The 2015 first place winner in Southern Alberta’s Caring For Our Watersheds competition were Vicky Brandt, Rebecca Kroeker and Jaime Grassmick from Centennial High School, with their project “Save The Bees”.
These students were concerned about the decline of pollinators in our watershed, and the impact fewer pollinators may have on the native flora contained in the Bow River watershed. Passionate about educating their community, these students designed a brochure outlining why pollinator populations are in decline, why pollinators are important, and ways in which people can encourage pollinators in their yards (plant bee-friendly flowers, make a DIY bee bath etc.). To encourage people within their community to plant bee-friendly flowers, students provided free packs of native wildflower seeds (coneflower, lupine and gaillardia) with the educational brochures and passed them out in schools, garden centers and to their community at large.
Not only did these students teach members of their community about the local watershed and the importance of pollinators, they were able to educate students and teachers within Centennial High School about environmental stewardship and healthy watersheds.
Through this educational initiative, Vicky, Rebecca and Jaime passed out hundreds of brochures and native wildflower seed packs, informing people about the importance of pollinators and encouraging people to make their yards “pollinator-friendly”.