Caring for Creation Across OCSB
From school gardens and battery recycling drives to outdoor classrooms and student-led environmental projects, OCSB students are showing that caring for creation is not just something they learn about. It is something they live every day.
This year, 42 Ottawa Catholic School Board schools, both elementary and secondary, achieved EcoSchools certification, reflecting a strong commitment to environmental stewardship across our system. Since OCSB first joined the program in 2008, schools have continued to build on that foundation, with 26 of this year’s certified schools sustaining their efforts for ten years or more.
For Catholic schools, caring for creation is more than an environmental initiative. It is a reflection of our faith and our responsibility to be good stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to us.
Rooted in Our Eco-Framework
EcoSchools certification aligns closely with the OCSB Eco-Framework, which guides how environmental learning, faith, and action come together in our schools. Through classroom learning, school-wide initiatives, and everyday choices, students and staff are helping create school communities that care for the environment and for one another.
Students Leading the Way
Across OCSB, students are taking an active role in creating positive change within their schools. Waste diversion remains a major focus, with student-led sorting programs, battery recycling drives, and creative reuse projects taking place throughout the system.
At some schools, students are even transforming used markers into watercolour paint, giving new life to materials that might otherwise end up in the landfill. These projects demonstrate how simple ideas can inspire meaningful action and encourage others to think differently about waste.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Outdoor learning continues to play an important role in many schools. Through activities such as “Sit Spots,” students spend time outdoors observing, reflecting, and connecting with the natural world.
The use of #ocsbOutdoors Nature Backpacks is also expanding across grade levels, helping students explore local ecosystems through hands-on learning experiences that support curiosity, inquiry, and a deeper appreciation for creation.
Growing, Planting, and Sustaining
School communities are also bringing environmental learning to life through gardening and biodiversity projects. From hydroponic towers that support school salad days to pollinator gardens and student-built birdhouses, students are gaining a deeper understanding of ecosystems while helping create healthy habitats for local wildlife.
These projects provide opportunities to learn about sustainability while seeing firsthand how small actions can contribute to a healthier environment.
Honouring Indigenous Ways of Knowing
Many schools are deepening their understanding of Indigenous perspectives through environmental learning. Students are exploring the connection between people, land, and community through initiatives such as Three Sisters gardens, sharing circles, and opportunities to learn from Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers.
These experiences help students develop a greater appreciation for Indigenous ways of knowing while fostering respect, relationship, and responsibility.
Connecting Everyday Actions to Bigger Ideas
Whether it is reducing waste, planting a garden, conserving energy, or participating in a school-wide environmental campaign, students are learning that their actions matter.
Across OCSB, students are discovering that stewardship begins with everyday choices. Together, they are learning how individual actions can contribute to stronger communities and a healthier future.
Looking Ahead
The continued growth of EcoSchools certification across OCSB reflects a shared commitment to faith-filled stewardship, environmental responsibility, and student leadership.
Each certified school represents a community of students, staff, and families working together to care for creation and make a positive difference in their world.
For more information about the EcoSchools program, visit EcoSchools Canada
