EarthCARE Catalyst Training

September 2003

By Andrea deBruijn, Grade 11, John McCrae Secondary School

The morning of Friday, September 12 dawned bright and warm, and at Saunder’s Farm, student representatives from secondary schools all across Ottawa-Carleton could be found making their way along the forest paths, weaving through the shafts of sunlight which filtered through the groves of trees, following signs which read, “Welcome, EarthCARE Catalysts!” They were on their way to the first ever EarthCARE Catalyst training session.

EarthCARE, a new environmental program, puts the emphasis on students’ implementing change in their own schools and communities. It focuses on students from across the board coming together, along with teachers, parents, custodians, administrators, and board executives, to be part of the EarthCARE team and help make our city more environmentally sensitive.

EarthCARE Catalysts, the high school student representatives, have an especially important part to play in this new program. They act as a role model and liaison between their high school and elementary feeder schools, making sure that the elementary students get involved with the EarthCARE team, too. The Catalysts work with the teachers, parents, and students of their feeder schools to provide any help or advice, aiding the feeder schools in running recycling programs or any other environmental programs of choice.

The catalyst training was to give the high school representatives a better, more detailed understanding of EarthCARE, and to bring them together, uniting them in the common goal: “Save the environment!”

So, after an overview of the day, and a run through the farm’s Cedar Maze, the Catalysts were asked to form small groups and brainstorm changes which they would like to see in their homes, schools, and communities. Each group presented their thoughts on the issues that we face close to home, and not surprisingly, many of them were the same. The recurring themes seemed to be a need for more public awareness of environmental issues, better conservation of electricity and resources, and the three Rs. Glad to know that everyone was on the same page, the Catalysts continued to discuss some of the major hurdles that face environmental groups, and more importantly, solutions to these obstacles.

The problems at the top of the list were student apathy, a lack of funding, and a need for increased publicity and awareness regarding environmental concerns. Throughout the day, the EarthCARE Catalysts brainstormed and tossed across absolutely fantastic ideas, such as the concept of the Paper Revolution, composting, and publicity events to draw attention to a school’s environment club.

One of the highlights of the day came when several senior staff from the Ottawa-Carleton Board of Education (the Director and superintendents), came to Saunder’s Farm to listen to the Catalysts present some of these thoughts and concerns. The presentations were followed by a wonderful open discussion, where problems were addressed and solutions proposed. The students spoke with such conviction and eloquence, and their enthusiasm rubbed off on the senior staff, all of whom seemed eager to be involved in EarthCARE by the end of the presentations.

The day came to a successful close, but the training wasn’t over yet. On Saturday, the Catalysts regrouped at John McCrae Secondary School, in Barrhaven, to delve more deeply into the structure of EarthCARE. The school audits were discussed, Catalysts were matched up with feeder schools, and everyone was introduced to a terrific resource, the EarthCARE website. The details came into focus and by the end of the day, the Catalysts were ready to take EarthCARE back to their own schools.

EarthCARE is about many things. It is about teamwork, about cooperation and relationships. It is about getting involved, or saying ‘yes’ and finding a way. More than anything, however, EarthCARE is about making small changes in our own homes, our own schools, our own communities, and spreading our love and respect for the environment throughout our global community.