WINNIPEG, MB – Tonight, 25 students at William Whyte School will celebrate their upcoming participation in a meaningful science program, thanks to a generous $25,000 grant from Enbridge presented to The University of Winnipeg.
The Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus program allows Grade 5 and 6 children to come to UWinnipeg’s campus once a week for 10 weeks to do various types of science activities including DNA sampling and blood typing, and constructing mechanical machines. The Enbridge sponsorship – granted as part of the Enbridge School Plus Program – will be used for transportation, nutrition for the children, supplies and equipment for the activities.
“We have a commitment to our community to close the graduation gap that exists in the inner-city,” said UWinnipeg President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Lloyd Axworthy. “The Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus program is a key part of that commitment. The program helps us erase the line between our campus and our community. It fits well with our other community learning activities including organizing Winnipeg’s largest and free inner-city summer camp, mentoring local students, sharing our campus and our state-of-the-art fitness facility with nearby residents, and the offering of free lectures, conferences, workshops, homework help, and computer access to neighbourhood youth and families.”
Science professors and UWinnipeg Collegiate instructors are involved in running the Eco-Kids activities. To date, students from six Winnipeg schools have benefited from the Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus program. William Whyte is the seventh school in the program, which is now in its fourth year.
“Our investment in the Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus program goes right to the heart of our commitment to help make communities better places to live,” said D’Arcy Levesque, Vice President, Public & Government Affairs, Enbridge. “By encouraging Aboriginal students to find value in education by enriching their learning, we hope to inspire a new generation of students to start thinking about university as a real possibility for their own future.”
The Enbridge School Plus Program is program established by Enbridge in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations to encourage First Nations youth to stay in school, by funding enjoyable extra-curricular programs to which those students would not otherwise have access, enabling them to pursue higher education and secure better jobs in the future. Visit www.enbridge.com/aboriginalpeoples to learn more.
MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
Jennifer Varey, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Enbridge Inc.
(403) 508-6563, (888) 992-0997
