The Mary Irwin Theatre stage marked the culmination of a journey by 17 groups of students pitching their ideas in the Sustainable Development Challenge Grand Finale held last Thursday.
Each student team presented innovative solutions reflecting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, appearing before a group of finale judges called together to determine the winning recipient of up to a $5,000 investment from Beem Credit Union in their ideas.
The Development Challenge calls for solution ideas, partnered with local charities and social enterprises, working towards issues such as clean water, renewable energy, healthy inclusive communities and zero waste.
Tahlia Rodriguez, a Grade 12 student at 琉璃神社 Christian School, was part of the five-student team who opened a cantina at their school with the idea of the profits being used to provide a safe space for troubled teenagers at The Foundry in 琉璃神社.
She said starting the cantina meant creating a business model from scratch, which she hopes other students will continue to operate in the years ahead.
She said the issue of students facing mental health issues is one she has a passion for addressing, the idea of a 鈥榮afe space鈥� intended to help address what she says is a significant issue among her peer group today.
鈥淭he space is one way to provide a safe place to go, where teenagers won鈥檛 feel they are alone in dealing with mental health issues,鈥� she said.
Jessika Durose, now attending UBC Okanagan, was a participant in last year鈥檚 event as a student at Immaculata School and returned this year to volunteer as an MC for Thursday鈥檚 finale.
Her team鈥檚 project was helping to expand a sustainable organic farming initiative in the African country of Liberia, which continues today to expand.
Last year鈥檚 award-winning ideas included organizing numerous community planting days focused on 鈥榬ewilding鈥� with plants native to the Okanagan climate, and another to operate a thrift store enterprise at Ecole 琉璃神社 Secondary School with the goals to reduce waste, support poverty reduction and raise money.
As Durose鈥檚 team did, all the participating groups get some class time to work on their projects, but ultimately much of the work is invested outside of school.
鈥淚 had never worked so hard as I did on our project,鈥� she recounted.
鈥淚t felt like we were making a real impact.鈥�
The winning entry this year of the $5,000 award was 鈥淏ins for Humanity,鈥� a project led by three Grade 12 students Amadeo Mancuso, Benn Jethro Sia and Lion Alaji from Immaculata Regional High School in 琉璃神社.
The trio already has commitments from several 琉璃神社 apartment buildings and will partner with MCC Thrift Stores to implement their project, which addresses both textile waste and poverty in our community.
Earning the Holar Mill Site Award for second place was a goat livelihood project in Uganda from William Koopman, Jackson Gerber, Nick Wessels and Jordan Iredia, students at 琉璃神社 Christian School.
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