Bilingual Environmental Education

Training To Impact LLC (TTI) received funding from Oregon State University’s ASPIRE Children’s Environmental Health Center to develop and implement Mente Sana, Cuerpo Sano, a bilingual pilot project focused on children’s environmental health, resilience, and community education.

Through this project, TTI created Superheroes of the Planet, a culturally responsive bilingual children’s book that helps children and families learn about wildfires, air pollution, health, and environmental stewardship. The story presents complex environmental health topics through accessible language, engaging activities, and characters who reflect the cultures and experiences of the communities TTI serves.

How to create a culturally responsive children book like Superheroes of the Planet

Creating a culturally responsive bilingual children’s book about environmental health required much more than writing a story. It involved research, collaboration, artistic development, community knowledge, professional review, and careful consideration of how to explain complex health information in a way that children could understand.

The project was developed in 2024 under the leadership of Ana Iris Ruiz Morillo, Founder and Director of Training To Impact LLC and author of Superheroes of the Planet. The TTI and team brought extensive knowledge to the project through the research they had conducted to develop Climate, Health, and Resilience, a 20-hour training curriculum for community health workers. Their experience also included developing and delivering trainings on emergency preparedness and extreme temperatures, as well as leading related community engagement initiatives in Oregon and the Dominican Republic. Their work examining the connections among climate change, environmental health, emergency preparedness, and community resilience provided a strong foundation for the book. The next challenge was transforming that information into a culturally relevant, age-appropriate story that could engage children without overwhelming them.

Several essential elements supported the book’s development:

● Research and subject-matter knowledge: TTI’s research for the Climate, Health, and Resilience curriculum helped ensure that the story was grounded in reliable information about wildfires, air pollution, health, preparedness, and resilience.

● Culturally responsive storytelling: The story, characters, language, and settings were intentionally developed to reflect the cultures and experiences of Latino children and families. Valentina’s journey makes environmental health information more relatable while helping children see themselves as capable of making a difference.

● Age-appropriate communication: Complex environmental and public health concepts had to be translated into clear, engaging language that young readers could understand. The story and accompanying activities were designed to encourage curiosity, conversation, and action without creating unnecessary fear.

● Artistic collaboration: TTI collaborated with local artist Carmen Momeni, who illustrated the book and supported community outreach. Carmen’s experience with the Multnomah County Public Health Division’s Emergency Preparedness Resilience Team and the Oregon Society of Artists helped connect the book’s visual storytelling with its environmental health and resilience messages.

● Professional editing: Liza Ruiz provided editing support for the book and related educational materials. Her involvement helped strengthen the story’s clarity, organization, tone, and accessibility for children and families.

● Translation and bilingual review: Translators and bilingual reviewers helped ensure that the English and Spanish versions communicated the same ideas clearly while remaining natural, culturally relevant, and engaging in both languages.

● Design and digital development: Digital designers helped transform the manuscript and illustrations into accessible print and electronic formats that could be used by families, schools, libraries, and community organizations.

● Mentorship: Ana benefited from the mentorship of Megan McClelland, Ph.D., Endowed Director of the Hallie E. Ford Center for Healthy Children and Families and Professor at Oregon State University. Her guidance supported the development of a resource that connected children’s learning, health, resilience, and community well-being.

● Community partnerships and feedback: Schools, libraries, community organizations, families, and other partners helped TTI share the book and learn from the experiences of readers. Their feedback later informed revisions that strengthened the book and made it more useful for the communities it was created to serve.

● Funding and institutional support: Funding from Oregon State University’s ASPIRE Children’s Environmental Health Center made it possible for TTI to bring together the writers, illustrators, editors, translators, designers, and community partners needed to move the project from an initial idea to a completed bilingual resource.

Bringing these elements together made Superheroes of the Planet more than a children’s story. It became a collaborative environmental health education resource designed to help children and families learn, build resilience, and recognize their ability to care for themselves, their communities, and the planet.

Meet Valentina, a Young Environmental Hero

Superheroes of the Planet follows Valentina, a young girl who sets out to understand why air pollution is affecting the health of her friends. As she learns about wildfire smoke, air quality, and pollution, she encourages others to protect their health and care for the environment.

Available in English and Spanish, the bilingual book combines storytelling with activities children can complete independently or with their families. It promotes critical thinking, resilience, collective action, and environmental responsibility while showing children that they can contribute to positive change.

The story also celebrates cultural diversity by featuring relatable Latino characters and culturally familiar environments. Children are invited to see themselves not only as learners but also as environmental heroes who can care for their health, their communities, and the planet.

Reaching Children and Families from Diverse Communities

Community outreach was central to Mente Sana, Cuerpo Sano. TTI worked with schools, libraries, culturally specific organizations, local governments, and community partners in Multnomah, Washington, and Marion counties to share the book with children and families.

Through community events, school activities, health fairs, and bilingual storytimes, the project reached hundreds of children. With support from OSU ASPIRE, TTI distributed 1,000 books at no cost and provided participating children with certificates recognizing them as Superheroes of the Planet.

TTI and its partners also incorporated the book into trainings and community projects related to emergency preparedness, climate action, and environmental health. Community health workers and other trusted community messengers helped extend the project’s reach and connect its lessons with the everyday experiences of Latino families.

Continuing the Work Beyond the Pilot

The formal pilot project has ended, but its impact has continued. Since the pilot was completed, children, families, educators, and community partners have continued using and sharing Superheroes of the Planet. Their feedback helped TTI identify opportunities to strengthen the story and make it even more engaging and useful for young readers.

In response to this feedback, TTI revised the book and printed an additional 500 copies for distribution in the community. This process reflects TTI’s commitment to listening to the people we serve and improving our resources based on their experiences, perspectives, and needs.

The project also inspired TTI to expand its environmental education work by creating two additional books for younger readers. Frida the Caterpillar or Frida la Oruguita , rhyming picking books, and La Oruguita Aventurera, available in Spanish, introduce children to nature, environmental responsibility, and care for the planet from an early age. Both books are available through Amazon and other online booksellers.

Together, these three books advance a broader vision: helping children develop a relationship with nature and understand that caring for themselves, their communities, and the environment are deeply connected.

TTI’s Commitment to Environmental Health and Climate Action

Mente Sana, Cuerpo Sano reflects TTI’s ongoing commitment to climate action, environmental stewardship, health equity, and culturally responsive education. Environmental health information is most effective when communities can access it in their preferred language and see their cultures, families, and experiences represented.

TTI’s team, primarily composed of immigrant women of color, brings lived experience, cultural knowledge, and professional expertise to this work. Through bilingual storytelling, community partnerships, and participatory education, TTI makes important information more understandable, relevant, and useful to the communities it serves.

The success of this pilot demonstrates what is possible when research, art, education, and community knowledge come together. What began as one funded project has grown into an expanding collection of bilingual resources designed to nurture healthier children, stronger communities, and greater care for our planet.

Bring Superheroes of the Planet to Your Community

Superheroes of the Planet is a bilingual English-Spanish book available directly through Training To Impact LLC. A digital version is also available through Amazon Kindle.

Schools, libraries, community organizations, and other programs interested in purchasing printed copies or hosting a bilingual presentation or storytime can contact TTI at info@trainingtoimpact.com. Organizations may also schedule a complimentary 30-minute virtual meeting so TTI can learn about their needs and explore how to bring Superheroes of the Planet to the children and families they serve.