By Alex Skerdzhev
Langley Christian Schools and R.E. Mountain Secondary School were chosen as part of 100 finalists for the sixth annual Superpower Your School contest held by Earth Day and Staples Canada.
Encompassing the entire country – from the Canadian Arctic to B.C.’s southern tip – the initiative recognizes schools for their contributions to the environment, and 10 winners will be selected and announced ahead of Earth Day on April 22.
The contest, which ran from Dec. 3, 2015, to Jan. 29, 2016, will provide the winners with $25,000 each toward the purchasing of new technologies from Staples Canada.
“Across the country, schools are passionately making a difference,” said Steve Matyas, Staples Canada President, in a press release. “We applaud each school that entered and want to congratulate the 100 finalists for their outstanding commitment to education and the environment.”
Around 630 public schools applied through the Staples website, detailing their environmental programs, with two from each region being selected as finalists.
Previous winning initiatives include building a Geodome, a sustainable greenhouse, and planting trees in local parks.
“Earth Day Canada is excited to team up with Staples Canada again this year to reward schools implementing innovative and engaging environmental projects and programs,” said Earth Day Canada president Deb Doncaster in a press release.
“This year’s finalists are inspiring models of excellence and we are proud to recognize and celebrate their efforts.”
R.E. Mountain Secondary School was previously a finalist in 2014, with New Westminster Secondary declared the eventual winner that year.
For a full listing of all 100 finalists, visit www.staples.ca/powereco.