A group of Burnaby students waged war against alien invaders at Deer Lake Park last week.
Volunteers with the Burnaby Youth Sustainability Network (BYSN) spent three sweltering hours in the park last Thursday, pulling up invasive plants, like policeman’s helmet, an invasive species that produces thousands of seeds from one flower alone.
Aimed at preserving biodiversity in Deer Lake Park, the event was the second invasive-species-removal bee planned by BYSN chair Alice Huang – and it won’t be the last.
“We’re planning on hosting more removals to get youth making an impact on their communities,” said the Grade 12 Moscrop student.
Her fellow volunteers (Salina Kung, Simon Lin, Linda Lei, Lucy Li, Gillian Xu, Lijia Zhang, Angelina Ge and Ryan Lu) hail from Moscrop, Alpha and Burnaby South.
BYSN is a student-led organization founded in 2010 to unite youth in the Burnaby school district around environmental sustainability.
Calling class of ‘65
If you graduated from Burnaby North Senior Secondary the year the Maple Leaf became Canada’s new flag and Help was the Beatles newest hit, it’s time for your 50th reunion, and organizers are looking for you.
Burnaby North’s Class of ’65 celebrates five decades post high school Sept. 18 and 19. Out of a grad class of about 500, organizers are missing contact information for about 140 classmates.
Grads only will gather at the Vancouver Golf Club (771 Austin Ave., Coquitlam) Sept. 18 from 7 p.m. to midnight for appetizers and a cash bar. Cost is $50.
Grads and significant others are invited to the Deer Lake Rugby Club (3760 Sperling Ave.) Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a barbecue and cash bar. Cost is $20, to be paid by cheque made out to: BNSS 50th Grad Reunion. Sent to: c/o Lynn Erickson, 1818-140A St., Surrey, B.C. V4A 6S2. Deadline is Aug. 15.
For more information, call 604-531-8232 or email [email protected].
SD40 Pride
The Burnaby school district is putting out a call for students, parents and staff who want to walk in the Vancouver Pride Parade or help out building the district’s float. School District No. 41 will join the parade for the third time this year, and anyone interested in participating can visit www.sd41.bc.ca/pride-
parade-2015 and sign up for information updates, including when and where to meet for building the float, which will feature an old-school classroom, complete with student and teacher desks and a chalkboard this year.
The 37th Annual Pride Parade – one of the world’s largest celebrations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer/questioning communities – starts at noon Aug. 2 in Vancouver’s West End.
The Burnaby school district got involved as a way to support its sexual-orientation and gender-identity policy, adopted in 2011, according to Suzanne Vardy, coordinator of district student safety and child-abuse prevention.
“It’s just in support of that and to show that Burnaby schools are welcoming, inclusive places to be for staff and students,” she said.
Have an item for Class Act? Send education and school-related ideas to Cornelia, [email protected].
