Arbutus Global Middle School 2014

Feb 17/19th
Community School Interviews : First Nations, Inclusion, Sustainability

Justin Blanchfield
Student feedback and learning
Standout moments and  stories
Justin Blanchfield is a Professional Mechanical Engineer living in Victoria, BC. His career is focused on the sustainable development of our communities by minimizing our ecological impact on the environment. Justin has extensive experience in energy conservation and renewable energy generation. Prior to joining SES Consulting Inc., Justin gained valuable engineering experience in a diverse range of projects including water and wastewater treatment and distribution, energy recovery, resource management, and mathematical modelling.

Justin volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and is passionate about urban farming, permaculture, community building, and playing in the mountains, ocean and woods with his friends and family. <What students said about Justin at Arbutus > <His 2008 talk> <2013 talk< 2010 talk>

Themes:
Energy conservation
• Sustainable and renewable energy systems
• Developing the skills that help the environment
• Engineering: being in a position to do really cool things and foster change
• Urban agriculture

Sarah Fletcher 

Student Feedback
Standout  moments and stories

Sarah talks about relieving stress for immigrant youth>

New mom, medical anthropologist, PhD (almost 🙂 ex-rockstar (but does that ever really go away ?) social activist, world traveller and community based researcher.. 6 years ago she was trying to decide whether to continue in the music business or go back to school to start a PhD, carrying out research in Burkina Faso. Well, she made lots of choices but they involved neither of those options!

Her studies and work have taken her all over the world. Her passion for learning, and her drive for high performance have helped her receive full scholarship for all her post secondary education.  Her life and career have changed repeatedly as she explores new options. She has a knack of opening doors to new adventures.

Now she’s almost finished her PhD in Medical Anthropology, where she focused on Stress and immigrant youth and worked with arts based methods (photography) and other research methods to engage a team of youth research in social action to enhance resilience and provide supports for other immigrant youth in Victoria. She also works on a number of health related projects up island; the main project currently involves working with First Nations youth from all over the island, creating digital stories to promote health and preserve cultural knowledge.

Themes:

  • Overcoming adversity
  • The music business
  • Being ready for surprises
  • Road trips and other adventures
  • Being a global citizen
  • Upcoming adventures

Elizabeth May, Member of Parliament
Student Feedback
Standout moments and stories

View an earlier  interview
An environmental activist since her teens, Elizabeth May left her position as Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada to run successfully for leader of the Green Party of Canada in 2006. Elizabeth May, who is a lawyer and author, is media savvy and knows how to get attention for her causes. Although she failed to win a seat in Parliament when she ran in a by-election in London North in 2006, it was under her leadership that an Independent member of parliament joined the Green Party just before the 2008 election, giving the party its first MP. In the 2011 she became the first elected Green Party member of parliament.

Interview at Lansdowne on Embridge/ Tarsands, including student feedback 2012.
How government works (2010)

Themes:
The role of people in influencing government environmental policy
Getting attention from the media around climate change or other social issues
Demands and benefits of being a green politician
How can one person affect change
Leadership in 2014

With support from…

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The views and opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of Odlum Brown Limited or Bruce McFarlane.