1. Redfish Invites Applicants for 2012

• Do you know a university student who cares deeply about ecological sustainability and social equity?
• Do you know a young person who aspires to grow as an agent of change?
• Do you know someone who would like to earn three environmental studies credits from the University of Victoria while traveling and learning across southern British Columbia with 15 other students?

The Redfish School of Change is now accepting applications for its 2012 semester, May 17 to June 23. For more information about the program, its eligibility requirements, and student bursaries, visit www.schoolofchange.ca. Click here for the buzz about the program from past participants, or watch the video, What is the Redfish School of Change? Applications will be accepted until February 15, 2012.

2. Take Our Solar Oven Challenge!

Teachers, it's time to register for our 2011/12 Solar Oven Challenge. Students build, test, and bake with solar ovens using the construction plans provided at re-energy.ca, or using plans of their own design. You submit photos and descriptions of their creations, and in June, we award prizes to the class or group with the best submissions.

Open to all Canadians, participants have ranged from grades 3 to 12, and from science classes to environmental clubs. To see past winners and submissions and to learn more about GreenLearning's Solar Oven Challenge, visit the re-energy.ca website. For registration details, click here.

3. GreenLearning Visits Fort Nelson

Kathy Worobec, Director of GreenLearning Alberta, participated in Fort Nelson's professional development event this fall by leading a full-day teacher workshop on renewable energy, energy sources, and GreenLearning programs. Kathy also visited Chalo School, spent time with Fort Nelson district staff, and met with staff from Nexen Inc., whose funding made the event possible. Featured here, two Fort Nelson teachers learn to build wind turbines with construction plans from GreenLearning's popular renewable energy website, re-energy.ca.

Kathy is already looking forward to her next trip to Fort Nelson: "I received such a warm reception from everyone I met, and I feel part of the community...it was hard to get on the plane to leave!" We thank Nexen Inc. for their support in bringing GreenLearning programming to Fort Nelson teachers and students.

4. Redfish Alumni Cultivate Connections

Syke Augustine and Erin Lawless, alumni from the 2010 Redfish School of Change, recently facilitated their Restoring Stories workshop at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary in Saanich, British Columbia. On October 23, 2011, six adults and six children spent the day discovering the power of nature and of telling stories. Skye and Erin designed the workshop to cultivate connections between young people and their elders and between people and place.

The group explored the key elements of a good story, went for a nature walk, and created a story of their shared experience. Individuals then told a story about a place that is important to them and talked about ways to protect the natural places they value. Participants' recorded stories will be added to a digital community map to share with the wider community. The day was meaningful for all involved. As Skye and Erin put it, "We got some great stories... Some of the pairs recorded several stories each! Watching them so engaged in sharing stories and connecting about their stories was very rewarding."

To learn about other community action projects of participants of the Redfish School of Change, click here.

5. The Forecast for 2012? Very COOL.

In October and November, teachers at the conferences of the Educational Computing Organization of Ontario (ECOO), the Science Teachers' Association of Ontario (STAO), the Ontario Association for Geographic and Environmental Education (OAGEE), and the Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers' Association (OHASSTA) got a sneak peek of the exciting new resource GreenLearning will launch nationally in January, 2012.

Watch for the announcement of the highly anticipated COOL 2.0 in our next issue! GreenLearning Consultant, Dick Holland, is featured here at ECOO 2011.

6. Congratulations Councillor Raynolds!

You know her as the Director of GreenLearning British Columbia, and as the Founder and Director of the inspirational Redfish School of Change, but now you can also call her Councillor. In November, Nadine Raynolds was elected to serve as a Municipal Councillor in New Denver, British Columbia.

Congratulations Nadine!

7. Our Thanks

Our work is made possible only through the generous support of our sponsors and donors. At this time, we extend our thanks to Devon Canada for its on-going support to bring GreenLearning programs to three Alberta schools.