Twenty-three student-led initiatives from 17 schools within the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) have been chosen to receive a $25,000 Youth Climate Action Grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto. This provides funding to student-led projects, activities and events that educate and engage students, families and/or community members on climate actions; help Toronto achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals by 2030; and align with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy for net-zero emissions by 2040.
This is the first year that the TCDSB will receive $25,000 in funding for projects focusing on conservation, sustainable practices and other topics like climate change, an effort led by Bruno Pileggi, a Science, Social Studies and ECO Schools Resource Teacher for K-12 at the TCDSB, in collaboration with Nelson Education, Canada’s leading education content provider.
A three-part process, stage 1 (ideation) and stage 2 (budget proposal) have now been completed. These projects are currently in stage 3: final development and execution. The culmination of the projects – either via an open house, video showcase or an event – has been taking place throughout the month of June.
For each of the projects, Nelson has provided educators with relevant resources on Edwin (its digital learning platform) for foundational and contextual learning on the chosen topics.
How did this initiative come about?
Nelson first worked with Bruno on an EcoArtivism project in 2023 which allowed students to do a deep-dive into an environmental issue. Selected students were introduced to digital content available on Edwin so they could learn, interpret, act and share the learnings. Students were invited to take that knowledge and create an art piece using recyclable materials to tell a story about what they learned. They shared and presented their creation through an EcoArt Expo with other students, teachers and community members. (See video here: https://www.edwin.app/tcdsb-a-district-transformation.)
Bruno was excited to see a cross-curricular approach (math, language arts, social studies, science, after-school clubs, etc.) by teachers, allowing students to share and celebrate their work. The project also focused on helping students develop transferrable skills and 21st century competencies that supported creativity, problem-solving, communications and collaboration. Many students with special needs participated in the initiative.
The EcoArtivism project—co-created and developed in partnership with Edwin and the TCDSB—planted the seed for a powerful cross-board educational experience. What began as a creative collaboration has grown into a transformative initiative, empowering students to think critically about climate change and take meaningful action.
Building on the momentum of EcoArtivism, the TCDSB received a $25,000 Youth Climate Action Grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto.
This new environmental initiative highlights student leadership, environmental stewardship, and our collective responsibility to care for the planet. To deepen and extend the learning, each approved project incorporated Edwin lessons.
The Youth Climate Action Grants support student-led projects that:
– Educate and engage peers, families, and communities around climate action
– Contribute to Toronto’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
– Align with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2040
This integration offered students and teachers greater insight into the topics they were exploring, fostering innovation and real-world connections. From wild bee hotels to clothing fix-it cafés, students addressed diverse themes such as sustainability, biodiversity, responsible consumption, ecomobility, and urban agriculture. Central to every project was a profound respect for Mother Earth and an appreciation of Indigenous Ways of Knowing, which grounded the learning in connection, reciprocity, and care.
Project Details – Project descriptions for all projects can be found here.
For more information on Nelson’s digital learning platform, Edwin, visit: https://edwin.app/.
A Toronto-based Teacher Turned a Small-scale Environmental Project into a Board-wide Climate Initiative with a $25,000 grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto
Posted in Commentary with tags Nelson on June 25, 2025 by itnerdTwenty-three student-led initiatives from 17 schools within the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) have been chosen to receive a $25,000 Youth Climate Action Grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto. This provides funding to student-led projects, activities and events that educate and engage students, families and/or community members on climate actions; help Toronto achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals by 2030; and align with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy for net-zero emissions by 2040.
This is the first year that the TCDSB will receive $25,000 in funding for projects focusing on conservation, sustainable practices and other topics like climate change, an effort led by Bruno Pileggi, a Science, Social Studies and ECO Schools Resource Teacher for K-12 at the TCDSB, in collaboration with Nelson Education, Canada’s leading education content provider.
A three-part process, stage 1 (ideation) and stage 2 (budget proposal) have now been completed. These projects are currently in stage 3: final development and execution. The culmination of the projects – either via an open house, video showcase or an event – has been taking place throughout the month of June.
For each of the projects, Nelson has provided educators with relevant resources on Edwin (its digital learning platform) for foundational and contextual learning on the chosen topics.
How did this initiative come about?
Nelson first worked with Bruno on an EcoArtivism project in 2023 which allowed students to do a deep-dive into an environmental issue. Selected students were introduced to digital content available on Edwin so they could learn, interpret, act and share the learnings. Students were invited to take that knowledge and create an art piece using recyclable materials to tell a story about what they learned. They shared and presented their creation through an EcoArt Expo with other students, teachers and community members. (See video here: https://www.edwin.app/tcdsb-a-district-transformation.)
Bruno was excited to see a cross-curricular approach (math, language arts, social studies, science, after-school clubs, etc.) by teachers, allowing students to share and celebrate their work. The project also focused on helping students develop transferrable skills and 21st century competencies that supported creativity, problem-solving, communications and collaboration. Many students with special needs participated in the initiative.
The EcoArtivism project—co-created and developed in partnership with Edwin and the TCDSB—planted the seed for a powerful cross-board educational experience. What began as a creative collaboration has grown into a transformative initiative, empowering students to think critically about climate change and take meaningful action.
Building on the momentum of EcoArtivism, the TCDSB received a $25,000 Youth Climate Action Grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto.
This new environmental initiative highlights student leadership, environmental stewardship, and our collective responsibility to care for the planet. To deepen and extend the learning, each approved project incorporated Edwin lessons.
The Youth Climate Action Grants support student-led projects that:
– Educate and engage peers, families, and communities around climate action
– Contribute to Toronto’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
– Align with the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2040
This integration offered students and teachers greater insight into the topics they were exploring, fostering innovation and real-world connections. From wild bee hotels to clothing fix-it cafés, students addressed diverse themes such as sustainability, biodiversity, responsible consumption, ecomobility, and urban agriculture. Central to every project was a profound respect for Mother Earth and an appreciation of Indigenous Ways of Knowing, which grounded the learning in connection, reciprocity, and care.
Project Details – Project descriptions for all projects can be found here.
For more information on Nelson’s digital learning platform, Edwin, visit: https://edwin.app/.
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