St. Joseph-Scollard Hall’s EcoSchool has received some great recognition by achieving gold level status.
The Ontario EcoSchool Program is a rigorous certification process that empowers students to have a positive impact on their school communities, by leading environmental projects and sharing important knowledge with their peers.
This year, St. Joseph-Scollard Hall’s EcoSchool projects included:
- A school-wide challenge for Earth Day that raised $100 for the Gathering Place Garden.
- Environmental Leadership Seminars with NPSC’s elementary schools.
- Greenhouse and garden planting to produce consumable food through the cafeteria.
- Waste and energy audits to better understand consumption at the school.
“Through EcoSchools, we’ve been able to not only raise awareness but also work towards changes within our school community to combat global issues like global warming and climate change,” said SJSH student Jacob Szaranski.
“The EcoSchools program has helped us as students to become more conscious of our environment and actions. The program has given us a voice in our school community. This has been a great experience for us as we have been able to make changes right here at SJSH, for the greater good,” said SJSH student Mackenzie Chirico.
The provincial certification requires schools to develop sustainable projects in six categories: Teamwork and Leadership, Energy Conservation, Waste Minimization, School Ground Cleaning, and Curriculum and Environmental Stewardship.
Successful schools are then awarded bronze, silver, gold or platinum status, based on their ability to implement and maintain projects. St. Joseph-Scollard Hall is receiving gold level status for the third consecutive year after completing projects in all six categories.
