H2OurLife: Now is Not Soon Enough
Art students from Michael A. Riffel High School in Regina are painting a picture of the water crisis facing local and international wildlife and human populations in an effort to encourage the public to become part of the solution.
Regina, Canada, May 04, 2009 --(PR.com)-- “It is both humbling and impressive to see how these students have come to realize that they can make a difference,” said Wade Luzny, Executive Vice President of the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
The Grade 11 students showcased their innovative artwork at a fundraiser April 28 in Regina. Their goal was to raise $300 for an organization called charity: water to install a shower and toilet in India. They raised more than four times their goal, $1,300 and are now planning to shower teachers from around the world with their message.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is sponsoring three Riffel students and a University of Regina English as a Second Language student from Columbia to attend the 5th World Environmental Education Conference in Montreal May 10-12. The students will present two workshops on how to use art as a catalyst for discussion, action and change. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a major partner of the 5the World Environmental Education Conference and hopes that the innovation of the Regina students will inspire others to find ways to highlight the water quality and quantity issues facing wildlife and human populations around the world.
“We all share the same water, and what happens to Canadian rivers and oceans affects international watersheds and wildlife populations that cross boundaries,” Luzny said. “The Regina students are right: now is not soon enough. We have to stop taking water for granted.”
There are seven paintings in the Riffel water series all of which will be exhibited in Montreal at the 5WEEC conference in the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s presentation pavilion. Three Riffel students, Caitlynn Beckett, Kaitlyn Juba and Lacie Ripplinger, will attend the conference to discuss their project, along with Pablo Jaramillo, an English as a Second Language student from Columbia studying at the University of Regina. Pablo will be providing Spanish interpretation in Montreal and can also discuss the water situation in his home country.
The Regina students will join other presenters from across Canada in sharing water project ideas supported by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. This includes a Wetlandkeepers program in BC, a water awareness public service announcement campaign originating from Gallant Productions Inc. in Lethbridge, Alberta as well as the development of a new half hour French language documentary on the St. Lawrence River called Navigating Troubled Waters. These initiatives all represent partnerships between the Canadian Wildlife Federation and friends as part of the CWF Rivers to Oceans water awareness program. Fellows from the Canadian Wildlife Federation Learning Institute, professors from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Quebec in Montreal, Acadia University in Nova Scotia and Memorial University in Newfoundland will also provide workshops in the CWF presentation pavilion at 5WEEC.
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About the Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Canadian Wildlife Federation (cwf-fcf.org) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring an appreciation of our natural world and a lasting legacy of healthy wildlife and habitat. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending policy changes and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature.
Contacts
Heather Robison
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Wildlife Federation
(306) 550-4155
heatherr@cwf-fcf.org
Caitlynn Beckett
Grade 11 student
Michael A. Riffel High School
791-7260
To view art, visit the Rivers to Oceans Week Awareness photo album on CWF's Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72864&id=7787249430&saved#/pages/Canadian-Wildlife-Federation/7787249430).
The Grade 11 students showcased their innovative artwork at a fundraiser April 28 in Regina. Their goal was to raise $300 for an organization called charity: water to install a shower and toilet in India. They raised more than four times their goal, $1,300 and are now planning to shower teachers from around the world with their message.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is sponsoring three Riffel students and a University of Regina English as a Second Language student from Columbia to attend the 5th World Environmental Education Conference in Montreal May 10-12. The students will present two workshops on how to use art as a catalyst for discussion, action and change. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a major partner of the 5the World Environmental Education Conference and hopes that the innovation of the Regina students will inspire others to find ways to highlight the water quality and quantity issues facing wildlife and human populations around the world.
“We all share the same water, and what happens to Canadian rivers and oceans affects international watersheds and wildlife populations that cross boundaries,” Luzny said. “The Regina students are right: now is not soon enough. We have to stop taking water for granted.”
There are seven paintings in the Riffel water series all of which will be exhibited in Montreal at the 5WEEC conference in the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s presentation pavilion. Three Riffel students, Caitlynn Beckett, Kaitlyn Juba and Lacie Ripplinger, will attend the conference to discuss their project, along with Pablo Jaramillo, an English as a Second Language student from Columbia studying at the University of Regina. Pablo will be providing Spanish interpretation in Montreal and can also discuss the water situation in his home country.
The Regina students will join other presenters from across Canada in sharing water project ideas supported by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. This includes a Wetlandkeepers program in BC, a water awareness public service announcement campaign originating from Gallant Productions Inc. in Lethbridge, Alberta as well as the development of a new half hour French language documentary on the St. Lawrence River called Navigating Troubled Waters. These initiatives all represent partnerships between the Canadian Wildlife Federation and friends as part of the CWF Rivers to Oceans water awareness program. Fellows from the Canadian Wildlife Federation Learning Institute, professors from the University of Lethbridge, the University of Quebec in Montreal, Acadia University in Nova Scotia and Memorial University in Newfoundland will also provide workshops in the CWF presentation pavilion at 5WEEC.
###
About the Canadian Wildlife Federation
The Canadian Wildlife Federation (cwf-fcf.org) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring an appreciation of our natural world and a lasting legacy of healthy wildlife and habitat. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending policy changes and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature.
Contacts
Heather Robison
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Wildlife Federation
(306) 550-4155
heatherr@cwf-fcf.org
Caitlynn Beckett
Grade 11 student
Michael A. Riffel High School
791-7260
To view art, visit the Rivers to Oceans Week Awareness photo album on CWF's Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72864&id=7787249430&saved#/pages/Canadian-Wildlife-Federation/7787249430).
Contact
Canadian Wildlife Federation
Heather Robison
(306) 550-4155
cwf-fcf.org
Heather Robison
(306) 550-4155
cwf-fcf.org
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