CELEBRATING 10 YEARS!

INSPIRING CLIMATE ACTION AMONG N.B. YOUTH

ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020 Land acknowledgement

The Gaia Project recognizes and respectfully acknowledges that all of our educational interactions take place on the unsurrendered and unceded traditional lands of Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi'kmaq. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship which the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), Mi’kmaq and Passamaquoddy peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1725. V I S I O N

Unlock the hidden potential of all students and educators to engage in the fight against climate change.

M I S S I O N

Empower youth to take action on climate change through education. THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 03

L E T T E R F R O M T H E E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R

Thank you!

This year marked a turning point at The Gaia Project. Despite the challenges posed by the New Brunswick school shutdown through the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made leaps and bounds towards achieving our mission of empowering youth to take action on climate change through education. Together with ongoing support from our sponsors, board members, staff and teachers, we engaged more students in climate action than ever before.

With your help, Gaia: Led 425 programs in 106 schools from Grade 3 to 12 from September 2019 to March 2020 Delivered Gaia's Climate Quest, a one-month online program that reached over 795 families when schools closed in April 2020 Launched our online Energy Engineers program with over 100 teachers in May 2020

As these unprecedented times continue to pose a range of challenges to the field of education, to our personal health and to our province's economic well-being, The Gaia Project is here working proactively. With the launch of a new five-year strategic plan in the 2020-2021 school year, we will work to connect the dots for educators between climate change, human health, the rights of Indigenous people, and a green and just economic recovery for the province. We will work to adapt our offerings to the new context of education, be it online, socially distanced or blended-learning modules. We will work to be #betterthannormal and #turnitaround for the benefit of New Brunswickers, Canadians and our living planet.

Thank you again for your trust and support. I look forward to our continued partnership in 2020.

Sincerely,

Lizzy Gresh Executive Director THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 04

L E T T E R F R O M T H E C H A I R M A N

The Gaia Project marked our 10th anniversary in 4. We celebrate and very much appreciate all our 2019/20 and despite COVID-19 there is lots to sponsors. Despite their own many business celebrate. challenges, they stayed committed to fighting climate We would like to celebrate that: change by continuing to sponsor our new programs to 1. The Gaia Project has worked hard to be a reach our audience at home. trusted member of the education system in New 5. I would also like to celebrate all the volunteers on Brunswick. This year we are celebrating the results our Board of Directors and Board of Advisors. Despite of the “The Sustainability Education Alliance” their many challenges of adjusting their own work-life survey. The survey identified The Gaia Project as balance, and adjusting to their own workplace the non-government organization most utilized by restrictions they found the time to Zoom into extra N.B. educators in 2019. meetings, crunch numbers, discuss options and make 2. When schools closed due to COVID-19, The Gaia decisions. Project re-emerged with two key programs 6. We are celebrating the arrival of a new Board (Climate Quest and Energy Engineers) and member. Darrin Hoyt CPA (student) became our continued to deliver five weeks of virtual education Treasurer and member of our new Finance to students and teachers. The Gaia team eagerly Committee. Darrin and the Finance Committee embraced and learned new skills as they immediately went to work and were able to keep the independently (in lockdown) produced and posted Board apprised of our changing financial situation as one unique educational activity a day. These were we evaluated options. a valuable resource to keep kids learning even at Unfortunately, climate change is not going away home. anytime soon. It is more important than ever that we 3, The Gaia team stayed safe while adjusting and educate our youth to take action on climate change. rebranding our existing programs so they can be The Gaia Project is doing just that with the help of our delivered to teachers and students this fall in the sponsors and supporters despite the challenges of new virtual world. The future sees us delivering COVID-19. Maybe the next Greta Thunberg will be more of our programs virtually with less road time from New Brunswick. and therefore less greenhouse gas emissions than delivering them in person. Sincerely, George Dashner THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 05

2 0 1 9 / 2 0 2 0 S C H O O L Y E A R A T A G L A N C E

425 9,845 106 PROJECTS STUDENTS SCHOOLS

Throughout this report, you will notice colourful icons. These indicate our dedication to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 06

