News

  • Cadillac Fairview executives present cheque to TRCA Education team for Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow project

    Cadillac Fairview Does it Again!

    In News on

    With the school year coming quickly to a close, we are so very grateful for a second year of support from Cadillac Fairview (CF) and CF Markville.  Three grade six classes from two Markham based public schools enjoyed the opportunity to dig in and get their hands dirty as budding #EnviroLeaders thanks to CF’s contribution to the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program.

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow student completes Ecofootprint Challenge form

    A total of 76 students traveled from their schools to Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill, where they participated in hands-on activities that helped them learn about the environment, themselves and their peers, and inspired them to connect to the many ways their actions can make a difference in the community.

    Thank you CF for another great year!

    The Living City Foundation builds support for the work of TRCA.

  • students on field trip at Albion Hills Field Centre

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow: 2016 in Review

    In News on

    “The students felt that they had a voice and their actions could make changes in our environment.”Teacher Testimonial

    2,704 students took part in the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program in 2016, with the result that more than three-quarters succeeded in decreasing their ecological footprint.

    As reported in our 2016 Year in Review summary, 106 classes representing 23 different school boards from across Ontario participated in the program. The students in these classes launched 151 environmental action projects, from plantings and habitat creation to schoolyard clean-ups and recycling programs.

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow 2016 results infographic

    MORE 2016 RESULTS:

    elt_favicon_16x16  93% of teachers indicated that student awareness of environmental issues increased.

    elt_favicon_16x16  76% of teachers indicated that student participation in ecological initiatives increased.

    elt_favicon_16x16  72% of teachers indicated that student willingness to mentor others about environmental concerns increased.

    elt_favicon_16x16  99% of teachers were extremely satisfied with the program.

     

    VIEW THE 2016 YEAR IN REVIEW

     

  • students take part in planting event

    Black River Students Become “Agents of Change”

    In News on

    For Mr. Macleod’s grade six students at Black River Public School in Sutton, participation in the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program became the spark for a much larger cross-curricular, multifaceted action project.

    After their visit to Lake St. George Field Centre in January, students were inspired and eager to improve the natural environment at their school. This school was also chosen to be part of a pilot project funded by First Book Publications, BMO and Compugen to support student learning through the use of technology.  Through this funding, each student in the class received their very own Chromebook to keep.

    Using the overarching theme of “agents of change,” students began their inquiry project by using their laptops to research environmental topics of interest to them. Topics included bats, bees, amphibians, compost, garden, birds, butterflies and polar bears/climate change.  In small groups, the students used their laptops to develop an infographic and an interactive slide deck on their topic of interest.

    As the knowledge and curiosity of the students grew, so did the depth of their action project.  They engaged other students at their school by leading a knowledge-sharing circle with some of the younger grades. They also partnered with another local school that also received technology funding.

    Students at both schools met for a day of collaboration to share their presentations and learn how to provide positive and constructive feedback to each other. Students returned to the classroom to polish their presentations in preparation for a special parent information night in May where they had the opportunity to host their families at the school, present their inquiry questions and showcase their work.

    In addition to knowledge sharing with fellow students, neighbouring schools and parents, the students were also eager to make use of our Schoolyard Biodiversity Grant to increase the natural habitat in their schoolyard.

    Black River Public School student takes part in planting eventSince the school is part of a much larger multi-use complex that includes the local Catholic elementary school and a municipal community centre, the students soon discovered the extent of effort and leadership required to prompt change in their local environment.

    They did not shy away from the challenge.  With the guidance of their teacher, students attended and presented their plan to the facility’s multi-use steering committee.

    With the full support of all parties, the students got the go-ahead to plant a pollinator garden. They also received permission to install bird feeders, bird houses, bat boxes and hummingbird feeders.

    The students considered every aspect of their proposal, including the establishment of a partnership with the Town of Georgina to jointly maintain the newly planted gardens. Students also managed to find time to set up a new composting bin and organic waste collection program for the Black River Public School community.

    The extensive action project undertaken by Black River Public School is an exceptional example of how natural and environmental science can be successfully embedded in all facets of education and can result in a deeper learning experience for students.

    It was clear that the students had a strong grasp of the concepts learned during their participation in the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program and had gained the confidence to apply what they had learned in real-world settings.

  • students on field trip at Albion Hills Field Centre

    Rotary Club of Toronto Shows Its Support

    In News on

    It’s hard to image a world where some children never get to experience learning in nature. The Rotary Club of Toronto is helping to make sure more kids enjoy this opportunity, with a $30,000 donation to the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program. Together we’re supporting the next generation of leaders for our communities.

  • Students discover forest flora and fauna at Albion Hills Field Centre

    Our Thanks to Cadillac Fairview!

