Willie Jones III: The Future Is Full of Possibilities

Videos

Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APScience, Civics, Career Skills

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Project Drawdown

Open Resource

What it is

In this short, documentary-style video, Willie Jones III discusses his career as a green infrastructure technician in New Orleans, his personal story of pursuing this career path, his inspiration from the response to Hurricane Katrina, and his passion for climate justice.
Through watching the video and discussing the provided questions, students will explore the importance of one's culture and roots, necessary skills in the changing climate, the prevalence of energy use and the need for solar energy, and meaningful changes to address environmental racism.

Teaching tips

Positives

The video's tone is hopeful about the future and what is possible in the fight against climate change.
Willie Jones III uses his life experiences to illustrate the connections between poverty, racism, and environmentalism.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with environmental justice, environmental racism, and gentrification.
The resource includes the video, a short description of Willie Jones III's story, discussion questions, links to learn more, and ways to take action.

Differentiation

Teachers can use the discussion questions to guide a rich conversation about culture, justice, and climate change.
Students can explore solar panels and other electricity-focused climate solutions using the links provided.
Willie Jones III highlights multiple nonprofits doing great work in his community. Students can identify nonprofits in their area that are climate justice-oriented and take steps to support their work.
Engineering classes can use this video to highlight an engineering-related green career, and students can evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of using solar-powered trailers to provide electricity after natural disasters.
Geography classes can discuss the specific environmental, cultural, and political characteristics of New Orleans that contributed to the challenges caused by Hurricane Katrina and continued challenges with flooding and other natural disasters.
Students can use this video as a starting point to explore green infrastructure and adaptation strategies.

From the scientist review

This video is an interview with Willie Jones III, a Green Infrastructure Technician for Groundworks New Orleans. He discusses his life in New Orleans, environmental changes, racism, and how it interconnects. The speaker briefly discusses Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans. Jones also discusses current projects his company is working on to help New Orleans and its people be more resilient and recover from natural disasters.

How we review resources

Ready to use it?

Hosted on drawdown.org

Open Resource

Want this to fit your class?

Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Subjects: Science, Civics, Career Skills
Other types: Activity - Classroom
Language: English
Location: North America, North America > United States, North America > United States > Louisiana
Provider: Project Drawdown
Authors: Project Drawdown
Published: January 24, 2024
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.14.9-12 + 8 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.14.9-12Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.
D4.7.9-12Assess options for individual and collective action to address local, regional, and global problems by engaging in self-reflection, strategy identification, and complex causal reasoning.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

Maine Climate Education Hub

English Language Arts

SL.9-12.1Prepare for and participate in conversations across a range of topics, types, and forums, building on others' ideas and expressing their own.
SL.9-12.2Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

Science and Engineering

HS-ETS1-3Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Social Studies

Civics& Government 1 (D1): Students understand the ideals, purposes, principles, structures, and processes of constitutional government in the United States and in the American political system, as well as examples of other forms of government and political systems in the world by evaluating and comparing the relationship of citizens with government in the United States and other regions of the world.
Geography1 (D2): Students understand the geography of the United States and various regions of the world and the effect of geographic influences on decisions about the present and future by using inquiry to predict and evaluate consequences of geographic influences.
Geography2 (F2): Students understand geographic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities, by summarizing and interpreting the relationship between geographic features and cultures of Maine Native Americans, and historical and recent immigrant groups in Maine, the United States, and the world.

Cookie Preferences

What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

Ready to use it?

Want this to fit your class?

Related Teaching Resources