A local environmental education group has been nominated in BC Hydro's Community Champions program.
The Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network (CBEEN) is the only East Kootenay finalist in the program, which will see five B.C. groups win a $10,000 conservation award.
"We are extremely pleased to have received a submission from an organization in the East Kootenay and it's very exciting to see them chosen as one of 15 finalists from 34 high quality video entries BC Hydro received," said Sally Masters, BC Hydro East Kootenay Community Relations.
"The Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network provides important educational programs in schools in the Columbia Basin and is recognized for their environmental leadership in our community."
This award program recognizes non-profit organizations within British Columbia that demonstrate environmental leadership in their community.
The public can vote for CBEEN daily until November 15 by going to www.bchydro.com/communitychampions.
"If CBEEN was to win this award, it would allow 1,000 more students from the Columbia Basin with the opportunity to take part in environmental education field trips and presentations," CBEEN said in a statement.
Last year, CBEEN made it possible for over 8,000 students to take part in 345 environmental education presentations and field trips across the six school districts of the Columbia Basin. These included outdoor excursions such as snowshoeing, avalanche safety training, pond explorations and opportunities to see Kokanee Salmon spawning.
In-class presentations cover topics such as endangered local wildlife and the history of our area in the form of fossils and archeology.
CBEEN currently has 79 local community educators who deliver over 150 curriculum linked programs. The public can learn more about WVFK and the programs available by going to www.cbeen.org/wvfk.
The Community Champions Program also engages youth via BC school classrooms on conservation projects by offering valuable lesson plans around sustainability and asking classrooms to determine which non-profit organization participating in the program they wish to support. By participating, their classroom is entered into a random draw for a chance to win a $1,000 award to use towards their own school-based conservation project.
"We encourage the public and schools to visit www.bchydro.com where they can vote and support a local submission," added Masters.