Green Ambassadors raising the bar for Huntsville-area students

Published on September 24, 2025

For Huntsville-area students in Green Team’s Green Ambassador program, the challenge is no longer about specific school-year projects. The students are learning they can make a career out of caring for the environment.

It’s a raising of the bar for Green Ambassadors – the educational arm of Green Team – under the guidance of Green Team Environmental Education Coordinator Joel Donelan.

“The program is really taking off,” Donelan said. “A lot of youth and teachers and community members are getting excited about the Green Ambassador program. The projects have been more impactful.”

The flexibility of the Green Ambassador program is one of its advantages. Donelan has fostered age-level curriculum for elementary school students up to high school students. And now students are being introduced to career options.

“We’re focusing a lot this year on environmental management and workforce development,” he said. “We’re making sure Huntsville students are prepared and are given challenges to allow them to create solutions.”

The World Economic Forum released its “Future of Jobs Report” in January and identified the “green transition” related to sustainability as a major driver expected to shape and transform the global labor market by 2030. It’s creating jobs such as renewable energy engineers, environmental engineers and autonomous vehicle specialists.

Given that jobs forecast, the Green Ambassadors have an opportunity to get a head start in emerging job markets.

“This sector is going to grow substantially,” Donelan said. “It’s important that students are on the cutting edge and know this about these possible paths.”

The Green Ambassador program is starting its third year working with students in Huntsville-area schools. The program is active in about 30 schools and anticipates that number reaching 40 this academic year.