H I G H L I G H T S O F T H E Y E A R

ENERGY INDIGENOUS SCHOOL SURVEY ENGINEERS PERSPECTIVE SUCCESS

We had a goal of bringing energy The Gaia Project team works The New Brunswick topics to elementary schools this across New Brunswick in a Environmental Network, a year, but we didn't realize how diverse range of communities. To communication network that much of a hit Energy Engineers improve the inclusivity of our links together over 100 non- would be! organization, Gaia has committed profit environmental 3,379 students reached to prioritizing the story of the organizations, released the 150 classrooms visited local Mi'kmaq, Wolastoqey and results of their annual School Passamaquoddy peoples. Sustainability Survey and The Gaia Energy Engineers introduces Staff participated in Project came out on top! students to energy generation Indigenous perspective Teachers reported that The Gaia and green careers. They follow a professional learning Project was their most used narrative about energy use in a We hired a summer intern resource for teaching community all while building through the Future-Ready sustainability themes in the solar panels, wind turbines and Wabanaki program to province. more! conduct research and deliver internal professional learning THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 07 A L W A Y S G E T T I N G G R E E N E R : H A M P T O N H I G H S C H O O L

EcoSchool &

UNESCO School

Laura Myers, teacher at Hampton High School, working with a student in their greenhouse.

Hampton, New Brunswick is home to just over 4,000 citizens. While considered a small Though she would say the students are solely community, its impacts are quite the opposite. responsible for the green initiatives that Nestled in the center of this small but mighty "Either we can sit back, have taken place at their school, we know a town is the local high school where complain and be scared fearless leader on the staff team is necessary sustainability is worn like a badge of honour or we can take action. I to make meaningful change. with solar panels and a greenhouse both The Gaia Project has been lucky enough to work feel that taking action is visible from the parking lot. Not only with Laura on multiple occasions. Through our our only choice." - Laura does the exterior boast of sustainability, Sustainability in Action program, students have the inside is full of teachers keen to instill Myers pinpointed areas where they can implement a climate conscious behaviors within their waste reduction plan. "The ripple effects of The students. Gaia Project have been far-reaching" says Laura. Laura Myers is one of these teachers. She has Just when you think they have done it all, been working with students on projects such Hampton High School and Laura keep going. as the greenhouse, planting a food forest and she also manages the Climate Action team. THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 08

A S T O R Y O F R E S I L I E N C E : R E S P O N D I N G T O C O V I D - 1 9

New Brunswick schools officially closed in March of 2020. With Gaia's traditional delivery method being in- person climate change programming, our game plan needed to change . With students now at home, our new approach was to reach out to parents who were looking to occupy their kids with daily climate conscious activities. Gaia's Climate Quest was born! This program provided daily 795 Registered Families eco-friendly activities for 2,842 students to complete at home Video Views for the month of April.

96% of survey respondants wanted to Our daughter looks forward to remain engaged with The Gaia Project after the daily emails from Gaia's the Climate Quest Climate Quest, especially while we are self isolating! THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 09

A H I S T O R I C P A R T N E R S H I P : E C O S C H O O L S C A N A D A In the fall of 2019, EcoSchools and The Gaia Project embarked on a pilot of Canada’s first national certification program right here in New Brunswick. 15 Schools This was the first time the EcoSchools Certified certification program was offered outside of Ontario. Teachers log eco- actions completed at their schools for a chance to gain bronze, silver, gold or 104 Eco- platinum certification. With an Actions Logged unexpected end to the school year, the partnership will continue into 2020-21 and be available to all English and French schools in N.B.

Gaia's Program Director, Jimmy Therrien, leading a Trash Tracker program at École Grande-Digue. THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 10

C H A L L E N G E S A N D O B S T A C L E S

A Global Pandemic COVID-19 has created many unprecedented challenges for The Gaia Project, the main one being provincial school closures. For 10 years, we have been working with students in person. The pandemic elicited a quick response from Gaia to maintain our position as a leading climate change education non-profit in the province. Under stress, Gaia delivered. Our online Climate Quest, program was able to reach a new audience of parents and community members and deliver a successful educational campaign, launching just 17 days after schools closed.

Professional Learning (PL) Gaia has developed and delivered climate change PL sessions to teachers across the province in French and English via in person sessions, and online webinars. We encountered some challenges including, 1) inconsistencies in session length 2) school closures (up to 60 teachers lost), 3) small percentage of responses to follow up surveys. We are working to reduce barriers and improve our professional learning program for the 2020-2021 school year!

