Students at Ridgemont HS Receive Youth Award for Excellence in Environmental
Conservation
 |
Left to right: teacher Carol Seymour (white shirt), students
Ben, Elsa, Chris (rear), Sherine, and teacher Danny Leeson
are presented with the CWF Youth Award for Excellence
in Environmental Conservation. |
Ridgemont
High School's B.E.A.R. (Beautification & Environmental
Association of Ridgemont) Program has been an excellent example
of youth leadership in assisting in the protection of natural
spaces in the Ottawa area, and within their school and local
communities. In recognition of their hard work, on Tuesday,
April 19, 2005 they received a Canadian
Wildlife Federation Youth Award for Excellence in Environmental
Conservation.
Over the past four years, the B.E.A.R. has encouraged their school
community to be proactive in numerous environmental issues that have
benefited the environment either directly by cleaning up green spaces or
indirectly by raising money for environmental causes.
Some of their many school-based programs include: School-wide Recycling,
Re-use the Other Side of Posters, Greened Classrooms, Dead Battery
Collection, Ink Cartridge Collection and Cell Phone Battery Collection.
Future projects will include a composting initiative which would
benefit their indigenous garden and help reduce their school's contribution
to Ottawa landfills.
In addition to the countless in-school activities the B.E.A.R. operates
several fundraising events. Each year they hold the largest outdoor high
school Ultimate Frisbee Tournament to raise funds that help to run
B.E.A.R. environmental initiatives. The sale of calendars and sunflowers
has resulted in donations to projects in Lesotho, the Canadian Wildlife
Federation, the World Wildlife Fund, and Ducks Unlimited.
The B.E.A.R. has been a continuous model for responsible behaviour for
youth and has spearheaded EarthCARE at Ridgemont and their feeder schools.
Recurring participation in events such as the Envirothon (four years),
Tree Planting with the City of Ottawa Alta Vista Greenbelt Project (three
years), Buckthorn Pulling with the City of Ottawa, spring and fall
community and school ground clean-up, "Clean the Capital" and "Pitch In"
programs, and helping to created trails at Turtle Head Trails conservation
area have offered a positive role model to look up to and have encouraged
others to follow in their footsteps.
The B.E.A.R continues to keep up-to-date on environmental issues by attending
meetings, workshops and conferences.
