Simcoe Grey MPP Jim Wilson took time recently to honour a special group of students and their teacher from Cameron Street Public School in Collingwood. Wilson spoke about the Cameron Street Public School Environmental Club in the Ontario Legislature, honouring the club for receiving the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement. Here is the text of Mr. Wilson's statement:

"I rise today to pay tribute to the Environmental Club at Cameron Street Elementary School in Collingwood for receiving the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement in natural heritage.

Made up of 15 students from Grades 3 to 8, the Club has taken a leadership role at school and in the community organizing a variety of activities to not only raise awareness, but also help the environment.

Among other things, the Club holds a litter-less lunch once a week, Walk to School Wednesdays and a school wide recycling program. They also provide mentoring services to younger grades, by leading initiatives such as a kindergarten class-composting program.

Environmental awareness and action can never begin at too early of an age. The work the Club has done thus far is representative of the student's incredible dedication to the environment and indicative of a sense of civic duty that is well beyond their years.

On behalf of all the residents of Simcoe-Grey, I want to congratulate the Cameron Street School Environmental Club for receiving this very prestigious award. And I want to thank their Principal Mike Giffen, their teacher Ruth Hall, and all of the Club members for improving our environment and for setting an excellent example for us all.

Watch video of Wilson's statement

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The Honourable David C. Onley presented the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Awards to 19 individuals and three youth groups for outstanding achievements to preserve, protect and promote Ontario's heritage on Thursday February 21st, including an award presentation to the Collingwood Cameron Street Public School Environment Club.

The Honourable James K. Bartleman established these awards in 2007, in partnership with the Ontario Heritage Trust, to recognize outstanding volunteer contributions to the preservation of Ontario’s heritage. The Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement, awarded through a special category in the Trust’s Heritage Community Recognition Program, recognizes individuals who have made sustained volunteer contributions to preserving, protecting and promoting community heritage over a period of 25 years or more. The Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement, awarded through the Trust’s annual Young Heritage Leaders program, recognizes the most exceptional youth group in each of the built, cultural and natural heritage nomination categories, and the most outstanding individual nominee across all categories

On Thursday morning, 17 Cameron Street Students, teacher Ruth Hall and Mayor Chris Carrier left the school to travel to Toronto to receive the award. "These may be small people but they've made a big difference" said Mayor Carrier.

The Cameron Street School Environment Club has shown a particular interest in the Silver Creek Wetlands.  In fact, the Club has sent a letter to the Town in an effort to draw more attention to the need to preserve the wetlands. Mayor Carrier has been a long time advocate of preserving the west end Silver Creek Wetlands. The Ministry of Natural Resources has classified the 200-plus acre area as "provincially significant."