Revising Funding Agreements When COVID-19 forced our business model to change, many of our funder agreements also needed revising. With our mandate of working with students in class, we had to quickly adjust to a distance- learning model. Thank you to our amazing funders who, while dealing with unprecedented changes in their own organizations, stood by us to support our new plan. THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 11 A B I G Y E A R F O R C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Communications Plan 706 For the first time, Gaia created an in-depth communications FOLLOWERS plan and added a full-time Communications Manager position to the team. In support of Gaia's strategic goals, the communications plan includes social media, newsletters, print media, blogs and more. 516 FOLLOWERS

Branded Swag To increase Gaia's visibility in schools across 1,322 New Brunswick, we distributed sustainably LIKES sourced swag including water bottles, stickers and T-shirts.

2,895 EMAIL SUBCRIBERS "The response thus far has been strong and positive from both parents and teachers. Teachers, in particular, are reaching out to Gaia to supplement their learning resources for kids."

3 - HUDDLE ARTICLE REFERENCING GAIA'S CLIMATE QUEST MEDIA MENTIONS THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 12 O U R T E A M

Full-time Staff Student Staff: Back Row (left to right): Steven Greer Jimmy Therrien (Program Director) Samantha Murphy Geoff MacDonald (Director of Climate Change Mathilde Theriault Education) Sue Tran Lizzy Gresh (Executive Director) Becca Ireland Front Row (left to right): Part-time Staff: Ainslee MacMillan (Special Projects Coordinator) Pauline Drost Catherine Rioux (Program Delivery Officer) Brittany MacNaughton (Program Delivery Officer) Jane Burchill (Communications Manager) THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 13 T H A N K Y O U

From everyone at The Gaia Project, we would like to say thank you for all of the support we have received this year.

Funders Collaborators Board of Advisors NB Power NB Department of Brian McCain NB Environmental Education and Early John Reid Trust Fund Childhood Development Frank Camm The McCain EcoSchools Canada The NB Department of Foundation UNB Mi'kmaq-Wolastoqey Education and Early The Harrison McCain Centre Childhood Foundation New Brunswick Development Allison McCain Environmental Network Canaport LNG EOS Eco Energy HR Committee Climate Action Fund Nature NB Carolyn Barnhart (CAF) The Smart Energy Monique LeBlanc Telus Friendly Futures Company Foundation Orange Sprocket Governance Kate Wallace & Co Committee Board of Directors Brilliant Labs Janet Gagnon George Dashner Ducks Unlimited Nick Russon Janet Gagnon Science East Nick Russon Learnsphere Carolyn Barnhart Strategic Fundraising Monique LeBlanc Committee Jordan Kennie George Dashner Darrin Hoyt John Reid Monique LeBlanc Ainslee MacMillan Lizzy Gresh Geoff MacDonald THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 14 T H A N K Y O U

Thank you to all the teachers and schools that welcomed us into their classrooms in the 2019/2020 school year!

ASD-E Bernice MacNaughton Frank L. Bowser School Riverview High School High School Leanne Ferguson Jillian A. Lansdale Brian Corbett Beverly English Christopher B. Battis Tim Carson Mr. Ryan Nicolas Lupien Ashley Baisley Jane Messervier Marie-Josée Poitras Melanie Doucet Chantal Ogilvie Shawna Woods-Roy Claude D. Taylor School Liane Pineau Salem Elementary School Janice Bueno Ashley Flemming Cara Sutherland Jennifer Proulx Deidra Riddle Tina Boutot Hillcrest School Sunny Brae Middle School Karen Mawhinney Kaitlin Smith Baukje David James Trenholn J.M.A. Armstrong/Salisbury West Riverview School Marie-Josée Savoie Middle School Gisele Boudreau Marie-Carmen Savoie Frank Brubacher Lynn-Marie Favreau Genevieve Cormier Jocelyn Cliff Nathan Taylor Alisha Bastarache Port Elgin Regional School Stephanie Galbraith Edith Cavell School Melissa Firlotte Carol Lirette Megan Murray Robyn Leger Steve Aube Jennifer Jones Queen Elizabeth School Tyler Arbuckle Toby Morrell Michelle Robichaud Chantal Lirette Theriault Catherin Sartain Vanessa Fahey Christopher Battis (sub: Isaac Shonda Allen Craig Maskill Trail) Laura Herbert Andra Phillips Ian M Fogarty Jill Culligan Steve Leard THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 15

