Mike Barrett
Dylan DiLecce (left), David Li and Vino Jeyapalan of Markville Secondary School hope to team up with reps from other Markham secondary schools to form a youth network on enviromental issues.
Markham
July 11, 2007 09:07 PM
Serena Willoughby
Markham teenagers are thinking locally and acting regionally.
The Youth Environmental Network is a group of students from 10 different Markham high schools who have come together to co-ordinate efforts and the efforts of the environmental clubs at high schools across the region.
The founder of the group, Vino Jeyapalan, is co-chairperson of the Markham mayor’s task force. Through the group, he met students from other high schools who are as passionate as he is about the environment.
The Grade 10 student at Markville Secondary School has been involved in environmental initiatives at his school for the past two years.
At his school, he has been part of smaller initiatives to benefit the environment, such as community clean-ups and creating an environmental club.
With the youth environmental network, he wants to take on even larger projects.
After working as a volunteer for the York environmental alliance, he decided he wanted to form a similar group, for youth.
So, the network was born and it formed a partnership with the York Region environmental alliance to create awareness about local environmental initiatives and drive membership of their group.
And while the group is still in its infancy, Vino has big plans.
He is hoping to get funding from the Town of Markham to organize a conference for groups across the region to discuss what they are doing to help the environment.
“Our aim is to raise awareness amoung students in York Region of growing ecological concerns in the world,” he said.
They also have plans to create a ranking of how environmentally friendly each high school is, provide workshops and develop a website.
And they plan to Adopt-a-park, through a program offered by Markham.
The network has an executive composed of Vino, Dani Saad, publicity co-ordinator and David Li, Outreach co-ordinator.
While the group doesn’t yet have their own website, you can check the York Region Environmental Alliance website for updates about the youth alliance at
www.yrea.org