Lights, Camera, Climate: Building Climate Storytelling Pathways Through Career Technical Education
- Marco Vargas
- Jan 6
- 2 min read
By Marco Vargas — CEO, Fifth Sun Pictures
Published Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Fifth Sun Pictures recently hosted a districtwide professional development training in partnership with the LAUSD STEAM–Climate Literacy Office, bringing together 150+ teachers, school leaders, CTE coordinators, and community partners from across Los Angeles Unified. The virtual session—Lights, Camera, Climate: Using Film Production to Advance K–12 Climate Literacy—explored how film production can be used as both an instructional strategy and a pathway for student voice, climate education, and workforce development.
The primary goal of the training was to support educators. Teachers and school leaders were introduced to practical, classroom-ready ways to integrate climate storytelling into instruction, after-school programming, and Career Technical Education pathways. Participants examined how film production can serve as a project-based learning tool that connects science, language arts, social studies, and media literacy—while giving students the opportunity to explore environmental issues rooted in their own lived experiences.
A central focus of the session was Fifth Sun Pictures’ Career Technical Education Framework, which outlines a clear progression from educator professional development to hands-on student programming and career pathways in arts, media, and entertainment. During the training, educators explored how climate-focused film projects can be implemented across multiple levels of engagement:
Professional development for teachers, centered on industry-aligned processes and project design
CTE film production programs, where students participate in the full production cycle—from story development and pre-production to filming, editing, and distribution
Work-based learning opportunities, including paid internships and real-world project experience that connect classroom learning to creative and civic careers
This approach reflects Fifth Sun Pictures’ 2026 strategic direction: scaling film production not only as a service, but as an educational and workforce development solution that empowers students and educators to tell meaningful stories. As our work expands, we are increasingly focused on supporting projects that move beyond traditional promotional content and instead elevate stories that address climate justice, environmental health, clean air, green spaces, and community resilience.
The training also encouraged educators to think about how climate stories can live beyond the classroom. Film production becomes most powerful when student and community voices are shared widely—across schools, neighborhoods, and cultural platforms. As part of this conversation, participants were introduced to ALTA, a publication from A Human Atlas Project, which documents climate activists and social change makers using art and storytelling to drive awareness and action. The book is available online and reinforces a key theme of the session: storytelling helps transform learning into public understanding and collective action. Learn more at https://www.ahumanatlas.com/artworks/alta/.
To support continued learning and implementation, Fifth Sun Pictures is making available the full Zoom recording, slide deck, and educator resources from the professional development session. Together, these materials are intended to help teachers and school leaders design climate-focused film projects that are academically rigorous, culturally relevant, and aligned with career pathways in the creative industries.
As Fifth Sun Pictures moves into 2026, our work continues to focus on building sustainable pathways where education, storytelling, and climate action intersect—supporting educators while collaborating with artists, institutions, and community partners who share this vision.
