On Feb. 24, the finalists of Kelowna’s Sustainable Development Challenge presented their projects onstage, in front of judges, to compete for the $5,000 first-place prize to win project funding.
The Sustainable Development Challenge (SDC) exceeded expectations this year and all the final teams received funding for their projects.
Students had the option to create a Project and Pitch, Arts for Social Change or a Plan B Video and each project aligns with one or more of the 17 United Nations Global Goals.
Four grade 9 girls from OKM, Our Voice Of Change, won the top award of $5,000 for their project.
Annabelle, Lexie, Erin and Caitlin aimed to end animal experimentation, protect animal rights and student choice by building a strong program to end traditional animal dissection in their school and eventually district-wide.
Their project impacts Global Goals #4 Quality Education, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production and #15 Life on Land. The prize funds will go towards digital dissection models and evolving the science program.
Visit their website for more information.
The OKM Composting team, made up of three grade 10 girls, won $1,500 to fund their composting project in order to start a compost program and reduce food waste at OKM.
Maddy, Avery and Taylor’s project impacted Global Goals #11 Sustainable Communities, #12 Responsible Production and Consumption and #13 Climate Action. Their funds will provide a weekly pick-up of compost.
You can follow them on Instagram to stay up to date.
The team from KSS won $1,000 for the ZED ED Podcast.
The team is using the podcast to open up dialogue on important topics among their generation, Gen Z.
They plan on impacting all 17 Global Goals through each show, but primarily #3, Good Health and Well Being. Their funds will help the podcast create content and impact their peers.
Follow them on Instagram to catch up.
Each team worked with community organizations to help educate themselves and create better projects, participated in mentor nights with local experts and perfected their project.
“The students learn how to communicate with adults and organizations,” said Carmen Denby, the SDC Coordinator.
“It’s a really great experience."
If you would like to watch the final presentations from the winning teams, click here.
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