Earth Day 2010
Earth Day is celebrated every April 22 and is the largest, most celebrated environmental event worldwide. More than 6 million Canadians join 1 billion people in over 170 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. Nearly every school child in Canada takes part in an Earth Day activity.
Environmental challenges abound as our daily actions pollute and degrade the fragile environment that humans and wildlife depend on to survive. Earth Day provides the opportunity for positive actions and results. It is a powerful catalyst for change.
The call of environmentalists for many years has been for communities to think globally and to act locally. This year HSC’s Earth Day activities focused on the campus naturalization project. The long-term objective of this project is to create a naturalized corridor that surrounds the upper fields, and to provide a kilometre long running/walking trail. Students will be able to train, to complete ecological studies, to develop an appreciation of natural history, and to relax in a botanically diverse environment that should attract a variety birds, butterflies and other small wildlife.
Within the Junior School approximately 1,500 native grasses and wildflowers seeds were planted and tended along with the help of Grade 11 Biology mentors. In late May the Junior School children, along with students from right across the College, will be involved in planting these grasses and wildflowers in a celebration of student initiative and care for the environment.
The “Toonies for Trees” drive in the Junior School resulted in $612.00 being raised to purchase trees and shrubs. Contributing Junior School students wrote their names on paper trees that were added to the bulletin board outside the Junior School. This interactive display grew with the generosity of our students and families.
In the Montessori School, lessons relating to the interdependency of our planet were the focal point for the Montessori students as they celebrated Earth Day this year. Raising the child’s appreciation of their world and providing them with practical opportunities to work on building global stewardship were goals for the day. Darkened classrooms underscored the need to conserve energy and reduced paper use reinforced responsible use of consumables. The highlight of the day was a play and musical presentation performed by the Montessori 6s and 7s for their schoolmates on trees and global warming.
The Montessori 9s had a wonderful experience on Earth Day at Mulmur Montessori Centre as part of their three-day outdoor education trip. The students embraced the experience with activates in nature that ranged from ecology, art and group leadership building exercises.
For Earth Day, the students in Grades 5, 6, and 7 watched a movie entitled Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home. Classroom discussions followed the movie presentation.
Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home is a feature documentary about how the family household has become one of the most ferocious environmental predators of our time.
Everyday life under a microscope has never been so revealing. By the end of this trashy odyssey, you are truly inspired to revolutionize your lifestyle for the sake of future generations.
In the Senior School approximately 85 Grade 10 students planted over 350 trees along the west side of the campus as part of the campus naturalization project. Under the direction of Mr. Whittard. Mr. Bulger and Dr. Moffatt, they planted a large number of black oak, white oak and burr oak as well as smaller numbers of other species, in an attempt to recreate a strip of Carolinian Savannah.
Small groves will be added and dedicated to the Junior School and the Grade 10 class, both of which raised extra money in support of the project. A tree in memory of Doug Moore, donated by the faculty and staff, will be planted this year and dedicated at next year's Homecoming, when many alumni will be able to attend.
Please visit the plantings and enjoy.
Click here to view the Earth Day 2010 photo gallery.
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