    In News on

    It’s hard to imagine — but for a lot of city kids, actually seeing stars in the night sky is a new experience. With the generous support of Cadillac Fairview, the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is making sure that more youngsters have this opportunity. Together we’re fostering a new generation of dedicated environmental stewards.

    Our sincere thanks to the team at Cadillac Fairview — we couldn’t do it without you!

  • Grade 6 student conducting water quality study at Claremont Field Centre

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow Publishes 2015 Results

    In News on

    The newly released 2015 year-in-review report from Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow shows that this innovative program is making real headway when it comes to helping young people commit to reducing their ecological impact.

    More than 3,000 grade 6 students across the Ontario took part in the program last year — and of those, some 76% succeeded in decreasing their personal environmental impact.

    Managed  by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) through the Living City Foundation, Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow uses science-based programming, outdoor recreation and team-building activities to help students connect to nature and develop the skills to take environmental action in their homes, schools and communities.

    In the course of 2015, the program engaged 121 grade 6 classes from 27 communities. Of the participating teachers, 95% reported that students increased their awareness of environmental issues — and 76% said that student participation in ecological initiatives increased as a result.

    View More Results

  • student participates in garden planting

    Ottawa-Carleton Students Experience the Outdoors

    In News on

    Over the past two years, some 14 Grade 6 classes from the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) have taken part in the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program. You can read all about it in the OSDSB Summer/Fall 2015 newsletter.

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow, sponsored by the Weston Family Foundation, is all about developing the next generation of eco-leaders by engaging students in immersive, hands-on environmental education experiences. In 2014 alone, 2,867 students took part in the program.

    This past spring OCDSB classes planted gardens around their schoolyards, thanks to support from the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow Schoolyard Biodiversity Grant initiative.

    During the 2015-2016 school year, another eight OCDSB Grade 6 classes will be taking part in the program.

    Read all about it HERE.

  • Chickadee perched on a feeder for birds

    St. Henry Catholic School is for the Birds

    In News on

    “Here, birdy, birdy!” The grade 6 students from Scarborough’s St. Henry Catholic School who visited Claremont Field Centre in November 2014 based their action project on birds.

    After researching local and endangered bird species, they decided to install two bird feeders in their schoolyard.  The students have taken responsibility for refilling the feeders, keeping them clean, and monitoring the biodiversity.

    The school community of roughly 330 staff and students has enjoyed observing all the birds that visit the feeders too! With a hawk as school mascot and a great action project, St. Henry really IS all about the birds!

    Students taking part in the St Henry Catholic School birds project

  • students catching crayfish at Claremont Field Centre

    From the Parkhill Gazette: Teaching City Students to Catch Crayfish

    In News on

    We were delighted to come across this story about the Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program in The Parkhill Gazette, a local newspaper in North Middlesex, Ontario.

    The article describes the adventures of some Grade 6 students from PE McGibbon Public School in Sarnia, who spent three days catching pond critters and learning about the environment at Camp Sylvan.

    It’s a great window onto our program, which gives city kids a chance to experience nature firsthand, and encourages them to step up and become community co-leaders.

    An excerpt from the article:

    “It reaches the kids who don’t necessarily respond to classroom learning,” says Heather Parnham, one of the teachers from PE McGibbon. She added that all of the students benefit, especially since they may not have had an outdoor experience otherwise. “For a lot of students, this is their first time camping.”

    Another teacher, Tien Ngo agrees. “When the kids come back from this, they come back changed. The staff and facilities are amazing. They really understand the kids.”

    Read the whole article.

  • Students take part in Clean50 award winning Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program

    Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow is a Clean50 Honouree!

    In News on

    Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow program has been named one of Canada’s Clean50 Top15 Sustainability Projects for 2015.

    Canada’s Clean 50 awards offer recognition to Canadian leaders in sustainability. Its Top15 Projects program honours sustainable initiatives across the country based on their innovation and ability to inform and inspire other Canadians.

    The Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow is a unique program that currently provides an innovative learning experience for eligible students at specific school boards across Ontario.

    This curriculum-based program is geared towards a grade six level and supports students from priority neighbourhoods who would otherwise not be able to afford such an important and valuable experience.

    Targeted schools are ones that meet specific criteria of priority, either set by the school board, or other organization, related to economic, social, educational or other criteria.

    The Clean50 selection for Top Project of the Year was IMPACT! The Co-operators Youth Program for Sustainability Leadership. Other Top15 Projects honourees include Cadillac Fairview’s GREEN AT WORK™ program, Canadian National Railway’s EcoConnexion’s Employee Engagement Program, and Hoffmann-LaRoche’s Zero-Waste Decommissioning Project.