Local Schools Awarded for Green Efforts

Thursday, April 09, 2009 11:45 AM

Prince George, B.C – An elementary school in Prince George is among those receiving $2,000 for it’s entry in the B.C. Green Games.

Westwood Elementary School in Prince George showcased its extensive nature garden. Westwood's gardens include a prairie section, stream of dreams fish and an Aboriginal garden. The garden projects involved the entire school as well as community members.
Kersley Elementary School, Quesnel, leads the community in green initiatives. It has an extensive recycling program that includes daily composting. The school has also created an "idle-free zone". Kersley Elementary has reached out to its community and plans to continue with an anti-garbage bag proposal.

B.C. Green Games was designed to encourage students to document and share projects that make positive changes in their school or community. A total of 140 entries were submitted from 34 school districts, with 24 prizes of $2,000 awarded. Entries included schoolyard gardens, waste reduction, battery recycling and a variety of energy-reduction initiatives.

"We are proud to be part of the first B.C. Green Games," said Bryan Tisdall, President and CEO, Science World. "Our young people 'get it' - and we are thrilled to have already seen evidence of schools inspiring and learning from other schools across communities."

B.C. Green Games is a partnership between the Province and Science World British Columbia.

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Posted on Thursday, April 09, 2009 11:45 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: He spoke on April 9 2009 12:43 PM

Teach our children, isn't that how the song goes.

Us old coffin dodgers are too set in our ways.

Posted by: Harbinger on April 9 2009 12:48 PM

What is an "Aboriginal garden"? I don't know. Never heard of it before. Stream of dreams fish? Who makes these things up? Prairie section? Let me guess. The untilled portion?

Posted by: beesknees on April 9 2009 1:36 PM

"what is an aboriginal garden":

...the urban aboriginal community kitchen garden works with people who have become disconnected from their home communities � which are usually rural � and tries to reconnect them with the Earth by being a bridge between what is healthy in modern culture and traditional culture...

...they grow radishes, salad greens, beans, rutabagas, zucchini, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, mixed herbs, blackberries, tomatoes, cabbage, parsnips, corn, flowers, leeks, onions, garlic and white sage for smudges and tobacco for offerings and celebrations. They also learn to make blackberry jam and pickles...

Those are quotes from an article I read a while back. I've seen this sort of thing in action, and was quite impressed. And like benefits that you or I can get from gardening, other individuals, aboriginal or white, can also get the same.

Posted by: TeamTaz on April 9 2009 3:13 PM

I have been an Opinion reader for quite some time and finally found a reason to register and say my piece!! My children attend Westwood Elementary and with the tireless work of dedicated staff and students over the past FOUR years, they have created something to be very proud of!!!

What started out of the removal of all Mountain Pine Beetle Tree's from school grounds they embarked on a journey to re-beautify their school. From the "Street of Dreams" fish that have been hand painted by each student attending, to the annual Class Stepping Stones created each June to "Aboriginal Garden" (which happens to be a garden full of Traditional Plants) to the Prairie garden, they truly have created a new green space in our community.

They have been awarded numerous grants over the years and this year a group of Grade 7's prepared an excellent Power Point presentation documenting this journey which was then entered into BC Green Games competition.

Congratulations!! Westwood Staff and Students. A job well done!

Posted by: Harbinger on April 9 2009 4:58 PM

Where did the First Nations people get the seeds to grow everything from radishes to garlic? I did not know First Nations people from BC were farmers. Agrarian , so to speak. I thought they were hunter /gatherers. That aside, all I can give you credit for is berries. But then again, they grow wild. I will be on the lookout though for wild zucchini and corn. "Swiss" chard is a bit of a stretch though. Keep up being positive. We have too many naysayers lurking about.