ASD-S Fundy Middle and High School Kennebecasis Valley High Barnhill Memorial School Amy Adams School Mary Ashton Sean Gorman Colleen Logan Beaconsfield Middle School Hammond River Valley Margaret Ryan Mary Kennedy Fulton Elementary School Millidgeville North School Joseph Murphy Pam Martin Matthew Mactavish Campobello Island Jason Snow Quispamsis Middle School Consolidated School Jeremy Saldago Lorraine Lamey Amanada Whittier Claudia Hooper Rothesay Elementary School Jamie Murphy Hampton High School Leah Thompson Sonia Chute Michael Corasaniti Jillian Kiervin Deer Island Community Vanessa Chamberlain Jillian Dunlop School Karla Lamb Trina Kitchen Brent Anderson Laura Myers Mireille Conley Stephanie Lawson Jayne Kingston Fairvale Elementary School Harry Miller Middle School Kara Johnston Angela Sanford Mariel Prosser Francine Beaulieu Stephanie Chapman Ross Julie Matthews Connie Culligan Melissa Dumas Saint John High School Judith Kilpatrick Louise Leger Ada McKim Andre Robichaud Kathleen Guitard Seaside Park Elementary Megan Watt Island View School School Tracy Taylor MIchelle Ruigrok Stefan Warner Peter Wallace Kristy Leger Sarah Aucoin Angela Sanford Kendra MacDougall St. John the Baptist/King Katherine Johnson Katelyn Pettigrew Edward School Forest Hills School Heather Robinson Leslie Hamilton Brown Pamela Hawkins Colleen Hazen St. Malachy's Memorial High Alicia Donovan Melissa Hayward King School Nathan Cameron Trina Goguen Emily Duff Aaron Abbott THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 16

St. Stephen High School Chipman Elementary School Harold Peterson Middle School Tom Hart Catherine Campbell (sub for Pamela Thomas Sussex Regional High Susan Weaver) Hartland Community School School Chipman Forest Avenue School Susan Culberson Stephanie Walsh James Gibson Margo Springer Jeff Cawley Connaught Street School Becky Hovey Vincent Massey Elementary Molly O'Shea School Joanne Quinn Jan Briggs Lesley Oleary Devon Middle School Samantha Jellett Westfield School Christy Hennigar Michaela Green Doaktown Elementary School Cassandra Chase Meghan Gorman Loey Parker Marc Hostetler Laura Janes Donald Fraser Memorial School Meghan Fox Mary Beth McKeown Lisa Doucette Gabrielle Maillet Carolyn Stevenson High School Meduxnekeag Consolidated Melanie Dupuis Ian Ohsberg School Michelle Harley Kim MacDonald William McKinley Jennifer Floyd Hart Andrew Meek Lori Baird Dwight Dunfield Minto Elementary Middle ASD-W Gillian McMullen School Bath Community School Emily Jarvis Kara Pond Stacy McCarthy Garden Creek School Janie Dasset Beth Thomas Lisa McNeil Jennifer Leblanc Bliss Carman Middle School Mark Slack Amanda Daley Katlin Copeland Emily Greenwell Crystal Roberts Cambridge-Narrows Meredith Briden Kelli Chase Community School Gibson-Neill Memorial Nackawic Senior High School Morgan Levesque Elementary School Kathy Campbell Canterbury High School Gordon Linder Nashwaaksis Memorial School Julie Brown Eric Ryan Sonya House Centreville Community Kevin Porter Elizabeth MacArthur School Anita Curran Brittany Monteith Elaine Brennan Jennie Niles THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 17

Nashwaaksis Middle School ASD-N DSF-NE Jessica Curry Bathurst High School École L'Envolée New Maryland Elementary Shannon Lavigne Janick Robichaud School Paul Robichaud Joelle Mallet Sara MacKay Alice Walker École L'Étincelle Melissa Gaudet Blackville School Catherine Mazerolle Sean McInerney Ashley Hallihan Martin Degrâce Christopher Graves Allan Carter Mylène Jones Melissa O'Keefe École La Relève-de-Saint- Trista Michaud-Hachey Paula Davidson Isidore Rhonda Parsons Bonar Law Memorial School Yvan Arseneau Susan Belliveau Katherine Halas Moulton École La Source Joanne McDonald Max Aitken Academy Annie Lebouthillier Carri Gray Erin Kingston Kim Breau Jonathan Allen Miramichi Valley High School École La-Rivière Brent Rowney Matthew Stewart Jasmine Saulnier Jeff Ring Kathy MacDonald Céline Lanteigne Park Street Elementary École Le Tremplin School Marie-Michelle Paulin Sara Facey Benson Michèle Sonier Summerhill Street Joey Girouard Elementary School École Léandre-LeGresley Meagan Walsh-Graham Béatrice Chevat Winifred Clerk École Marguerite-Bourgeoys Jacqueline Rowan Dorice Roussel Christie Jordan Chantal Lanteigne Lyne Lebouthillier Berthe Albert Isabelle Fournier Hélène Légere THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 18

