Cultivating Green Minds at Brentwood’s Speaker Series

19 December 2023Isabel H, Mack ‘25

On Friday, November 17th, Brentwood students seized a valuable opportunity to engage in student presentations and a panel alongside peers from five other south Island schools – Claremont, Pearson College, St. Michael’s, Cowichan & Shawnigan. This insightful discussion not only introduced fresh perspectives on sustainability, courtesy of local youth, but also resonated profoundly with our high school audience.

“It was a fantastic event” enthused Mr Ganley. “Our student leaders, particularly Isha CS, Mack ‘24 and Sophie S, Alex ‘24, are to be congratulated on initiating what will certainly become an annual event for us. Kudos to those two!”

Lauren C, Mack ‘24, took the stage to share her insights on climate optimism and strategies to reduce climate crisis anxiety. “Having the opportunity to connect with like-minded youth from various schools in our community was a wonderful chance to learn about and from each other. Being able to share our experiences in environmentally minded pursuits and discussing them with the adults spearheading change was a rare and rewarding opportunity for all of us” observed Lauren. Her engaging perspective provided a refreshing take on sustainability, inspiring the audience to approach environmental challenges with positivity and actionable solutions. The event went beyond being an informative discussion; it was a lively exchange of ideas that left everyone with a renewed sense of purpose in their sustainable endeavours.

The students also gained insights from Mr Allistair MacGregor, our Member of Parliament for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford. His perspective shed light on the fact that sustainability is not only a local concern but also a matter addressed at both federal and provincial levels. This broadened the students’ understanding of the multi-faceted approach required for effective and comprehensive sustainability efforts. Mr MacGregor talked about the importance that sustainability has in our life in the future, but also right now.

We express our gratitude to Isha CT, who spearheaded the event along with her YesBC mentor, Ms Judy Fainstein, panel moderator and BEAT Captain Sophie S, Lauren C and Hana R who presented, panellist Ms Miller, and Mr Ganley for their efforts in enabling 120 students to seize such an incredible opportunity.

Isabel H, Mack ‘25

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