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Shining moments from #SuperConference2018

On February 22, Ontario EcoSchools hosted its first-ever SuperConference! It was a monumental day for the program as close to 400 teachers, administrative staff, educators, students, and community partners  joined us to celebrate program accomplishments and gain new insight and ideas for future endeavours.

The day began with a passionate speech and land acknowledgement ceremony from Anishinaabe/Muskegowuk Cree speaker Eddy Robinson. Robinson impressed upon the audience the importance of Indigenous identity and representation, as well as how engaging Indigenous people in respectful and reciprocal ways can help foster positive social change.

The SuperConference’s keynote speaker was the formidable Chloe Dragon Smith, a Métis woman hailing from Yellowknife. Dragon Smith works with the Canadian Parks Council and has developed the Nature Playbook, a guide to introducing and incorporating nature-based learning into the lives of today’s youth. “We are nature,” she opened, “We are water, air, earth and fire. We need to connect . . . Nature is for everyone.”

The rest of the day featured 22 workshops across seven different themes: building strong EcoTeams, moving towards a low-carbon economy, targeting zero waste, creating healthy schools, learning about, in and for the environment, inspiring school-wide engagement, and learning in the outdoors. Here was how participants responded to the sessions:

Our post-SuperConference attendee survey also revealed that participants found the event a great opportunity to share ideas amongst peers, discover resources for empowering students, and feel confident that their EcoTeam efforts were having a meaningful impact in their communities.

  • Our inaugural SuperConference event begins bright and early on Thursday, February 22, 2018.
  • Attendees arrive at the venue to get registered, enjoy a tasty breakfast of fruit, pastries, and coffee, and mingle before the keynote address begins.
  • Ontario EcoSchools’ staff Theresa, Sierra, and Josh welcome SuperConference participants at the registration table.
  • Presenter Tanya Demjanenko of the Dr. Jackman Institute of Child Studies reviews the workshop schedule for the day.
  • A collection of banners and signs from some of the SuperConference presenters are displayed in the main lobby.
  • Ron Ballentine, chair of Ontario EcoSchools’ Board of Directors, introduces the keynote address to a crowd of nearly 400 people.
  • Keynote speaker Chloe Dragon Smith delivers an impassioned speech on the importance of connection and access to nature for kids and adults alike. “We are nature,” she said eloquently, “We are water, air, earth and fire. We need to connect . . . Nature is for everyone.”
  • A packed main conference hall listens enraptured to Chloe Dragon Smith’s keynote address and many take to social media with inspiring quotes, boosting the #SuperConference2018 hashtag to #10 in the GTA’s Twittersphere.
  • Presenters (L to R) Daniel Houle, Luce Lepage, André Gravelle, and Lynne Dubeau from the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l’Ontario pose for a photo in stylish matching outfits.
  • In a popular, hands-on workshop presented by TREC Education, participants build small turbines out of household objects and measure the resulting electricity output to determine whose design is most efficient.
  • Participants sort and organize photos as part of Fashion Takes Action’s morning workshop, which focused on waste generated by the fashion and textile industries.
  • A pair of attendees show off their SuperConference workshop schedules.
  • Mira Lyonblum of Action Against Hunger demonstrates ways of building simple food-growing infrastructure.
  • Armi de Francia and Kate Berry of Active & Safe Routes to School take questions after their workshop on how to integrate active transportation into classrooms and school settings.
  • It’s all smiles at the 2018 SuperConference!
  • Chantelle Kohn of High Resolves coaches participants through pitching solutions to inspire people to take positive actions to protect the environment.
  • Denise Pinto (top centre) of Courage Co-Lab Inc, delivers an interactive workshop leading participants through a brainstorming session of close-to-home environmental challenges and how to tackle them, using the five senses and body-based insights to allow for internal insight.
  • Magali Meagher of the High Park Nature Centre leads a French-language outdoor workshop encouraging participants to touch, taste, smell, feel and take note of the nature all around them, even in dense urban settings.
  • Ontario EcoSchools’ staff member Galen lends his back to an exercise in a “broken telephone” sketching of a nearby plant, pushing participants to focus on non-visual interpretation of their surroundings.
  • Students participating in the Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) training for the day pose for a photo while developing solutions to environmental challenge statements.
  • ICE training students spend the day creating visual presentations on their suggested solutions for environmental issues – to then display to SuperConference attendees at the end of the event.

Curious about the workshop line-up and which ENGOs and organizations were involved? Check the schedule out here. Presentations are now available online and all other details on the day can be found on the SuperConference website. 

Last, but not least – the success of this event was made possible by our incredible sponsors. Your generous support and keen interest in encouraging environmental change is very much appreciated.