2023-2024: A Year of Unparalleled Success for The Gaia Project

Here at the Gaia Project, it has been a year full of climate education, innovative projects, and unforgettable memories. During this trip around the sun, we’ve accompanied our timeless in-class deliveries with new and exciting programs. Not to mention, some of our team members have made a dazzling appearance under the spotlight with two video series that are sure to impress. It must also be noted that our group has assembled some formidable conferences, one of them leading to the exploration of new frontiers in Canada. Finally, this blog will summarize many of the cherished moments that took place with the Gaia Project during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Climate Mindset Pilot Program

After an extensive preliminary trial, our delivery staff had the pleasure of presenting a new program to high schools across our province titled Climate Mindset: Transforming Eco-Anxiety into Action. During its pilot year, this program was offered as a two-day workshop that primarily focused on the psychological effects of global warming and preventative measures for climate anxiety. The first day of this workshop showcased collaboration with local community counsellors, where students explored their feelings of eco-anxiety, along with prevailing symptoms and coping strategies. Briefly speaking, students also discovered the intricacies of avoidance, climate grief, among other emotional conceptions related to climate change and environmental issues. The second session of Climate Mindset, led by our staff at the Gaia Project, is dedicated to environmental action, the most effective remedy for countering the existential concern that often accompanies students living in an age of climate disorder. Feeling inspired by the success derived from the sessions conducted in 2024, Gaia staff members look forward to launching the Climate Mindset program during the next academic season.

“This workshop has eased my mind regarding eco-anxiety. It has not only reassured me that anxiety holds an important place in climate change, but taught me ways to take action in my community.”
-Student, Harbour View High School

Jamylynn speaking with three students during the Climate Mindset program

Sustainability in Motion

Also joining our list of new programs this year is Sustainability in Motion: an in-depth review of sustainable transportation for high school students. Throughout this presentation, students are given the chance to revisit the dynamics of electric vehicles, public transit, and active methods of commuting in different regions of the world. Furthermore, Sustainability in Motion was tailored toward helping students reflect on both their present and future transportation choices through the lens of carbon reduction and environmental impacts. Based on the achievements that have emerged during the early stages of this program, we are proud to announce that transportation sustainability will remain a key segment of our program deliveries through our Climate Action Project offerings in 2024-2025. 

Green Experts: My Green Job  

This year, the Gaia Project had the joy of working with Jordan Mattie Visuals to produce a bilingual video series called “My Green Job”. Designed for middle- and high-school students, this nine-video project takes viewers behind the scenes to learn more about the life of New Brunswick workers who transform long-term environmental issues into everyday priorities. Above all, these fascinating clips teach us that climate change is a multi-faceted problem that can be tackled from several directions. Including sustainable artists, forest technicians, social entrepreneurs, and many others, “My Green Job” features a list of passionate people who have become important role models in the realm of provincial climate action. Most importantly, all videos can be accessed through our YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look for yourself!
 

Changing Habits: A Three-Part Mini-Series  

During the past 5 months, The Gaia Project developed three new French educational videos for teachers to use a Professional Learning tool in order to gain fundamental knowledge about climate action. What makes these video particularly unique is that they can also be used as a teaching resource for grades 3-8, so that teachers can learn alongside their students about issues surrounding climate change and inspire behavioural changes.

Featuring Guylaine Doucet-Ferguson, Programs Manager, the videos are divided into various themes, including environmental awareness, ecological footprint, and climate change. The central aim of this project is to restore the three-way connection taking place between learners, their natural environment, and sustainable life choices. Altogether, the videos accumulate to a footage time of approximately 35 minutes, making them an ideal resource for in-class learning and personal engagements; access the request form (elementary school form or middle school form) to watch them!

Making impacts across New Brunswick 
 
Every year our team delivers programs across the province in both French and English in an effort to engage more and more students in climate action education. This past school year was one of our most successful yet, and it is with great pride that we celebrate and share our reach for the 2023-2024 school year. We delivered programs, panels, special events, and even a conference to help inspire young people to become agents of change in their schools and communities; what an exciting year we’ve had!

EcoSchools

It has been yet another successful year of partnership with EcoSchools Canada. In the 2023-2024 schoolyear, 56 New Brunswick schools have made an EcoSchools plan with 19 reaching certification (7 platinum, 5 gold, 2 silver, and 5 bronze). Congratulations to all the New Brunswick schools that have committed to reducing their carbon footprint this year; we are so impressed by the local and global impacts you made this year! 

Empowering Tomorrow Conference  

On April 25th, 2024, over 200 students and teachers were gathered at the Fredericton Convention Centre to attend the inaugural Empowering Tomorrow conference dedicated toward careers in green energy. At this event, the Gaia Project organized several activities ranging from an interactive energy map, a visit of the NB Power Headquarters, and our infamous Energy Escape room. Paired with curriculum-based exercises, the interactive workshops that were carried out at this event gave place to an educational setting and a pleasant atmosphere that participants will be sure to remember. The Empowering Tomorrow Conference would not have been possible without our presenting partner, NB Power, and our partnering organizers, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) and the Centre of Excellence for Energy. On behalf of everyone at the Gaia Project, we are proud to have collaborated for yet another remarkable learning experience. 

Three students engage in Climate Action Planning at the Empowering Tomorrow conference 

Reading for the Love of it  

The Gaia Project would like to congratulate Guylaine Doucet-Ferguson for her participation in the “Reading for the Love of It” conference, located in Toronto, Canada. Throughout this nationwide event, Guylaine delivered a presentation on sustainability literacy to elementary-level teachers with the goal of fostering climate action in young learners. Guylaine effectively represented our values by offering this presentation in both French and English to dozens of attendees. 

Songs of the City 

Priya Mishra of Nashwaaksis Middle school, and Saint John musician Catherine Kennedy, paired for an unforgettable performance at the Songs of the City event presented by United Way Central NB. Throughout her performance, Priya spoke of the impactful experiences she derived from The Gaia Project’s Climate Labs program. Most importantly, she explained how this activity influenced her worldview and everyday choices as she reflected on her visit to India. We are all immensely proud of Priya for sharing her story through art, and for taking her involvements with climate education outside of the classroom! 

In the end, it can be said that many accomplishments have emerged from the staff, partners, and students here at The Gaia Project. On this note, the arrival of both Sustainability in Motion and Climate Mindset presents tremendous prospects for the organization and the students that will benefit from these new programs. The “My Green Job” and “Changing Habits” video series also provide a new perspective on New Brunswick’s sustainability champions and the prioritization of climate action. In addition to these important milestones, our team has taken part in some transformative events, such as the “Empowering Tomorrow” and “Reading for the Love of It” conferences. As of June 2024, The Gaia Project is proud to announce that we have reached more students than ever before. At any rate, we hope this blog was successful in summarizing all the achievements that made this a year we’d never wish to end. Nonetheless, all good things must come to an end, isn’t that right? Thank you for reading, we look forward to seeing you in September for another tremendous season of climate education!  

 

Author: Sébastien Lebel, Program Coordinator, The Gaia Project 

 

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