COLD LAKE - On March 19, the Cold Lake High School (CLHS) Best Buddies program received a unique and educational presentation from the school's Envi-Royals Club as part of their Shark Ambassador program.
The hands-on shark education workshop explored different species of sharks through a slideshow presentation, answered questions, and included interactive activities.
The final workshop of the initiative, which took place at 6:30 p.m at the CLHS library, aimed to raise awareness about shark conservation, while fostering connections between students of all backgrounds.
"It was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun. That shark costume was fun. I thought it was great," said Natalie Erling, a Grade 11 student and member of the Envi-Royals Club, reflecting on the engaging nature of the presentations.
The Shark Ambassador program was spearheaded by CLHS teacher Jen Dusyk-Johnson, who was selected to participate in the Shark Teacher & Educators Course at the Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas in August 2024. She brought her knowledge and enthusiasm back to Cold Lake, where students took the lead in educating others.
"This will be the last shark one for this year, but we're hoping to have a kit that the Grade 3 teachers can sign out," Dusyk-Johnson explained. "It just depends on who's in the club and how we can make it work."
The Envi-Royals Club is a student-led environmental organization. The club played a key role in the program’s success.
"It's basically like a club for students that want to help the environment on a local scale, a worldwide scale, and a provincial scale, even just Canada as a whole," said Grade 12 student Preslee Jaques.
The workshop was inspired when Dusk-Johnson shared her knowledge with students, who were enthusiastic about the idea and took the initiative to create it.
The club's efforts have reached beyond the high school, bringing conservation awareness to elementary school students and now, the Best Buddies program.
"We've been working together to do a bunch of things, including the shark presentation," Jaques explained.
The Best Buddies program at CLHS is designed to foster inclusion by pairing students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities, building friendships and promoting social engagement.
Throughout the year, Best Buddies gather monthly for a variety of social activities, ranging from bowling outings to themed science nights. This time, the Shark Ambassador presentation provided an opportunity to combine environmental education with friendship-building.
"It helps them stay connected, and each month we focus on a different theme," said Angela Nagoya, a CLHS teacher involved with both the Best Buddies program and the Shark Ambassador workshop.
Sam Milne, a teacher involved in the Best Buddies Program, said the initiative brings students together who might not otherwise interact, fostering meaningful connections and encouraging inclusivity.
For the Envi-Royals Club members, the experience was just as impactful.
"I learned a lot myself too," said Maddie Campbell. "I guess it's really important, because we are kind of, like, spearheading it as young people, but then as we grow up, it's going to be our world to take care of."
She added that the presentations helped change student's perceptions of sharks, promoting awareness and reducing fear by highlighting their true nature and importance in the ecosystem.
Dusyk-Johnson hopes the project’s ripple effect will continue.
"I just feel like once people care about something, they're going to be more willing to conserve, take conservation measures, and tell their friends and family," she said.
