Solana Center School & Youth Programs

Solana Center School & Youth Programs offers Compost Critters, a presentation about decomposition and the role of invertebrates, fungi, and bacteria in ecosystems and compost piles. It also offers Waste to Wealth (Composting with Worms), Watersheds, Backyard Composting, Textiles: The Story of a T-Shirt, and Custom Presentations, all adapted for grades K-12.

Programs

• Compost Critters — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Presentation about decomposition and the role of invertebrates, fungi, and bacteria in ecosystems and compost piles.
• Waste to Wealth (Composting with Worms) — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Lesson about earthworms and how to partner with them for a greener world.
• Watersheds — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Interactive watershed model lesson about the impact of actions on waterways and living things.
• Backyard Composting — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Presentation to connect students to soil and build a sustainable system for a school garden or compost system.
• Textiles: The Story of a T-Shirt — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Program following a cotton t-shirt through its life stages and possible paths from landfills to reuse, repurposing, or repair.
• Custom Presentations — Designed to be adapted for grades K-12 · Custom presentation adapted to classroom curriculum on composting, recycling, zero waste, watersheds, waste sorting, and textile waste reduction.
• Waste Diversion in Schools — School program to create lunch waste sorting systems and support sorting stations, student education, lunch line training, staff training, waste audits, and additional consultation.

At a glance

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• General schedule: School & Youth Program offerings are adapted for grades K-12. Unincorporated San Diego County schools: many offerings are free in the 2026-2027 school year.
• Facility hours: Staff Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Climate Solutions Hub and Sustainability Shop/Plastic Beach Hours: Thursday & Friday 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

About the provider

The program is part of an award-winning environmental 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1983. Its mission is to empower innovative solutions to climate change through education, community engagement, and research. It serves all of San Diego County and seeks partners to provide environmental education throughout the region.

• School & Youth Program Interest Form — Interest form for school and youth programs.

Teachers can choose one or more NGSS-aligned lessons. Program costs depend on grant availability for all other schools. Contact information is provided for scheduling. NO E-WASTE COLLECTION AT SOLANA CENTER.

What families say

““It was so fun to see the critters crawl around and move around and learn about what they did in the compost pile. My personal favorite was the grub because I found it very funny how they crawled on their backs.”” — Compost Critters Student

Last updated November 1, 2026.