On February 8 and 9, the City of Airdrie presented four youth groups in the city with an Eco Youth Award.

The awards recognize the groups for their efforts on a wide range of environmental stewardship initiatives and helps them implement or enhance projects and programs with an environmental focus.

Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown and Debbie Bowering of Fortis Alberta, the award sponsors, were on hand to present the awards.

Mayor Brown says it only makes sense to give out youth awards since all great ideas start with them.  

"All great ideas come from our young people," Brown noted.  "I'm glad that so many schools are participating and understand the importance of protecting the environment and how we can do a better job as a community."

The winners are:

WE Eco Club – Helen Lorimer School
Awarded $650 toward a portable storage system for their maker space where they encourage and enable students to create art and other projects through upcycling and reusing items that would have otherwise been disposed of in the landfill. The award will also go toward a garden tower project where students take part in planting and harvesting produce in their own compact container garden.

Mme Doyle’s Grade Four Class - AE Bowers Elementary
Awarded $700 for education on organics and litterless lunches as well as vermi-composting bins and possibly a garden tower project.

Grade Four Connections – Ralph McCall School
Awarded $600 toward a garden tower project where students take part in planting and harvesting produce in their own compact container garden. The award will also go toward sustainability projects with a focus on students investigating practices that have impacts both positive and negative on the environment and exploring and utilizing sustainable travel options.

Grade One French Immersion and Grade Two English Classes – Ecole Edwards Elementary
Awarded $600 which will go toward educational opportunities involving wildlife conservation and the impact human actions have on the environment.

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