Members of the Canadian football League's B.C. Lions were in three Surrey elementary schools late last month as part of the FortisBC Energy Champions program.
Now in its third season, the program is designed for children in kindergarten through Grade 7, emphasizing the importance of environmental responsibility and being an "Energy Champion."
In 2011, the initiative visited 75 elementary schools throughout British Columbia, inspiring
more than 25,000 students to play an active role in reducing their environmental footprint.
Lions Jason Arakgi and Jon Hameister-Ries were at Martha Jane Norris Elementary on March 28, and at Royal Heights Elementary a day later. Team members Rolly Lumbala and Ben Archibald delivered the program to students at Westerman Elementary March 29.
The Lions also presented Be More Than a Bystander to several schools throughout the province.
With the support of funding partners Status of Women Canada and the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development, another program – Be More Than a Bystander – is aimed at substantially increasing understanding of the impact of violence against women.
Now in its second season, the program breaks the silence surrounding violence against women and girls by providing tools, language and practical ideas about how to be more than a bystander, how to speak up, and how to communicate that violence and abuse is not acceptable.
Lions players have given 40 presentations of the program at British Columbia secondary schools where players spoke to students in Grades 8 through 12 about healthy, respectful relationships.
Presentations of the two programs were also done in North Vancouver, Burnaby, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek.