Room 1 students from John Barnett School were chosen as a recipient of the Pay It Forward For the Planet Program. Because of the many social and economic challenges, many families in the community have never been to the zoo before. They were ecstatic when I told them that we were going. The students and parent volunteers had an amazing time. Although they were tired and it was a bit chilly outside, they really enjoyed exploring the zoo and learning all about animal adaptations.

Our school believes in the importance of the Indigenous 7 Teachings. We have been talking about caring for animals throughout the year – how we respect animals, how to show animals love, why certain animals represent wisdom and courage. We also had the opportunity to go to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre and this tied it all together very nicely. Students learned about sorting waste in order to prevent them from going into the ocean. When we got back to school, they were eager to start their project. After some back and forth, the students decided to make posters for the school. In addition to putting posters up, they have started littering less and encouraging others from other classes to do so as well. The students have also even done a few presentations for the Grade 1 and 2 students on the importance of being kind to animals.