Students from the North and Central Okanagan showed a lot of care for their communities.
Lasting climate action was the focus of judging for $10,000 in the Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE) Community Impact Awards at recent expos in 琉璃神社 and Vernon.
At the Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE) Expo in Vernon, 33 Grade 7-12 student teams from School District 22 (Vernon) and School District 23 (Central Okanagan) pitched their projects to more than 40 judges including community leaders and climate experts and advocates.
Projects were judged on their local relevance, viability, and potential impact, along with team members鈥� collaboration and presentation skills. Selected teams in junior and senior categories received seed funding to grow their projects in their schools or communities.
鈥淭he awards were new to CARE this year, with project quality very high across the board,鈥� said CARE program director Jo de Vries. 鈥淲e were overwhelmed by students鈥� curiosity and passion for climate action, and their creativity in finding workable solutions for lasting local change.鈥�
The following teams from both school districts shared the seed funding, which will be used to further develop their projects within their schools or communities:
鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Senior Student Category
Reclaimed Roots: Rylan Brundige, George Elliot Secondary (Lake Country);
CARE Bags: Jayda Ross, Carter Mochinski, George Elliot;
Do Good Project: Drew Lafond, Hunter Schoenhals, Kenzie Schmidt, Milania Mclean, Trinity Daria, George Elliot;
Plant it Forward: Selina Oravec, Desta Daniel, Fulton Secondary (Vernon);
Mother Tree: Ashlyn Morgan, Taylor Lehr, Emily Boomhower, Annika Malby, Kalamalka Secondary (Coldstream);
Buzzin鈥� for a Cause: Layla Kooijman, Shelby Ratcliffe, Danika Parsonage, Kal;
鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Junior Student Category
Antler Jewelry: Landon Chequis, Nolan Collum, Julian Domingos, Charles Bloom Secondary (Lumby);
EV Batteries: Aluna Sage, Ayla Sveen, Charles Bloom;
Marvellous Mycelium: Chloe Butler, Marley Hammerer, Harlow Hammerer, AIAO (Awaken Inquiry and Adventure Okanagan, Vernon).
Although not in the judging stream, a group of Grades 6-8 French immersion students from Seaton Secondary in Vernon raised $450 for The People Place. Team Resilience held a bake sale, did a bottle drive, and organized a gathering at Civic Memorial Park, where they raffled off prizes donated by local businesses.
Already planning for 2026, the CARE team is looking for sponsors to help fund even more awards next year.
If you care about kids and climate, reach out to learn more about this, and about being a mentor to a small project team.
For more information, contact .
