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A new youth-led program in San Antonio is equipping the next generation with the tools to tackle one of the biggest challenges of their time: climate change.
Through a partnership between YWCA San Antonio, Good Samaritan Community Services, and the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing, the Esta Caliente program is helping students understand environmental issues — and empowering them to act.
Focused on underserved neighborhoods, the program helps close the opportunity gap by fostering curiosity, agency, and environmental responsibility among students in those communities, aligning closely with the goals of the Future Ready Bexar County Plan that aims to ensure that all young people in Bexar County are prepared for postsecondary success and long-term leadership.
The need for climate education is clear. According to the United Nations, 84% of youth say they want more information about climate change, and 89% believe they can make a difference. In neighborhoods across San Antonio where environmental and economic challenges intersect, programs like Esta Caliente offer youth a way to turn that belief into action.
Named Esta Caliente by its youth participants, the program was made possible through the efforts of YWCA San Antonio and Good Samaritan, who recruited local youth and hosted the sessions at the Good Samaritan Center.
The program combines interactive workshops, field trips, and hands-on activities focused on local environmental health topics — such as urban heat islands, plastic waste, tree planting, and disaster preparedness. The goal isn’t just to teach science, but to inspire civic responsibility and leadership.
“What’s happening now will impact today’s youth far more than adults,” said Dr. Adelita Cantú, a public health nursing professor who has led environmental education efforts at the Health Science Center for more than a decade. “It’s vital that they understand the science — and that they realize they can be part of the solution.”
That empowerment is already taking root. Mariana, a seventh grader from KIPP Camino Academy, said the program made learning fun and meaningful. “Not to pollute,” she said when asked what stuck with her the most. “If we drop trash and it ends up in the ocean, it’s bad for the animals — and for us too, because we eat stuff from the ocean.”
As Dr. Cantú says, “Even if they take away just one nugget of knowledge, and know they have the power to act — that’s the beginning of change.”
Climate literacy is more than an academic goal — it’s a tool for social equity and community resilience. YWCA San Antonio sees this work as aligned with its mission to eliminate racism and empower women, especially by reaching youth in historically underserved communities.
This summer, YWCA San Antonio will continue that mission by hosting a free teen leadership and advocacy camp. Open to local youth, the camp will offer a space to build confidence, sharpen civic skills, and become catalysts for change in their neighborhoods.
Ready to sign up, speak out, and lead change? Join us this summer!
To learn more or register, contact YWCA San Antonio at 210-433-9922.
