May 29, 2013  

Crossley Earns Green by Being Green  

Kermit the Frog once said that “it’s not easy being green!” Well, the students at E.L. Crossley Secondary School (ELCSS) in Fonthill would beg to differ. The school was recently awarded a $25,000 grant by Staples Canada to upgrade their computer lab in the Recycle for Education contest.

To qualify for the contest, students were asked to submit a 500 word essay outlining everything their school was doing to be more environmentally sustainable. The challenge for Crossley students was to try and fit all their initiatives in with only 500 words to use!

Recognizing the need to care for the Earth’s finite resources, students at ELCSS live by the motto that “Good planets are hard to find.” The school began its eco-journey five years ago when it became part of the Ontario EcoSchools program. Students have since implemented a number of important programs such as recycling, battery disposal, reusable water bottles and tree planting to name a few. Additionally, ELCSS was the second school in Canada to join the Global Ozone Project. The goal of the project is to establish a global ground level ozone bank.

Principal Ed Goerzen said the award is greatly appreciated and is proof of the school’s “commitment to making the world a greener place. Future generations will benefit from the actions our students are taking today.”

“It’s inspiring to see students across the country embracing the idea that we all need to do more for the environment,” said Steve Matyas, president of Staples Canada. “These students are seeking innovative solutions to benefit their schools and to make a positive difference in their community.”

Crossley is one of two Ontario schools to earn the grant, which was awarded to ten schools across Canada.