Robert Thirsk School
Students at Robert Thirsk School in Alberta are implementing a rooftop wind and solar array and a weather station system to track their impacts and general local climate trends.
Robert Thirsk School
Students at Robert Thirsk School in Alberta are implementing a rooftop wind and solar array and a weather station system to track their impacts and general local climate trends.
The Problem
The students in the Natural Resources program at Robert Thirsk school are no stranger to climate action. Environmental stewardship is a key part of the program and the students have done many small projects over the years. However, being located in an urban centre means students often struggle to have access to nature and build skills to connect with the earth.
The Solution
The students decided to take a two-pronged approach. First, they set up a hydroponics growing room and learned how to grow plants, learning how to nurture them from seeds to becoming produce the home ec class could use in meals. But the students also wanted to situate their work in the larger scope of climate science, so they installed a weather station on their school’s roof. Students tracked the data and examined the trends and patterns of local weather so they could understand the larger climate science while also taking tangible action.
80+
students and 10 teachers worked directly on the project.
200
other students at the school visiting the classroom to learn more about their work!
Lessons Learned
“The N:OW for Net Zero program provided our school with the opportunity to grow local foods, educate a community, and inspire the next generation to rethink sustainable food production. The technical and interpersonal skills that the students garnered from the project will be invaluable in their future careers and lives.”
Ryan Morgan, Natural Resources Program Teacher
