Victoria Terrace was one of five schools chosen to take part in an environmental challenge in the Upper Grand District School Board jurisdiction – and its only gold medal winner.
Principal Kirk Runciman said in an interview that Eco-Schools Ontario held a competition to determine environmental excellence in schools. Victoria Terrace, he said, had always been involved in environmental work, and, when it took part this year, it also entered the audit competition.
The school completed dozens of projects, and auditors came and saw leftover lunches being composted, paper recycled, lights being turned off, even in classrooms, when they were not needed, among the dozens of environmental project.
The audit was done the first week of June, and students were awarded a gold medal, the top award, for their efforts on the last day of school.
Runciman said that schools that took part had to apply for the audit in order to be eligible for a gold award.
He said it was not only students, but also staff that were part of the winning effort. He particularly cited teacher leaders Patsy Collier and Monica Forget.
