Environmental Technician Students Host Local Girl Guides
November 30, 2022Cornwall Ontario – On November 15, twelve first-year Environmental Technician students re-configured their St. Lawrence College classroom for a hands-on, educational evening designed for local Girl Guides ages 8-11.
Student volunteers from the program were tasked with developing 15 minute educational stations around the themes of science, nature, and the environment. Drawing on their personal and professional interests, students created stations about basic microscope use, the importance of food webs, how plants take in water and nutrients, the impacts of coal mining, as well as various aspects of waste management challenges and solutions.
“It is important that environmental technicians be able to communicate scientific and technical information to a variety of audiences,” said Jordan Ann Kevan de Haan, Environmental Technician Program Coordinator. “The students who volunteered to put on this event got to practice their public speaking skills while making sure the important information they wanted to share about their topics could be understood by a general audience. I’m proud of what these students prepared for the Girl Guides.”
Students recognized that organizing this event had benefits for the community and themselves. “It’s important to teach younger generations about science and the environment and to get them excited and engaged about these topics,” said first year student Cassey O’Connor. “This event also taught me about event planning, leadership skills, and how to step out of my comfort zone, skills that could be helpful in achieving my future career goals.”
Karyn Hart Fagan, Cornwall Girl Guide Leader, agreed that bridging opportunities like these are important for SLC students and the community alike. “The girls definitely enjoyed discovering more about science and nature while learning about St. Lawrence College and its Environmental Technician program. Thank you for a great evening!”
About the Environmental Technician Program
The Environmental Technician program provides a well-rounded background for employment in a wide range of sectors through courses in water and air quality, waste management, occupational health and safety, and environmental assessment. Students benefit from the College’s partnership with the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences. The River Institute, located on the Cornwall Campus, is a centre for scientific research focusing on the St. Lawrence river and the surrounding environment. Scientists at the River Institute are actively involved in the teaching of many of the science and field courses in the program and they work with the College in ongoing program development.
About St. Lawrence College
St. Lawrence College is an integral part of the economic life and social fabric of Eastern Ontario, with campuses in Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall. St. Lawrence College consistently ranks as one of Ontario’s leading community colleges, preparing students for the global economy with relevant, practical, and experiential learning opportunities. Offering over 100 full-time programs, St. Lawrence College is a close-knit community of 10,000 full-time students and more than 100,000 alumni.
You can find out more information on the St. Lawrence College website:
Story and photo submitted by Jordan Ann Kevan de Haan, Professor & Coordinator, Environmental Technician Program
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