For the Love of Nature, Sprout Up Inspires Curiosity in Young Minds

Equipped with resources from the Sprout Up program of the non-profit organization Environmental Volunteers, along with funding from Associated Students, the Green Initiative Fund and local grants, Sprout Up at UC San Diego has built a community of about 45 Triton volunteers to help promote equitable access to environmental education in under-resourced elementary schools. So far, the student organization has taught six classrooms between two San Diego Unified School District schools, Cadman Elementary and Marie Curie Elementary, impacting approximately 130 students.

The Sprout Up curriculum encourages kids to think in new ways about the world around them through play-based activities, lively discussions and hands-on experiments. Instructors and students also select their very own “nature names” for the duration of the eight-week program, which could be anything from the popular “cat” to the very specific “mossy oak.” Below, two Sprout Up leaders from UC San Diego share their nature names along with what they’ve learned in the classroom.

Cuties, aka Tiffany Yuen

The smell of orange citrus brings Tiffany Yuen back to her childhood living room, peeling and enjoying (sometimes bags of) the small mandarin oranges with her family. To her students, she is known as Cuties. The fourth-year student majoring in psychology and cognitive and behavioral neuroscience co-founded Sprout Up at UC San Diego with a friend in fall 2023. Since then, she has translated her passion for environmental education and desire to work with children into memorable learning experiences for San Diego’s young learners.

What’s your favorite part about being a Sprout Up instructor?

The most rewarding part of working with the kids as a Sprout Up instructor is seeing those moments when their eyes light up. I love guiding them through questions like “Where do my plants grow?” “Where does my food come from?” and “What form of transportation did I take to school today?” But what makes it truly special is when they take those lessons beyond the classroom—talking about them at home, noticing things in their community and making those real-world connections. Seeing their curiosity grow and spread is what makes teaching so meaningful."

Have the kids taught you anything?

Working with kids, I’ve realized how important it is to start with a foundation of curiosity. In today’s world, with constant media and overwhelming global challenges, it’s easy to fall into eco-anxiety (the chronic fear of environmental doom) and feel paralyzed by questions like “Where do we begin?” and “Can we even make a difference?” By encouraging kids to ask questions, explore nature and engage with the world around them, we empower the next generation to genuinely care for our planet. The kids have helped me change my own outlook on combating eco-anxiety, and have helped me realize that change starts with a passion and love for our Earth, a core value we must continue nurturing.”

What do you hope the students keep from their Sprout Up experience?

I hope the lessons stick with them and they continue to engage their friends, peers and families in what they’ve learned. Really, I just hope that they stay curious—it’s so important. And, maybe in the future, they’ll feel inspired to be an advocate for the things they really care about.”

Lotus, aka Shruti Athavan

Her favorite flower—a lotus—was the first thing her grandfather taught Shruti Athavan to draw. He had a very particular way of doing it. The flower is a symbol of resilience for Athavan, a value she believes is important to carry throughout life. Another value she believes in is knowledge. And as a Sprout Up instructor, Athavan hopes to empower young learners to lead with curiosity and create a healthier future.

What’s your favorite part about being a Sprout Up instructor?

Watching the kids make connections to their own natural environment is special. Like, we ask them something about landscapes, and they say “Oh, I’ve seen that near my home!” or “I see that every time I go to school!” It’s nice to see them ask questions and discover what role they play in their own world—to see how they envision themselves in this larger picture of the environment. It’s really cute, too. They have this optimistic view of the world that is inspiring to see.

Have the kids taught you anything?

What I’ve learned from the children is that sometimes things are a lot simpler than we make them out to be. We’ll ask them a question like “What can we do to reduce carbon emissions?” And their answer will be “Walk.” They have very simple answers to these big questions. Our approach to teaching them is to try to deconstruct really complicated topics, but they end up doing the same for us.

What do you hope the students keep from their Sprout Up experience?

I hope they keep a sense of curiosity and connectedness with their environment through whatever career they hope to pursue in the future and keep asking questions.

Sprout Up horizons

Sprout Up at UC San Diego hopes to expand their outreach efforts to serve more classrooms in San Diego County and secure additional funding for transportation and materials. They’ll also depend on community and campus connections to continue making environmental education more accessible to young students. For certain, the organization’s impact on the UC San Diego campus, within the San Diego community and in young students’ minds will help cultivate a brighter future for generations to come.

As for Yuen and Athavan, they both plan to take a gap year after graduating in June. Yuen wants to conduct research on neurodivergence in the adolescent population and sees herself becoming a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist in the future. Athavan, who majors in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, plans to continue her research in the Department of Veterans Affairs focused on addiction and comorbidities associated with PTSD, and aims to apply to medical school to pursue a career in psychiatry.

Ready to plant some seeds?

Get involved with Sprout Up at UC San Diego by contacting directorsd@sproutup.org or following Sprout Up @ UC San Diego (@sproutup_ucsandiego) on Instagram. The organization regularly posts events, application windows, training opportunities and more. For UC San Diego students interested in becoming a Sprout Up instructor or member of the organization’s leadership team, complete the Sprout Up at UC San Diego Interest Form.