Upper Gullies students looking out for Mother Earth

By Mark Squibb/April 21, 2022

A group of Grade 5 students at Upper Gullies Elementary are putting the earth first — and not just on Earth Day.

The Earth Club was founded three years ago by brothers Caleb and Gabe Dawe, then in Grade 2.

“The purpose is to help the earth,” explained Caleb Dawe. Both brothers are now in Grade 5, and the club boasts about 15 members, all of whom have been busy this past month with lots of different activities.

In a virtual call with the Earth Club, students described just some of the activities they have recently held. Caleb Pinhorn described how the group helped decorate the Learning Commons and make a welcome sign.

Catherine Noftall explained how students used plastic bags, flyers, and other recyclables to make a bulletin board for the school to enjoy — the plastic bag jelly fish and cupcake sea turtles remind folks that ‘plastic is not fantastic,’ and doesn’t belong in the ocean.

Keegan Gosse added that the group challenged teachers to go paperless for a day.

“You can definitely see a change in our school when it comes to thinking about trash, thinking about recycling, reusing, and reducing,” said teacher Colleen Powers. “So many teachers have come up to me and said, ‘I am so inspired,’ and now they’re continuing the same thing with their classes.”

The club, whose mantra is ‘Do One Thing,’ even got recognition from Memorial University.

Earth Day is held on April 22 to recognise the importance of environmental protection and was first held in 1970. It’s a day to talk about climate change, pollution, and other environmental concerns.

“A lot of animals are getting hurt by plastic,” said student Denika Coates, echoing one of the concerns raised by environmentalists around the globe.

The theme for Earth Day 2022 is Invest in Our Planet.