All seven Sooke School District sites in Langford are receiving funds from a new environmental-stewardship grant overseen by the district.
Money is being distributed to four elementary schools, two middle schools and Belmont Secondary, where the grant initiative was announced recently at the school’s garden.
Belmont will receive $10,000, while Spencer and Centre Mountain Lellum middle schools receive $5,000 each and Crystal View, Millstream, Ruth King and Willway elementaries receive $2,500 each.
The recipients can use the money however they want, either at the schools or in the broader Langford community.
“They can go and spend a little bit of the money cleaning up Glen Lake or Langford Lake or plant trees,” said Sooke School Board chairman Ravi Parmar. “There’s lots of different things they can do.”
He said the funds will help students “feel empowered to make a difference.”
Grade 11 Belmont student Alysia St. Jacques said she appreciates the opportunity the grant brings “because it’s not only about the planet, it’s about our future generations, it’s about us growing up in a world we can say that we are proud of and a community that we love.”
She said the school garden is a symbol of caring for the Earth and also provides produce for foods classes.
“It really shows how easy it is to do your own part.”
Belmont principal Laura Fulton said teachers are “keenly aware” of the need to educate students about sustainability, and the funding will help with that.
“We know that environmental sustainability is vital to the health of our community and our planet, and we’re looking forward to engaging with our students to plan our next steps.”
Belmont already has environmental-science courses and an outdoor-education program with more than 160 students involved, she said. A summer work-experience garden program is offered, as well.
Money for the grants comes from Langford Mayor Stew Young’s annual charity golf tournament, which has raised more than $1 million for community causes in the past 26 years.
Young said the grant program is meant to give youth “a meaningful opportunity to connect with nature” and could inspire career possibilities.
