CARE Summit December 2022

What Was It All About?

The CARE Summit December 2022 included more than 160 students from grades 7-12 who created 42 climate-action projects. More than 300 people attended the event.

The Summit featured inspirational stories from youth activist and entrepreneur Olive Butler (founder of Conspiracy Cosmetics) and the City of Vernon’s climate action implementation coordinator Brendan Riome, who shared information about diverse job opportunities in the climate-action field.

Nine judges from the public, private, and non-profit sectors selected winning projects based on a variety of social, environmental, and economic factors, potential community impacts, mentor interactions, and the teams’ display and presentation skills.

CARE also introduced awards judged and presented by Students Without Borders Academy, including Most Inspiring Project, Most Innovative Display, Biggest Hurdle Overcome, and Best Dressed Team.

FOF thanks the following for their funding support: School District 22, City of Vernon, Community Foundation of North Okanagan, FortisBC, Associated Environmental Consultants Inc., Sperling & Hansen Associates, McElhanney, and Concept Physiotherapy & Massage.

Thank you as well to our in-kind contributors: Roost Solar, Hawthorn Farm Studio, Nature’s Fare, Cobs Bread, Planet Bee Honey Farm, Davison Orchards, Marble Slab Creamery, O’Keefe Historic Ranch, Big Sun Beachwear & Tanning, Cotton’s Chocolates, and Kohler.

Winning Projects

First Place: PASSION FOR FASHION - Ruby Kaltiainen, Olivia Thompson - Seaton Secondary School

PASSION FOR FASHION: First-place overall winners Ruby Kaltiainen (left) and Olivia Thompson from Seaton Secondary worked with mentor Nicole Kohnert from Sperling & Hansen to create reusable bags from waste-bound denim and other fabrics.

Second Place: CITY KIDS GUIDE TO NATURE - Scarlett Withan, Meerub Siddique - Fulton Secondary School

CITY KIDS GUIDE TO NATURE: Second-place overall winners were Meerub Siddique (in photo) and Scarlett Withan from Fulton Secondary.

Third Place: UNDERSTANDING ECO-ANXIETY IN YOUTH - Danica Cowley, Senna Entner, Brooke Sioberg, Brooke Hansen - Seaton Secondary School

UNDERSTANDING ECO-ANXIETY IN YOUTH: Third-place overall winners were Brooke Sioberg (left), Senna Entner, Danica Cowley, and Brooke Hansen from Seaton Secondary. They also won first place in the Community Resilience category.

Winning Projects

Students Choice Award: CARE BOTANICALS - Camryn Mackiewich, Victoria Rush, Evangeline Schiehl - Fulton Secondary School, AIAO

CARE BOTANICALS: Students’ Choice Award winners were Victoria Rush (left), Camryn Mackiewich, and Evangeline Schiehl from Fulton’s AIAO program. They also won first place in the Nature & Biodiversity category.

First Place - Nature & Biodiversity: CARE BOTANICALS - Camryn Mackiewich, Victoria Rush, Evangeline Schiehl - Fulton Secondary School, AIAO

First Place - Agriculture & Food: POWER OF POLLINATORS - Grady Barg, Jonah Deans, Keaton Lamoureux, Deklen McDonald, Leif Richter - Kalamalka Secondary School

First Place -Energy & Buildings: LOW-COST AIR HEATER - Brodie Breber, Chase Ashmore, Dayton Mason, Evan Robertson - Seaton Secondary School

First Place - Waste Reduction: POLYMERS & POLYPORES - Anna MacDuff, Aidan Spicer, Kayden Shaver, Jacob Adkins - Fulton Secondary School, AIAO

First Place - Active Transportation: PROMOTING GREEN TRANSPORTATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: OFF ROADING - Kora Simms - Seaton Secondary School

First Place - Community Resilience: UNDERSTANDING ECO-ANXIETY IN YOUTH - Danica Cowley, Senna Entner, Brooke Sjoberg, Brooke Hansen - Seaton Secondary School

Event Photos