On February 1st and 2nd 2017, all students and faculty will participate in activities, workshops, and sessions at the St. George’s Senior School as part of the global stewardship conference.This marks the first year that St. George’s school will participate in the global stewardship conference.

Ms. Coates, Mr. Chapman, Mr. Johnston, and Mr. Kern have been working tirelessly on inviting guest speakers and organizing all the workshops.  Workshops will take place on Day 1 and Day 2, some appearing off campus.

Their will be  three keynote speakers speaking to the entire school at the Dixon gym. The first keynote speaker is Natalie Panek who is a Rocket Scientist and Explorer. Extraordinary experiences have shaped her dreams of becoming an astronaut. The second keynote speaker is Frank Giustra. Giustra created Lions Gate Productions in hopes of building the film industry in Vancouver. The last keynote speaker is Mark Brand. Brand is an entrepreneur who is best known for resurrecting the Save on Meats enterprise in Downtown Eastside.

“We’ve worked very hard organizing all the workshops, 160 (workshops) will take place in the span of the two days,” Mr. Sam Johnston (Director of Learning) said.

On Day 1 there is a marine conservation workshop taking place in the Vancouver Aquarium. This workshop will discuss the kelp forest and the animals that live there, including the opportunity to meet some of the animals up close. Another workshop on Day 1 is the Local Plant Walk taking place in Pacific Spirit Park. This workshop will discuss the local plants, forms of identification, and relevant medicinal uses.

Day 2 workshops include wheelchair rugby where students can learn the rules, strategies, etiquette, and skill of one of the most exciting paralympic sport in the world. This workshop includes a mini-tournament at the end. Another workshop on Day 2 is the Ecological Society workshop off site at Stanley Park. Students will participate in a full day off volunteer work and learn about invasive species.

The global stewardship conference is a great opportunity for students to gain knowledge from people who’ve have achieved a lot in their lives. These workshops also give students the opportunity to be aware of the environment around them.