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Hydro helps CBEEN in another successful year for Wild Voices
Success is all about teamwork and the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network’s (CBEEN) Wild Voices for Kids program is winding up another banner school year across the Columbia Basin.
This popular and highly successful program is only able to grow each year through the generosity and support of our community partners like BC Hydro. Through the BC Hydro Donations & Sponsorships Program which provides assistance with projects that create opportunities for youth to engage with others about environmental sustainability, clean energy, and conservation in B.C. the Wild Voices for Kids program has been able to bring field trips and classroom presentations to over 10,600 students across the Columbia over this school year.
“BC Hydro is pleased to support CBEEN’s Wild Voices for Kids program with a $10,000 contribution,” says Sally Masters, Community Relations representative for BC Hydro. “The program inspires stewardship and conservation, promoting an understanding of ecosystems as well as environmental issues in their own back yards. The Wild Voices for Kids program supports BC Hydro’s interest in building a bright, sustainable future for generations.”
The Wild Voices program brings together local experts, called Community Educators, in environmental and heritage topics with classroom teachers looking for hands programming that meets curriculum. “Wild Voices Community Educators are able to provide all of the equipment for interesting programs in fields that are not my specialty. Programs are great!” says Carolyne Zimich from Kootenay Orchards Elementary School. Bringing the expert to the class allows a great variety of locals to share their passion with students whether it’s birding hikes, world-class fossils or learning about the “Wee Things That Rule the Earth” in their school yard.
This unique program is only available to schools in the Columbia Basin through the great dedication and commitment of other team members including our community educators who design and present hands-on, curriculum-linked programs for a minimal honorarium.
Teachers participate in team support by providing evaluations on the presentations and their needs in the classroom.
Program coordinator Susie MacDonald, states that, “School districts are invaluable team member in this process. The District Resource Centres (DRC) drive the program by contributing time to manage bookings, answer questions for teachers, review payment requests and help make decisions on the processes that make the program run most efficiently.
In a nutshell this program would not be possible without their support, passion and expertise.” DRC staff professionalism and availability to teachers and their needs have been crucial to the success of this program.
School District accounting staff has been essential in using their resources to provide payment to Community Educators. Without this support this program would not be viable as the vast majority of the funds raised goes directly to school programs and not CBEEN administration.
Miriam Saville of the District Resource Centre in Cranbrook has worked with the program since its inception, “Seeing the children’s enthusiasm and the active learning that takes place during these programs is one of the many reasons we (school districts) support and value Wild Voices Environmental education is one of the many important topics that has less emphasis in our budget-strained school systems and yet is crucial for building viable and healthy communities.”
Community partners who recognize and support the importance of sustainable, environmental education like BC Hydro provide a critical link from the community to our educational system.
Our team members offer many thanks to our other Wild Voices partners including Kootenay Savings Credit Union, National Science and Engineering Research Council, Shell Environmental Fund, and the Revelstoke Credit Union for their community vision. The direct and ongoing support of the Columbia Basin Trust makes this program unique and valuable program possible in our local communities.
For more information about CBEEN or the Wild Voices program please visit the website at www.cbeen.org.
Submitted
Above image from CBEEN website