Environmental Expo Coming Up in April

Organizing continues for the first ever K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcúl’ecw School District No. 83 Environmental Expo at Piccadilly Mall in Salmon Arm and at schools and classrooms around the District during Environment Week, April 22-25.

Students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 are planning projects to share with the community during the event. The projects are wide ranging and very ambitious. They include insect studies, whirling disease research and signage, climate change mitigation and adaptation, fire smarting schools, water conservation, recycling, waste reduction, food security, shopping locally, impact of fashion, public transit, beauty products, tree planting, and many more.

To help students choose projects, teachers have been doing curriculum based units and integrating many subjects including the arts, humanities, and sciences. The projects are also weaving in the Ministry’s core learning competencies of thinking, communicating, personal and social, all within the framework of environmental stewardship and First Nations’ ways of knowing and being.

Expo organizer Kim Fulton highlights that one of the most exciting aspects of the event is that it extends beyond students simply sharing their projects. The next steps focus on mentorship and building community connections. Once students commit to a project they are passionate about, organizers work to connect them with a community mentor who has expertise in that area. The Shuswap Rotarians, a key sponsor, have stepped up to facilitate this vital mentorship component while also providing financial support.

Other special features at the Expo and during Environment Week include:

• Remy Rodden, an award winning, environmental singer will be preforming at several schools and at the mall. 
• Dave Ramsay is collaborating with the District to bring the B.C. Tomorrow Simulator to the Expo, where students will demonstrate its use. This initiative aligns with the District’s Sustainability Goals outlined in the Strategic Plan.
• Organizers are encouraging a Careers Exploration component.
• The Okanagan Regional Library is working with the Expo and will be providing space for Secwépemc Story Teller Kenthen Thomas. They will also be providing displays and activities for the students.
• The PALS group of students from South Canoe will be giving out seedlings for the public to plant.
• The Earth Day Queen will be in attendance and the Lorax may be in the area. 
• Many schools will be participating in the “Trees for Hope” project, with 3,000 seedlings already on order.

In addition to the organizing committee, several sponsors have stepped up to support the Expo. The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation has provided funding for supplies, equipment, and bussing, while the North Okanagan School Teachers’ Association and the B.C. Teachers’ Federation have contributed a Climate Action Grant. SD83 Directors of Instruction for Elementary and Secondary have been integral in helping this important event be implemented, with school district staff assisting with logistical support.

This week is celebration of stewardship and of our connections to the land, air, and waters of K̓wsaltktnéws ne Secwepemcúl’ecw School District No. 83.  For inquiries, please contact Kim Fulton at kfulton@sd83.bc.ca. It’s not too late for individuals, classes, or schools to get involved!