be registered by their team teacher/advisor as a team. Registration closes on February 6th OR when maximum capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Attendance is limited.
The summit brings together high school students from across Delaware. Planned by a diverse team of student leaders, YES! informs and inspires youth-led action and environmental leadership through keynote speakers, breakout workshops, an exhibitor’s hall of nonprofits and agencies involved in various aspects of environmental protection, and more. In 2025, the sixth annual YES! was attended by a sold-out crowd of more than 670 high school students from 44 high schools representing all three counties.
Funds are available to support charter transportation costs for teams to get to/from YES!.
YES! was created by a coalition, including educators at Delaware high schools, nonprofit environmental organizations, and public agencies with the goal of providing the opportunity for teens to meet, learn, and become more deeply engaged in environmental issues, college majors and careers. In past years, students’ experiences at YES! have inspired several school campuses to initiate green action plans, focusing on reducing food waste and increasing sustainability within their local communities.
Carter Lunsford, Co-Chair of this year’s student leadership team, which plans the summit, and a senior at Newark Charter School, says “YES! educates and inspires students to be leaders for change, and it's been truly incredible watching the summit grow my four years. It's not the sole responsibility of one individual to change the world, which is why we enable students to make connections with people involved in the environmental arena, inspiring them with not only knowledge from workshops but a lasting network of people who want to make a difference.”
Guest speakers confirmed to date include:
- Heidi Pan, Founder of the 1.5 Degrees Podcast: To bridge the gap between aspiring environmentalists and established professionals, at 16, Heidi Pan founded the 1.5 Degrees Podcast showcasing climate careers and involving the science, solutions, and stories in the fight against climate change. Her accessible intergenerational and intersectional climate conversations have been featured by BBC Future Earth and the Smithsonian.
- Alex Eaves, Founder/Director of Escape the Waste: In 2003, Alex created the skateboard and apparel brand, STAY VOCAL, and reuse-themed products were used as a promotional tool. In 2008, Alex won a national "Best Small Business Idea" Award when he switched the brand to an entirely reuse apparel brand. That same year, Alex began leading a passionate reuse lifestyle. In 2014, Alex became a certified Master Reuser by the Reuse Institute. He's also the director of two award-winning documentaries: REUSE! Because You Can't Recycle The Planet. (2015) and The Box Truck Film: Building A Reuseful Home (2022).
- Secretary Greg Patterson, Delaware Division of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
- Marcus Henry, New Castle County Executive
- Workshop topics: Pathways to Green Schools, climate change, wind energy, electric vehicles, campus food waste reduction, plastic pollution, the state climate action plan, and so much more!
Although today’s younger generation is often called the environmental stewards of tomorrow, the reality is that they are the environmental leaders of today. YES! seeks to provide them with the information and tools to become even more effective advocates and leaders.
For more information, visit https://delawareyes.org/ and connect on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
