Victoria, B.C. - Kim Hallam has helped make Reynolds Secondary a cleaner, greener place, and the 2010 graduate has no plans to waver from her environmental commitment as she heads into the next phase of her life.
The 17-year-old has already gone well beyond the walls of her high school in extolling the virtues of a green lifestyle. It all began a few years ago when she joined the schools environmental club, known as the Green Group.
Grade 12 was when I really got involved, Hallam said. I took on more of a leadership role.
That has meant putting on workshops for other students in the district to explain how the Reynolds recycling system works, and organizing an assembly at a nearby middle school.
Ive instructed lots of students and supported them in creating recycling systems.
The zero-waste recycling program at Reynolds, designed to remove organics, plastics and other items from the garbage, came about through a true collective effort from student-environmentalists, Hallam said.
It started off with compost bins, and then we ended up hosting a recycling depot in our parking lot. Through that we got our recycling program started.
We did trial-and-error, and found out what worked and what didnt, and so far weve encouraged lots of other schools to do it.
Reynolds vice-principal Joan Thain said Hallam has taken a hands-on approach to promoting environmental issues and made a real impact in the process.
The effect her quiet leadership has had on our school is phenomenal. Shes a confident young woman who is going to do well in life.
Teacher Heather Coey, who co-ordinates environmental programs at Reynolds, described Hallam as a positive role model for others and pointed out that she has been accepted for a summer internship with the Sierra Club after serving on its youth advisory council.
Coey said Hallam was also part of a television pilot called The Enviro Revolution, filmed this spring, which is being pitched to channels lsuch as National Geographic and Discovery. One pilot episode featured environmental initiatives at Reynolds.
Its hard to see her go, Coey said. But nice to see a young lady stepping into the world with the kinds of values she has and the initiative to make a difference.
Along with their efforts to help establish environmental programs, Hallam and other Green Group members have also been enthusiastic backers of the Reynolds solar-panel installation, which the school won in a 2009 draw held by the B.C. Green Games.
So far we have saved 1,817 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere, Hallam said.
First up on her post-high school journey is a semester at the University of Victoria to study sciences.
Then in January, I start a six-month Katimavik program (a national youth volunteer-service program) that will be environmentally focussed.
In September of 2011, Hallam intends to continue her education at the University of British Columbia.
I plan to get a bachelor of science degree in applied biology, with a major in food and the environment. Im into sustainable agriculture, thats my big thing.
Currently, she is taking an eight-month organic-gardening program at the Victoria Compost Education Centre.
Through it all, she said her school has been there to spur her on.
Reynolds has completely inspired me. If I hadnt come to Reynolds, I would never have thought about joining an environmental club. I joined it and I just got really excited about everything.
Hallam has also been a regular volunteer at Victoria General Hospital for close to four years. She loves to help people and at one point had thoughts about becoming a doctor, so volunteering at a hospital was a natural step.
Hallam is still at VGH, but has shifted her career goals.
I realized if I really want to help people I think I have to do something about the environment, because you cant have healthy people in an unhealthy environment. I feel like that is one of the best ways I can help people with my interests and my passions and what Im capable of.