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Mike Elrick Award goes to Waverley Drive P.S. teacher

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
June 2, 2010

GUELPH, Ontario — The 2011 recipient of the Mike Elrick Environmental Leadership Award is Sheila Koop from Waverley Drive Public School.

Mike Elrick was an Upper Grand DSB teacher who demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership in his work on environmental issues within the board. In addition to running the Community Environmental Leadership and Headwaters Programs for fifteen years, he also chaired the board-wide Environmental Issues Committee and was involved in numerous other initiatives. Mike passed away in November 2009 from lung cancer.

The UGDSB Environmental Issues Committee honoured Mike’s memory by establishing a “Mike Elrick Environmental Leadership Award” for staff and volunteers who have demonstrated environmental leadership within their school community or our school board.

Sheila Koop is the driving force behind the Waverley Worms, a team of students that educate the school community about the importance of sustainability. She and “The Worms” have implemented an on-site composting program, an Environmental Film Festival, the GOOS paper program, seedling plantings, and energy conservation programs.

“Sheila has made environmental education a priority at Waverley,” said principal Larry Lacey. “Staff and students have taken her lead in making a difference, and becoming more in tune with our precious planet.”

Lacey said the Waverley Worms as an important club at the school. “Large numbers of students and staff meet regularly to plan environmental activities and complete energy saving tasks around the school.” The Environmental Film Festival, hosted by the Worms and supported by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, is just one example of an activity that has “kept environmental education current and relevant for our Waverley students.”

In nominating Koop for the award, a Waverley colleague described “Sheila is an environmental leader who inspires others around her. It was her leadership that inspired Waverley to earn the EcoSchool Silver Certification in 2010 and they are going for gold in 2011! Sheila has boundless energy and passion for teaching and modelling the importance of sustainability for our planet.”

Nominees

The following UGDSB staff members were also nominated for the Mike Elrick Environmental Leadership Award:


For more information: Maggie McFadzen, Communications Officer, 519-822-4420, ext. 725, [email protected] 

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