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Student leads drive to restore school’s greenhouse

August 3, 2010  By Toyota Canada


WEB EXCLUSIVE

Student leads drive to restore school’s greenhouse
Andrew Wong is an Ontario
secondary school student who mobilizes his peers to achieve environmental
goals. At school, he recognized that an abandoned greenhouse was an
underutilized resource with great potential to educate students.

andrew_wong_closeup  
Andrew Wong

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Aug. 9, 2010, Burlington, Ont. – Andrew Wong is an Ontario
secondary school student who mobilizes his peers to achieve environmental
goals. At school, he recognized that an abandoned greenhouse was an
underutilized resource with great potential to educate students about plant
science and horticulture. Instead of letting the thought pass, Wong’s curiosity
led him on a journey that would turn this forgotten greenhouse into an
important focal point at the school.

After completing an audit of the dilapidated greenhouse’s
condition, Wong reached out to fellow members of the biology club and rallied
them to join his cause. As treasurer of the Student Executive, Wong knew that
the school’s tight budget could not finance this endeavour, so together with
his small group of dedicated volunteers, he raised funds independently. They
established the Greenhouse Horticultural Society and grew and sold geraniums
annually, raising money to replace damaged greenhouse components. Today, the
greenhouse is a hub for biological education enrichment and is an inspirational
accomplishment for the students and faculty at the school.

Wong’s environmental contributions to his high school and
community are numerous. As the president of the Environment team, Andrew is
leading the development of his high school’s new recycling program. He is also
the president of the Biology Club, school representative to the Burlington
Green Environmental Youth Advisory Committee, and a volunteer with the Royal
Botanical Gardens Bay Area Restoration Council. In addition, he authors the
environmental blog “Million Green Lights”, www.milliongreenlights.blogspot.com.

andrew_wong
Andrew Wong, in the completely restored greenhouse in his Burlington, Ontario, high school. He led the fundraising effort.


For his efforts, Wong was named the national winner in this
year’s Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program. He was selected from among 20
regional winners.

CULTIVATING TOMORROW'S ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS

Every day, in communities across Canada, young people are
actively demonstrating their passion for the environment through the important
work they accomplish. These dedicated young Canadians are emerging as
tomorrow’s environmental leaders and advocates.

Toyota Canada Inc. and Earth Day Canada established the Toyota
Earth Day Scholarship Program to help cultivate and nurture this environmental
leadership. The Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program encourages and rewards
graduating Canadian high school students who have distinguished themselves
through environmental community service, extracurricular and volunteer
activities, and academic excellence.

Environmental issues are increasingly being tackled through
multidisciplinary approaches. Future environmental leaders will therefore come
from a broad range of academic backgrounds which is why The Toyota Earth Day
Scholarship is offered to students entering their first year of post-secondary
studies in the discipline of their choice, to prepare themselves for the career
of their choice.

The Toyota Earth Day Scholarship Program grants 20 awards of
$5,000 each annually, to be applied directly towards tuition, books, room and
board (where applicable) or other educational expenses for the first year of
post-secondary full-time studies in Canada.

A national
winner – selected from the 20 regional winners – is awarded the
Toyota Earth Day Scholarship National Award and a Panasonic notebook computer
at the National Award Ceremony.


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