Onward! A Celebration of Community, Youth Action, and the Year Ahead
Every year, the CAF community comes together for one of our favorite traditions: the Onward! Ceremony. This year, families, youth, volunteers, interns, and supporters gathered at Meridian Playground in Wallingford for an evening of reflection, celebration, and connection. As people arrived, the space filled gradually with conversation, shared food, and familiar faces. Our Onward! Ceremony is our yearly reminder of why this work matters and the people it matters to.
Onward! is also our moment to pause and celebrate community members stepping into new chapters, whether that was a preschooler moving up, a graduating senior, or anyone entering a new season of life. This year, that meant recognizing youth who showed up for the climate justice movement through advocacy, organizing, creativity, learning, and care for the people and the planet around them. Every transition was welcomed and honored.
The first half of the evening unfolded around an art activity and potluck dinner. Conversations were had, plates were filled, and the energy in the space was warm and unhurried. Youth and adults alike painted a CAF tapestry before lining up for a potluck buffet contributed to CAF community!
The Awards Ceremony
The heart of Onward! each year is the awards ceremony, where CAF youth are recognized through awards rooted in CAF’s Theory of Change. Each award reflects a different dimension of how change actually happens in the world, not just through action, but through relationships, healing, creativity, and community building.
The Organize Award, which honors youth who bring people together and build community power, was given to Baird and Quinn. Baird has been a part of CAF’s story for several years, bringing leadership and critical thinking to the movement and inspiring youth across the community to take action. Quinn stepped into every opportunity this year with dedication, curiosity, and courage, and has grown into a strong and steady voice for climate justice.
The Build Award, which celebrates youth who help create sustainable communities rooted in care and connection, was given to Murrin and Allie. Murrin brought people together through kindness and community spirit, a reminder that climate action becomes stronger when we show up for one another. Allie demonstrated openness, creativity, and inclusiveness throughout the year while also stepping into an exciting new chapter as she heads to high school.
The Transform Award, which honors youth who use creativity and vision to inspire cultural change, was given to Sinaya. Sinaya brought joyful leadership to advocacy, rallies, and community programs throughout the year, showing that imagination and energy are just as important to the movement as any policy or plan.
The Heal Award, which recognizes youth who care for people, communities, and the natural world with compassion and curiosity, was given to Bodhi and Gillian. Bodhi shared knowledge and guided community members through nature, helping others build a deeper appreciation for the world around them. Gillian explored beaches, forests, and restoration projects throughout the year with wonder and thoughtfulness, asking questions and learning deeply from every experience.
Every story shared during the ceremony was a reflection of the same truth: climate justice is built through people, and these young people are proof of that.
Conversation Across Generations
For the second half of the evening, the group split into rotating tables where youth, adults, staff, and community members sat together and worked through question prompts on topics like the environment, family, and intergenerational communication. We believe that conversations between different generations when they sit down together and genuinely listen to one another are often where some of the most honest and hopeful exchanges take place.
Thank you to every person who joined us for Onward! this year. To the youth who were celebrated, the families who showed up, the volunteers and interns who helped make the evening run, and the supporters who continue to believe in this community: this night would not have been what it was without you.
We are grateful for everything this past year has held, and we are already looking forward to what comes next. See you at Onward! 2027.
