Two St. Augustine Catholic School Grade 8 girls are combining their concern for the health of the watershed and their love of golf in a school project that could potentially earn $10,000 in sponsorships.
Brooklyn Green and Mina Shin are part of Caring for Our Watershed Battle River Watershed competition, which includes 300 students in a series of schools stretching from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge.
The girls decided setting up a series of birdhouses on golf courses to help control the insect population of the area so pesticides would not be needed as much.
About two weeks ago, the girls found out their project, which includes a multi-page proposal and pamphlets, had made the top 10 in the competition.
“We were really excited,” said Shin. The competition includes grades 7 to 12 and the girls figured only Grade 12 students would make the top 10.
On May 23, the two will partake in the final competition, a speech and power point presentation based on the proposal.
If the girls take first place, they will be awarded $1,000, the school will receive $1,000 and they will be given up to $10,000 in sponsorships to produce the bird houses.
In early spring, Green and Shin spoke with the Wolf Creek Golf Resort and the Ponoka Community Golf Course and both have agreed to put the birdhouses on their courses if the girls win. “And then they get to choose the birdhouse design,” said Green
Green and Shin began working on their project in January, using the time provided in class and two to three weekends per month. “We started earlier than the rest of the class,” said Shin.
“We knew we had to get a whole bunch done,” Green added.
The girls want to use their project to provide homes for birds, improve the environment and provide the beauty of nature for golfers.
“We both love golf and we want to see less pesticide use,” said Green.
“It’s kind of our thing,” Shin added.