Since 2020, with funding from NOAA and FEMA, the RiSC program has been implemented in Coney Island, Brooklyn in partnership with 7 NYC public schools and 5 in New Jersey. Community partners include: Coney Island Beautification Project, American Littoral Society, New York Sea Grant, NYC Parks, the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, Coney Island residents and advisors, and NWF affiliate New Jersey Audubon. An adapted RiSC curriculum is educating students about Coney Island’s ecological and social history, including structural racism which continues to expose local residents to inequitable climate risks. Through oral history interviews, podcast projects and community events, students have worked to amplify Coney Islanders' lived experiences, increase public awareness of local climate impacts, and spark public conversations about climate solutions. In the spring of 2022, students from 9 schools planted 10,000 beach grass culms in Coney Island Creek Park, to stabilize the dunes along the shoreline and help protect nearby homes from coastal flooding.
In 2023, students added 15,500 culms and in 2024 close to 600 students and teachers from 22 schools along with local residents and volunteers planted another 14,200.
We're grateful to FEMA for the agency's continued support of the
RiSC program.
In 2019-20, five school-based RiSC teams focused their learning on coastal hazards, extreme heat, climate justice, and the role of nature-based solutions in mitigating climate impacts. View the first short documentary here and its sequel, "Where It Floods" here.
Through partnerships and collabora-tions, RiSC learning resources and best practices are being adapted in schools and communities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the globe that are looking for ways to increase climate and resiliency literacy.
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RiSC program Team
Emily Alix Fano, M.A.
Senior Manager, Climate Resilience Education
National Wildlife Federation
Emily Fano is the Principal Investigator for RiSC 2.0 and Senior Project Manager of the program. In this role she leads on program design and management, partnerships and fundraising, provides input on curriculum, and co-designs professional learning workshops and special events. She also convenes the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force in partnership with WE ACT for Environmental Justice. The Task Force is comprised of educators, students, NGOs, and policymakers working to expand access to interdisciplinary, justice-centered climate education in New York.
Alexandra Kanonik, B.A.
Executive Director
American Littoral Society, Northeast Chapter
Alexandra holds a B.A. in Biology from Eckerd College in Florida. She educates people about New York's marine environment and works on ecological restoration projects in Jamaica Bay, Queens and beyond to benefit wildlife and people. Alexandra is passionate about coastal conservation. In addition to leading RiSC seining trips at Coney Island Creek, and assisting with Spring beach grass plantings and public events, she leads annual NY State Beach Cleanup events across New York.
Pamela Pettyjohn
Co-Founder and President
Coney Island Beautification Project (CIBP)
Coney Island Beautification Project (CIBP) was formed for the civic purpose to encourage community involvement and education in the enhancement of the environment and the resiliency of post Superstorm Sandy in Coney Island and surrounding areas. Pamela is a RiSC program partner and community liaison. She participated in RiSC program planning and curriculum development, and participates in teacher trainings and public events.
Georganna Deas
Administrative Director
Coney Island Beautification Project (CIBP)
Georganna is a Coney Island resident and advocate who has lived in the Gravesend Houses on Kaiser Park for over forty years. After moving to Coney Island in 1977, she worked with Coney Island Pride and then with Astella Development. Georganna is a RiSC community liaison, participated in RiSC program planning and curriculum development, and participates in teacher trainings and public events.
Brett F. Branco, Ph.D. (Program Advisor)
Executive Director
Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB)
Brett Branco is a marine scientist and was the Principal Investigator for the RiSC 1.0 project. As the Executive Director of SRIJB, and Co-Chair of SRIJB's Research Council, Brett provides science and resilience expertise to the RiSC project team and helps connect the project to resilience planning action in New York City.