Meduxnekeag Environmental Awareness Showcase

Since 2003, the Meduxnekeag River Association has partnered with local elementary schools to host the Meduxnekeag Environmental Awareness Showcase. The Showcase is intended to create awareness and educate students, parents and the local community of the uniqueness and importance of our natural environment.

Each year we set a theme, and challenge students from Kindergarten to Grade 5 to participate by producing a project or artwork, and a written essay, on the theme. In 2003, we used as a theme: “How do our area’s unique river valleys contribute to our environment?” In 2004, we asked: “How can you make your environmental footprint smaller?” In 2005, we challenged students to “Lose a Tonne!” by showing how that they, their families, their schools, or their communities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2006, we tied our theme to the 150th Birthday celebrations of the Town of Woodstock, asking for projects related to “150 years of environmental change”.

For 2007, our theme is “Alternative Energy”.

At each school, showcase students bring their work to the gym for display. Volunteer judges from the community discuss the projects with their creators, and choose a winner from each grade level. (All participating students receive certificates; we also do random draws for t-shirts at each school). Grade winners receive awards, and go on the Grand Finale with grade winners from the other schools. At the Grand Finale, which includes a dinner for students and parents, a judging panel of Directors of the Meduxnekeag River Association chooses school winners and awards prizes.

The 2005 Showcase was delayed due to the labour dispute in the schools, but was completed with in-school judging at the end of May and the Grand Finale at the Carleton Civic Centre on June 3rd. In addition to winning bicycles and other awards, this year's grand prize winners had an opportunity to present and explain their projects to a meeting of Woodstock Town Council, which recognized their achievements and provided them special certificates of merit from the Town.

Since 2005, the Showcase has been sponsored by The Bugle-Observer with a generous donation. In 2006 and 2007, the Barrett Corporation has provided additional sponsorship support.

Showcase Grand Prize Winners in 2006 were:
Canterbury - Paige Hatton
Southern Carleton - Alison Wortman
Debec - Martyna Thomas
Centennial - Kyle Culberson
Central Carleton - Sydney Brown

2007 SHOWCASE

Alternative Energy

Energy use is one of the basic facts of all of our lives. We use energy to heat and cool our homes, schools and other buildings. We use it to run our cars, trucks, school buses and other vehicles. Energy use cooks our food, heats water to wash dishes, powers our computers and does thousands of other things in the lives of people all over the world.

Where does this energy come from? Most of the energy used around the world comes from what are called “conventional” sources. These sources include oil, coal, natural gas, large hydro-electric dams, nuclear reactors, and wood.

“Alternative” energy is energy that doesn’t come from these conventional sources (it’s an “alternative” to them). Some sources of alternative energy include solar, wind, in-stream hydro, tidal, geo-thermal, hydrogen, and bio-mass”. Another alternative is reducing energy consumption, or improving energy efficiency, so we use less energy for the same jobs.

You can find information on these forms of alternative energy by searching on-line. Another source of information for many energy alternatives is the library.