Where are they now? Superpower your School winner spotlight

Paperless learning, a food forest, and electronic and food waste reduction help make SenPokChin School one of the greenest schools in British Columbia

One full year has passed since SenPokChin School in Oliver, British Columbia received its prize as part of the Staples Superpower Your School contest. Since then, thanks to new technology and the continued grit, energy and devotion of its school community, much has changed and all for the better!

Students are using iPads purchased from Staples Canada to do research, read on Epic Books, complete quizzes on Kahoots, participate in an online classroom and produce assignments in Language Arts and Creative Arts. The iPads aren't just for the students – teachers are benefitting too! For example, they’re teaching the Okanagan Language through recording equipment and online classroom platforms. Built on the foundations of indigenous knowledge and the identity and pride of sqilxʷ people (The Okanagan People), SenPokChin School has brought this important pillar to a whole new level. The result is a dynamic, engaging, accessible, highly personalized and effective learning environment for youth that minimizes waste of resources.



A recycling program has been a large component of the school’s campaign to minimize its ecological footprint. The student-driven program allows students to collect drink containers from home and their lunch program to minimize landfill waste. So far they have collected more than 1,000 containers and have committed to donating the funds towards a community cause.

The recycling doesn't stop there! Students also make a point of recycling materials, including batteries, plastics, light bulbs, electronics and metals. SenPokChin students have become thoroughly educated on how to sort items and where to properly dispose of them, like their local Staples store, without harming the environment.



SenPokChin also has a Food Forest that’s on its way! The school has recently used its spring crop to supplement the salad bar in May and June of last year. Upon returning to school in September, students harvested beets, carrots and pumpkins for Halloween from their very own pumpkin patch. The students received a new group of hens and say that the eggs are absolutely delicious.

From providing paperless learning to harvesting crops for a healthy and balanced diet, SenPokChin School students continue to build their legacy of being leaders in what is likely one of the greenest schools in British Columbia.