The ACE-ED team recently sat down with Shira Haaz, Strategic Planning Manager at Subaru of America, Inc. Shira was previously the head of corporate responsibility for the automaker.
Corporate Responsibility connects departments across Subaru to create an ecosystem of collaboration to support and increase Subaru’s efforts to be More Than a Car Company®. It also supports volunteer and philanthropy efforts and implements strategic partnerships with the Camden, NJ community to target identified needs and improve the lives of others. During Shira’s tenure with Corporate Responsibility, she facilitated a partnership with Subaru and Discovery Education.
Subaru is a founding member of the Environmental Education Initiative – a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to empower students to make informed decisions that support healthy environments and civic engagement. Shira served as a key thought partner and collaborator in establishing the initial framework and vision of the Environmental Education Initiative.
Research shows that 86% of K-12 teachers and 84% of parents of children under 18 believe climate change should be taught in schools. However, not all states approach the topic the same way. This new initiative ensures equity of access for all students.
Let’s hear from Shira about how Subaru and Discovery Education are empowering students to explore contemporary topics in environmental studies.
Shira, tell us about your role at Subaru and what you did prior to joining this organization?
Prior to joining Subaru in 2013, I was the Senior Marketing Manager at Philabundance, the largest hunger relief organization in the Delaware Valley.
What is the Environmental Education Initiative? Why education and why environment?
The Environmental Education Initiative empowers learners with standards-aligned resources to explore contemporary topics in environmental studies. The newest content includes video lesson bundles and student activities exploring subjects such as energy conservation, forestry, clean drinking water, and more.
Framing about how Subaru is dedicated to the environment and education:
- Subaru continues to work to reduce waste, safeguard resources for future generations, and preserve natural spaces. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants, and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
- Over the past decade, our work with the National Parks Conservation Association, in partnership with the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, has changed how millions of visitors experience America’s national parks and plays a critical role in keeping waste out of them. In fact, since launching in 2015, the Don’t Feed the Landfills initiative has helped the National Park System eliminate 22 million pounds of waste through reduction, recycling, composting, and educational initiatives while engaging park visitors to lessen their environmental footprint.
- As we look ahead to next April when we celebrate and support our Subaru Loves the Earth® pillar, we are excited to work with our network of retailers nationwide to make a positive impact on the local level.
- In a similar fashion, our commitment to supporting education through Subaru Loves Learning® is accomplished with the help of our incredible partners and retailers.
- In our fourth year partnering with AdoptAClassroom.org®, we helped reach a milestone of over 750,000 students nationwide to receive critical school supplies.
- 92% of teachers nationwide have students whose families cannot afford to purchase school supplies for their children. This has led to teachers spending an average of $860 per year to help provide for their classrooms.
- Together, Subaru and our retailers are working to help students in high-needs schools by providing teachers across the country with funding to purchase these supplies and resources. Many participating retailers also donate school supply kits with materials that are highly requested by teachers.
- When it comes to our headquarters, we are proud to call Camden, NJ, our home. Camden is a community full of passion and pride, and it has also had to overcome many environmental challenges.
- We heard from our neighbors that they wanted to engage the next generation of leaders in keeping their city strong, and it started with a specific request to educate kids on the damage that litter can cause. That was the start of our Environmental Education Initiative.
- When we kicked off this program in 2022, there was no environmental education for kids specifically focused on urban communities. So, we knew we could fill this void in partnership with Discovery Education to create resources that were not only applicable to Camden but also to urban communities around the U.S.
What types of content can students and educators find from the Environmental Education Initiative?
Our industry partners provide insights into the latest trends, job pipelines, technologies, and skills required in the workforce. Together, we collaborate to develop curriculum materials that are aligned with real-world applications and are up to date, preparing students for future careers.
Litter and the impact of dumping trash was the first topic we tackled, but since then, we have also created a unit on heat islands and how rising temperatures are having a greater impact on urban areas.
As you can see in the content we’ve helped create along with the Camden School District, the quality of the local environment has far-reaching effects on the population. The STEM component may seem more straightforward, as coming up with solutions to counteract the negative impacts of environmental issues could come down to scientific experiments and solutions, technological and engineering advances, and mathematical tools to measure results. Financially, negative impacts from the environment can drastically impact the population’s financial success, and on the flip side, there is an opportunity to calculate financial gains as the community counteracts these impacts. Being able to help students understand this at an early age is vital so they can be a part of the solution, and we can inspire them to see the opportunities.
Where do educators go to learn more?
Anyone can access the no-cost resources from the Environmental Education Initiative environmentaleducationinitiative.discoveryeducation.com. Plus, educators with access to Discovery Education Experience can find these resources on the Environmental Education Initiative Channel.
Shira Haaz serves as Corporate Responsibility Manager for Subaru of America, Inc. In this role, Shira connects departments across Subaru to create an ecosystem of collaboration to support and increase Subaru’s efforts to be More than a Car Company®. She also oversees all volunteer and philanthropy efforts and implements strategic partnerships with the Camden community to target identified needs and improve the lives of others. Prior to joining Subaru in 2013, Shira was the Senior Marketing Manager at Philabundance, the largest hunger-relief organization in the Delaware Valley.
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.
- Discovery Educationhttps://ace-ed.org/author/discoveryeducation/
- Discovery Educationhttps://ace-ed.org/author/discoveryeducation/
- Discovery Educationhttps://ace-ed.org/author/discoveryeducation/
- Discovery Educationhttps://ace-ed.org/author/discoveryeducation/
