The halls of Waverly Public School, in Oshawa, will be filled with cheers and celebrations on Monday morning when students bring home Ontario’s most prestigious “youth conservation club of the year” award.
Today, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources Jerry Ouellette proudly presented his government’s Junior Conservation Award at the 75th Annual General Meeting and Wildlife Conference of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.), in Hamilton.
“This award is like winning a Stanley Cup. Our club did a lot of conservation work this year, and we never imagined we’d win (this award)” said 13 year-old, Jeffrey Smith, of Oshawa.
Jeffery is one of hundreds of students currently participating in the national-acclaimed O.F.A.H. Get Outdoors program. Developed to encourage youth participation in the outdoors, this new O.F.A.H. conservation and leadership program has quickly inspired the creation of about 30 junior conservation groups in Ontario including Waverly Public School’s Get Outdoors Club.
The Waverly Get Outdoors Club was judged “the cream of the crop” from a long list of nominated youth environmental groups. The M.N.R. Junior Conservation Award recognizes the club for its efforts to improve habitat at the Kendal recreation property in Clarington Township. The Waverly Get Outdoors Club is lead by Tim Boucher, a Grade 7 teacher and avid outdoor enthusiast.
For more information about the conference, awards programs or annual general meeting, please contact O.F.A.H. Communications Liaison Mark Cousins at (705) 748-6324, fax (705) 748-9577 or e-mail to mark_cousins@ofah.org.