Congratulations to Seaquam students Gurmehar Randhawa (grade 8) and Tanroz Gill (grade 10) for winning scholarships through BC Wildlife’s Young Conservationist Scholarship Program.
As the overall winner of the program, Gurmehar won a $1,500 scholarship for his project to instill environmental stewardship within the community and educate others on action they can take to fight climate change. Gurmehar created and distributed educational pamphlets, as well as facilitated several workshops for multiple elementary schools across the district. He plans to continue spreading awareness and facilitate further workshops for elementary students, as well as presenting to educators at Pro-D Days.
“The inspiration for my project came from a day my family and I went to the beach, and it was near impossible to walk 10 metres without seeing litter,” said Gurmehar. “I started researching ways I could make an impact on this situation, and when my sister told me about the Young Conservationist Scholarship Program, I knew this was exactly what I was looking for; an opportunity to start my own climate action project! I knew presenting to children and spreading awareness would be the best way to tackle the climate crisis, so I took it upon myself to make my project all about spreading awareness around environmental issues.”
As runner up, Tanroz was awarded a $500 scholarship. Her project focused on removing invasive ivy from a neighbourhood park and replanting native species to create a healthier environment. Through the project, Tanroz facilitated multiple removal and planting days with fellow students and other members of the community. Tanroz plans to continue her efforts to revitalize the park and share her project with local elementary schools with the support of Seaquam’s Green Team.
“The inspiration for my project was bringing my childhood park back to life. I wanted to give back to the park I grew up with and allow other kids to experience the park’s beauty,” said Tanroz, whose project was funded by Cougar Creek Streamkeepers.
“These are well-deserved awards for Gurmehar and Tanroz,” says Michael Iachetta, teacher at Seaquam Secondary. “They care deeply about their environment – they are passionate about protecting the world around us and inspiring others to do the same. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
For more information about the Young Conservationist Scholarship Program, please visit: https://bcwf.bc.ca/young-conservationist-scholarship-program/
Tanroz at her neighbourhood park