Citizens for a Clean Caledon offers Seglins bursaries

Past winners of the CCC bursary included Kirsten Bojarra (graduate of Mayfield) and Laura Roberson (graduate of Humberview).

The Citizens for a Clean Caledon bursary committee is offering three bursaries for secondary students planning to attend university or college this fall.

Students who have been involved in their community and have extracurricular activities related to the area of environment and are in their final year at one of Caledon's three secondary schools (Robert F Hall, Humberview and Mayfield) are eligible to apply. Applications must be in by July 1.

The Citizens for a Clean Caledon (CCC) is an environmental action group of volunteers established by the Town of Caledon in 1995. The CCC promotes programs designed to enhance and protect Caledon's Environment. Programs include Battery Recycling, Clean Air - Clean Energy, Caledon's Green Directory, Healthy Lawns - Healthy People, Rain Barrels and education bursaries. The bursaries are funded by the CCC Saver Rain Barrel program in the name of former mayor Carol Seglins. She was the driving force behind the Town of Caledon's environmental efforts including the establishment of the Citizens for a Clean Caledon group in 1995.

The winners of the 2006 Citizens for a Clean Caledon Bursary were Laura Robertson from Mayfield Secondary and Kirsten Bojarra from The Humberview School. Both winners were involved in environmental projects at high school and have continued at university.

Laura Robertson is just finishing her first year in environmental engineering at the University of Guelph. "Through this program I am learning how to design ways to remediate the damage that has been done to our planet," she said.

Laura hopes to focus on air and water quality and is considering a minor in international development. She is part of the Engineers Without Borders organization on campus and is helping plan a conference called GROW - Global Citizens Reaching out to the World. On top of this Laura has a long-term focus with plans to take a graduate program in environmental engineering that relates to environmental protection once she completes her undergrad.

Kirsten Bojarra, the other bursary winner, is continuing in engineering at McMaster University this fall. For her second year she is specializing in materials science. This past year she was involved in the annual RevWear Fashion show for which she made a dress from used and found materials. The show featured clothing for different issues including the environment and animal rights.

Kirsten would like to see people's actions change. "People have fallen into the habit of not thinking about the implications of their actions on a daily basis … they should ask what is the full environmental impact?" She encourages people to take simple steps like brewing your own coffee in the morning to make a difference.

Both Kirsten and Laura's continued involvement with the environment makes them great examples and an inspiration for all citizens of Caledon.

If you or someone you know shares a commitment for the environment similar to Kirsten and Laura then get details of the CCC bursaries and how to apply from the Web site, www.citizensforacleancaled on.org or ask in the office at one of the three local high schools.

CCC is a volunteer organization that meets the first Thursday, September through June in the Caledon municipal offices. The CCC can be contacted by emailing them at info@citizensforacleancaled on.org or by calling the CCC at 905- 58G-REEN for more information.