In its brief three-year history, Waterford Valley High School has become an environmental leader.
Its many initiatives have directly affected an increase in environmental knowledge and responsible behaviour within the school and the surrounding community.
These attributes and a shopping list of social-minded initiatives lifted the school to be named a winner of the top prize from the Staples Canada-sponsored National Superpower Your School contest.
Staples and Earth Day Canada selected Waterford Valley High as one of the 10 winners in the National Superpower Your School contest.
For its efforts, Waterford Valley High earned $20,000 from Staples Canada to purchase electronics that will be used to enhance the programs and initiatives that exist at the school.
“The work you have done here to save the environment and how creative you are with those initiatives earned you this,” said Janet Rumsey, Staples general manager at Stavanger Drive.
“Some things stood out in your application, all that make a difference when you are talking about the environment,” Rumsey said after letting the student body know they were winners through the use of a thought cloud that read, “You won.”
The “Soil to Table and Back to Soil” initiative set the stage for Waterford Valley High’s most important environmental initiative, aided through its recycling program. Money derived from recycled paper and bottles is invested directly back into the vegetable garden.
The school then purchases gardening supplies that students use to clear the land, establish vegetable beds, maintain the garden throughout the summer and harvest the vegetables. These vegetables are donated to the local soup kitchen, Thrive, where students and teachers volunteer their time to prepare hearty soups and chili to be served to homeless people.
The composting initiative was implemented shortly after the garden was constructed. The compost is used in the garden in place of fertilizers.
Long list of applicants
The school was chosen from among more than 740 applications for its outstanding sustainability efforts and environmental initiatives. It was the only winning high school in Atlantic Canada.
“Waterford Valley submitted an entry into the Staples Canada National Superpower Your School contest in the fall after an application was completed by teacher Michelle Hounsell. In being selected as one of the 10 winners of this nationwide contest, Waterford Valley High was the only high school chosen from across Atlantic Canada,” student council vice-president Liam Warren said.
“This is very exciting for our school, as we will now receive a $20,000 grant from Staples Canada to continue pursing and expanding our sustainability efforts and environmental initiatives such as our garden that (teacher) John Walsh facilitates.”
Environmental initiatives have been an important part of Waterford Valley High School in St John’s since its inception in 2015.
Throughout the construction of the school, its guiding principles have been to focus on air quality, waste reduction, energy conservation, water consumption and the increase of natural daylight.
Currently, the school has motion-sensitive lighting, six filtered water bottle refilling stations and an outdoor classroom, and uses environmentally friendly cleaning products and.
Reusing, recycling and repurposing is an integral part of Waterford Valley High and is evident in its composting and vegetable garden program, Canadian Space Agency partnership, clothing swap, winter accessory donations, school supply donations and iPod donations for the music therapy program at the community senior home.
Waterford Valley High will use the winnings to purchase devices, such as Chromebooks and iPads, to share what they have learned with the wider community and help document and annually build upon its programs.
Student council president Alan O’Brien and compost co-ordinator Emily Murphy combined on the Rise Up Spirit activity during the assembly to show just how proactive the students are in making Waterford Valley High a green school.
After reading a question, they would ask those who participated in a particular activity to stand and be acknowledged. After all the questions were completed, everyone in the auditorium was standing, proving that everyone is making a difference.
“As Kermit the Frog says, ‘It’s not easy being green,’ but you all have done your part,” O’Brien said.
In addition, Grade 12 student and budding cinematographer Nicholas Hillier presented a video showcasing all of Waterford Valley High’s green and social initiative programs, complete with testimonials from students and staff to highlight the great work the student body is doing.
