From collaborative clean-ups to school-grown harvests, Earth Day was a showcase of sustainability and innovation. Across the OCDSB, schools participated in a wide range of activities to support the environment and raise awareness about conservation. By bridging the gap between classroom learning and community action, our students and staff proved that local efforts can lead to meaningful change for the planet.
Collaborative cleanups and school-grown harvests
Osgoode Public School hosted a series of activity centres designed to engage the whole school in environmental action. Students got a hands-on lesson in waste reduction as they repurposed paper towel rolls into bird feeders, upcycled mismatched socks into puppets, made artwork on "good on one side" paper, and joined a game of waste-sorting dodgeball. The day also included seed-planting and STEM challenges. These diverse stations showed students how to find new life in old items while fostering a school-wide spirit of sustainability.
At Bayview Public School, students and staff dedicated their week to a site-wide restoration. Participants got their hands dirty with yard clean-up and gardening, getting the school grounds ready for the growing season. They also collaborated on a vibrant, puzzle-inspired art display, highlighting the interconnected roles we all play in protecting the planet.
Sustainability took a culinary turn at York Street Public School. Members of the EnvironClub harvested fresh produce from their indoor tower gardens to develop a vinaigrette. Following a staff vote to choose the winning recipe, the vinaigrette will be sold to raise funds for purchasing seeds for the school's outdoor gardens, giving these budding gardeners even more room to grow.
Feathered friends and healthy waterways
This year, Brookfield High School set their sights on bird conservation, supported by a grant from the City of Ottawa. Through the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre, the school sponsored the successful release of a barred owl and two cardinals. These rescues sparked a wave of student engagement, including a school-wide art contest, a video, an educational display, and the installation of a birdhouse for the school's resident chickadees. The momentum continues this spring as the Eco Team prepares to install bird-safe window stickers, attend a guided bird walk, and plant new pollinator gardens to expand local habitats.
Several schools, including Robert Bateman Public School and Riverside South Secondary School, participated in workshops with the Ottawa Riverkeeper. These sessions focused on the importance of biodiversity within our watershed and gave students a hands-on opportunity to identify local trees and plants. The interactive workshops provided a deeper understanding of why protecting our waterways is essential for a healthy environment.
Champions for the environment
Leadership took centre stage at W. Erskine Johnston Public School, where grade 5 and 6 Eco-Club members spent weeks becoming experts on environmental issues. These students took the initiative to design their own digital presentations and interactive games, which they delivered to grade 3 and 4 classrooms on Earth Day.
At Centennial Public School, the Green Team turned waste management into a friendly competition. For Earth Month, students launched weekly audits of the classroom green bins. The class with the best sorting skills earned the "Golden Green Bin" a challenge that has already doubled participation from 6 classes to 12! Additionally, three classes have started vermicomposting projects, where students get a firsthand look at how worms break down food waste into nutrient-rich soil.
As Earth Month draws to a close, these diverse projects reflect a commitment to social responsibility that will continue to grow year-round. These initiatives serve as a powerful reminder of the impact our school communities have when they work together toward a more resilient future.
