Community Partners Stories
Kids Count – The Learning Fund
Children at Glen Stewart Elementary planting seedlings.
The Maritime Electric Environmental Studies Grant Program began in 2006. With this grant program, Maritime Electric has donated ten thousand dollars in the past two years to Kids Count – The Learning Fund in support of Environmental Studies Programs and projects within Island schools.
Kids Count is an Education Foundation created by the Eastern School District in 1999. This non-profit organization was established to promote and assist innovative educational school projects that are separate from the responsibilities of the Dept of Education.
Kids Count allocates the Maritime Electric Environmental Studies Grants to Island high schools, who offer accredited environmental programs. Schools may submit an application including a 500 word essay by a student from the school’s Enviroteam or Conservation class on how the grant will assist students to learn about their local natural environment, assist their school Envirothon Team prepare for and attend the Provincial Envirothon Competition as well as assist schools to purchase resources for Environmental Projects.
In 2006 the following senior high schools received:
- Bluefield High - $1,250 to purchase thermometers, chest and hip waders, binoculars, compasses, plankton nets, water test kits, soil testing probe, PH test kit, increment borers, 50 meter tapes and entry fees to the Provincial Envirothon.
- Charlottetown Rural High - $1,496 to assist in purchasing a canoe, 10 paddles, 2 throw bags, 3 GPS units and 5 binoculars.
- Colonel Gray Senior High - $500 to purchase clinometer, bird and tree field guides, forestry measurement equipment and transportation to the Provincial Envirothon.
- Montague Regional High - $852 to purchase clean up supplies and 4 educational signs for Panmure Island field trip, field guides to Atlantic shoreline, eastern birds and mammals of North America and 6 pairs of binoculars.
- Souris Regional High - $468 to assist with bus transportation to field trip to East Point Wind Farm and purchase a Boreal Windmill Kit.
In 2007 the grants were also offered to Western School Board High Schools:
- Kensington Senior High - $250 to purchase increment borer, compass with clinometer, pocket diameter tape and biltmore stick.
- Bluefield High - $750 to purchase hip waders, field guides, hipsometer, 2 PHDs and assist in purchasing a canoe.
- Charlottetown Rural - $750 to purchase 5 GPS Units.
- Montague Regional High -$500 to purchase a spotting scope and 2 pairs of binoculars for Oceanography Class.
As well in January, 2008 $500 Environmentally Friendly School Grants were available to 6 Eastern School District elementary schools as follows:
- Southern Kings Consolidated -$500 to build and install a raised boardwalk near a wetland area on the school nature trail.
- Glen Stewart Elementary - $500 to purchase water gages, thermometers, magnets, birdhouses, recycling organizers and environmental audio visual resources for outdoor learning stations.
- Morell Consolidated - $500 to assist in purchasing snowshoes, thermoses, benches and landscaping for the after school Adventure Club and the lunch time Sprouts Garden Club.
- L. M. Montgomery Elementary - $500 to assist in the purchase of refillable white board markers which will reduce waste from regular markers and paper used daily in all classrooms.
- Central Queens Elementary - $500 to assist grade 4 solar energy project purchase a flat plate solar panel collector, mini heat radiator and a hybrid solar heating unit.
- Westwood Primary - $500 to purchase reusable vinyl bags with metal zippers to be used by students to transport homework/books to and from school which will reduce waste and costs rather than using disposable zip lock bags.
Without the Maritime Electric $10,000 donation to Kids Count none of these innovative educational environmental projects and field trips would have been possible. Within the 7 senior high schools that have received grants since 2006, approximately 600 students have directly benefitted from participation in field trips, Envirothon Team, Conservation and Oceanography class activities and the utilization of equipment and resources purchased with Maritime Electric Environmental Studies Grants. Approximately 1,900 elementary students from 6 Eastern School District schools also benefitted from receiving $500 Maritime Electric Environmentally Friendly School Grants in January, 2008 which enabled their schools to purchase a wide variety of resources that not only provided an awareness of environmental concerns but educated students on environmental issues.
