The aim of the PERSIST project is to pilot and measure the impact of a school educational intervention on youth climate-related emotions and to assess its efficacy in strengthening literacy on the climate crisis, applying pro-environmental behaviours, and promoting systems thinking in high school students in Italy. The project involved 273 students in ten different classes attending between grades 1 and 4 and aged between 13 and 18 at a scientific high school in Rome, Italy. These students engaged in three, two-hour sessions, with seasoned researchers, delving into an interactive educational model to enhance their understanding of the climate crisis. The sessions covered the causes and impacts of the crisis on human health, incorporating interactive elements such as brainstorming, games inspired by complex systems, and debates.