École Marie-Esther École Grande-Rivière École Abbey-Landry Isabelle Chiasson Henri Poitras Lisa Bourgeois-Richard Janie Fauteux Joannie Morin Dany Emond Cécile Gauvin Tammy Bolduc Jenny Beaulieu École Soeur-Saint- École Marie-Gaétane Danielle Martin Alexandre Marie-Andrée Desjardins Tanya Bellefleur Liza-Joannie Ouellet Valérie Ratté École Antonine-Maillet Linda Rioux École Notre-Dame Mélissa Ouellet Le Galion des Appalaches Tracy Desbiens Julie McGraw Nathalie Babin École Saint-Jacques Diane Ferguson Yolande Bouffard Renée-Pier Abud Nadine Bourque Place-des-Jeunes Teressa Turgeon Dufour Sheena King-Collette Joelle Legresley Francine Dumont-Roussel École Arc-en-ciel Polyvalente Louis-Mailloux Julie Corriveau Elaine Levesque Patrick Comeau Tina Roussel Annie Pelletier Émélie Ouellette Karine Lagacé Janice Levesque Polyvalente Roland-Pépin Michelle Gaumont Chantal Ouellette-Parent Lynne Mélissa Oakes Amélie Dion Philip Martin Bélanger Carine Perron-Cousineau Alain Alexandra Senay Yanick Moyen Maxie Jason Rousselle École Blanche-Bourgeois Mimie Manon St-Onge Louise Guilbeault Polyvalente W.-Arthur- Polyvalente A.-J.-Savoie Josée McIntyre Losier Maude Thériault École Calixte-F.-Savoie Monique Robichaud Pauline Dubé-Talbot Tiffany Poirier Dion Hébert Chantal Cormier DSF-S Bernice McDonald DSF-NO Centre scolaire Samuel-de- École Camille-Vautour École communautaire Champlain Annette Goguen Bah Ernest-Lang Marie-Luce Claveau Nathalie Allain Carole Nadeau Christine Roy Tina Arsenault-Poirier Manon-Lynn Pelletier Karen Power École Carrefour Beausoleil Alain Ouellette Karine Lang Fannie Lupien Eric Levesque THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 19

École Champlain École Mathieu-Martin École Sainte-Anne Mélanie Demers Pierre Ouellette Monique Livingston Cathy Comeau Sophie VIenneau Cédrick Gallant École Clément-Cormier Daniel Arsenault Renée Spence France Fortin-Surette Hélène Arpin Monique Poirier André Roy Tammie Boudreau Étoile de l'Acadie Debbie Belliveau École Mgr-François-Bourgeois Annie Landry Mylène Hébert Chantal Daigle Maribeth Maillet École Grande-Digue Rémi Audoux Justine Chiasson Josee LeBlanc Daniel Belliveau Véronique Veillette Joline Bourgeois-Richard Suzanne LeBlanc Polyvalente Louis-J.-Robichaud Josée LeBlanc École Mgr-Marcel-François- Robert Bourque Jacynthe LeBlanc Richard Véronique Thompson Ghislain Arseneau Emilie Julien Dayna Cormier Nadine Thériault-Albert Danielle Cormier Lynn Pollock Norma Vautour Cormier Joanne Nadine Caroline LeBlanc Cindy Caissie Shyann Caissie Sylvie Dionne École L'Odyssée Marie-Claude LeClair Anik Guay Carole Hébert-Robichaud Linda Savoie École Notre-Dame Josée St-Onge Stéphanie Boudreau Elisa Richard Kathie Brideau Audrée Thériault Isabelle Deschenes École Le Mascaret École Régionale de Baie-Sainte- Nicole Gaudet Anne Charline Arsenault-Leblanc Sonia École Les Éclaireurs Fabrice Tomasselo Kathleen Brideau THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 20

R E V E N U E : $ 5 3 0 , 1 9 7

E X P E N S E S : $ 5 3 6 , 3 7 6 THE GAIA PROJECT PAGE | 21

231 Regent Street, Suite 102 Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 3W8 506.230.2180 [email protected] www.thegaiaproject.ca