Regina high school students get unique outdoor learning experience
McKell Wascana Conservation Park is officially the Regina Wetland Centre of Excellence serving as an outdoor classroom for science students at Dr. Martin LeBoldus Catholic High School.
Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) Wetland Centres of Excellence form a network of school and community partners with student-led conservation projects. This partnership with Regina Catholic Schools, Leboldus High School and DUC is one of almost 30 similar programs around the country.
“Our goal is to engage and empower high school students to become stewards of their local wetlands,” said Mariane Bolla, head of national education with DUC.
Bolla explained the 10 month immersive program allows students to grow their science knowledge of wetlands throughout the year by taking on a conservation or awareness project.
The program wraps up at the end of the year with the students becoming mentors to share their knowledge with others.
“Experiential education is the way to make sure that we are more connected to conservation, to the value of protecting our natural spaces,” said Bolla.
She said the site was a natural fit for the program as they helped to establish it. When it came to finding a school, that was an easy decision as well.
DUC looks for schools who are close to the wetland, but also teachers who exemplify supportive administration.
“It requires a bit more effort to do experiential learning outdoors, you need a supportive administration,” Bolla said.
Mariane Bolla, head of national education with Ducks Unlimited Canada, introduces the students and dignitaries to the newest Wetland Centre of Excellence. (Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News)
Desmond Hartney had already been doing outdoor education with his students and was contacted about partnering with the program.
Hartney said he believed it was a great opportunity to be part of the Wetland Centre of Excellence Program to expend science classes, get out in nature and give the students a hands-on learning experience.
“It’s a great way for us to learn out of the classroom because we spend a lot of time in there and it can get really boring at times so this is a great new experience and a way to get us into nature,” said Kaylee Lawrence, one of Hartney’s Grade 10 students.
Lawrence is looking forward to getting knee deep in learning as she is excited to critter dip and use the hipwaders.
Hartney said getting a site like this gives the students a sense of responsibility when it comes to maintaining it.
“They become advocates for the environment, not just necessarily this wetland, but also other areas around the city and the province,” he continued.
LeBoldus science students build nesting boxes for the wetland at McKell Wascana Conservation Park. (Kaylyn Whibbs/CTV News)
Grade 10 student Mireya Ziegler is a big fan of experiential learning and is excited to see the impact this project has on her classmates.
“If you’re going to actually go out and experience what you’re doing, everybody without exception is going to be able to absorb that information and come away from it feeling impacted and genuinely care about what they’re learning about significantly more than just memorizing text in a classroom,” Ziegler said.
The 47 science students, according to Hartney, will be working on some water quality projects where they will be testing water quality at different sites on the wetland and then comparing them, looking at pH as well as nitrate and phosphate levels, and see if the wetland is filtering as it should as the water moves through.
He said they plan to build bird boxes and get them ready for nesting in the spring, as well as potentially looking at invasive species and trying to eradicate them.
“I’m just really happy that as a school we’re taking this initiative because if this kind of spreads around, just the world is going to be a lot better off,” said Ziegler.
The McKell Wascana Conservation Park is the third Centre of Excellence in Saskatchewan, with the other two located in Mossbank and Saskatoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.
The House is on the brink of approving aid for Ukraine and Israel after months of struggle
The House is preparing in a rare Saturday session to approve US$95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.