Press release from Arcata High students who have organized to participate in the Global Youth Climate Strike:

Local high school students plan to participate in the Global Youth Climate Strike on Friday, March 15, at 10 am.

According to Arcata High Senior and strike organizer Nigella Baur, today’s teens might be fighting for survival as adults if serious environmental changes are not implemented in both small and large ways. “Everyone should be scared,” she said. With little action from the national government, time is running out, and many teens are fearful for both the present and future condition of the climate. Teens are striking in demand that climate change becomes the government’s top concern.

Arcata High participants plan to walk out of classes at 10 am and march to the plaza, where Arcata High students Milo Mateer and Jack Taylor and city council member Sofia Pereira will give speeches about environmental action. The organizers created an instagram account —@ahsforclimateaction — to keep the community updated before and during the strike. Although this is a youth strike, organizers have invited all community members to participate.

Following the footsteps of Greta Thunberg, a 16-year old student from Sweden who has been sitting-in at Stockholm’s Parliament House once a week since August, students from over 40 countries are expected to participate, according to the New York Times