Vision

Pembina Trails Collegiate is a brand-new high school opened in September 2023. PTC is situated on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe, Ininew and Dakota Nations as well as the traditional trade and travel routes of the Anishininew, Dene and Inuit. PTC acknowledges that we are on Treaty One territory and the homeland of the Red River Metis. The water we drink comes Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations in Manitoba. We are committed to creating a community that will embody a harmonious blend of modern education and indigenous wisdom, guided by the 6Cs: Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. We strive to create a campus where the teachings of the land are integrated into every aspect of our learning, fostering a deep respect for nature and our role as stewards of the environment. Recycling, upcycling, composting, and waste reduction will be woven into the fabric of our daily routines. Through collaborative projects and innovative thinking, students will learn to value resources, reduce their ecological footprint, and contribute to a thriving, sustainable community.

At the heart of this vision is the Terra Titans, a growing student group dedicated to sustainable practices. Their hope for our new high school is to cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious leaders who understand the interconnectedness of all living things. By embracing the principles of sustainability and indigenous knowledge, the Terra Titans aim to inspire their peers and the wider community to take meaningful action. Together, we will create a school environment that not only educates but also empowers, nurturing a sense of responsibility to our planet and acknowledgement of the effects of our actions.

Action

As we are a new school, learning to build community and establish norms, the Terra Titans Environmental Club decided to start a low-key soft campaign of waste reduction by the launch of compost collection in both the student Multipurpose room (cafeteria) and staff lunchroom. They also decided to roll out paper-recycling collection in the school administrative and student support offices. The club made their decision based on a garbage audit of the MPR after a typical lunch hour. The club did not evaluate the existing paper-recycling habits of the office staff, but decided to faciliate the collection by providing letter-sized recycling containers in each office, with the plan to provide similar sized recycling bins to classroom teachers next year. Staff are currently responsible for depositing their recycling collection into a common bin in the staff workroom, but the club hopes to facilitate collection by volunteers next year once we move to school-wide adoption.
The club purchased 3 kitchen compost pails, a moveable tumbling outdoor composter and 20 paper recycling collection containers with the support from a LSF grant. Once Phase 2 construction of the school is complete (September 2026), the club is hoping to expand the compost collection, and establish a expanded permanent compost location on school grounds.

Reflection & Celebration

The Terra Titans Environmental Club is proud of their efforts, and are excited about adding grade 12 and 400 more students to our campus next year. We hope to work in collaboration with interdisciplinary teachers on future projects that will also reflect indigenous ways of knowing and living in harmony with the land. The club is hopeful to expand their recycling and composting efforts next year and excited to add new members to their ranks.

Links