On June 19, 2018, grade 8 students from DTHS ventured out to Abraham Lake to rid the shoreline of litter left behind by careless campers.  The event was registered with The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which DTHS is proud to host annually.

This year, our students removed more than 700 pieces of trash from the shoreline at Abraham Lake.  Our hope is when campers arrive to a clean site, they will feel a sense of responsibility to leave a clean site upon their departure.

Teacher Janine Morrish states, “Participating in a Shoreline Cleanup is about much more than just picking up a bit of garbage.  At David Thompson High School we are passionate about helping our students become informed, contributing members of our community.  Of course, this activity connects to outcomes from our Science and Health/Leadership curriculums, but it is much more than that. It is about taking our students out to just one of the beautiful natural areas within Clearwater County and showing them why being a responsible citizen matters.  We are showing these students that protecting our watershed matters while they have a relaxed and enjoyable outdoor experience because the truth is often our most powerful learning experiences happen outside of the classroom."

Pupils found the day “interesting” and “surprising”, while student Shaelynn Todd provided further insight, “We are very passionate about coming together as a community to help tidy up our environment.”

Through hands-on learning, students realize that there is power in positive action, and that their contribution to our environment can have real, lasting change.