University Highlands Elementary has been designated a 鈥淔air Trade School鈥 鈥 the first and only in BC.
There are 25 Fair Trade schools across Canada.聽A 鈥淔air Trade鈥 designation requires that a school community learn about Fairtrade products, which secure well-being for workers and farmers and help to ensure sustainable communities for all. Schools also need to incorporate Fairtrade certified products into their activities throughout the year.
Students on the University Highland鈥檚 鈥淕reen Team鈥 have been taking the lead. They鈥檝e been sharing information in classrooms with their peers to create awareness. They are also spearheading a fundraiser selling Fairtrade coffee, with proceeds going to the school鈥檚 community garden. The garden is one of the ways in which students are getting closer to their food source and building awareness around sustainability and the environment.
The school鈥檚 Principal, Mark Harding, says students have become so conscientious that they are now impacting the behaviour of the adults around them:
We had a popcorn sale the other day and the Green Team complained to the parent volunteers about the paper bags that they were putting the popcorn in. The parents replied that the bags were compostable. The students explained their position that it would be better for the environment if everyone brought their own bowl, instead. These are
10-year-old children who already understand that it鈥檚 the little things that change us and change the world.鈥
Students and their teacher 鈥 Kristina Carley, who has been sponsoring the Green Team 鈥 were presented with a framed certificate of their Fair Trade designation at SFU鈥檚 StreetFest held in September on 国产传媒 Mountain.
Learn more about other Burnaby Schools’ efforts to support community and the environment.
about fair trade and other Fair Trade schools.
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Posted September 2019聽