Trash into treasure: Olds High students prepare to host UNESCO conference with upcycling project

Students and staff at École Olds High School (EOHS) are getting ready to host the national
UNESCO student conference.

The conference, set for May 6-8, 2025, will bring about 70 students together from across
Canada.

In preparation for the conference, recently, students who are on the organizing committee have been working with an “upcycling artist”. The artist, Greisha Fathoullin, brought materials like unused clothing, household goods, jewelery and furniture to the school, and showed the students how he changed or added to the item to make it reusable.

“One of the topics at the conference will be fast fashion, and the negative social and environmental impacts of it,” says Bev Toews, an Academic Coach at EOHS.

The organizing committee has invited Fatoullin to display upcycled items at the conference, and show students attending how he does his work.

“We hope it helps students think outside the box, to make better use of the items they have, or used items they have access to. We hope it helps them see the possibilities and find value in what is being thrown away,” says Toews.

Also, students are creating‘swag’ bags for the conference using recycled t-shirts.

EOHS student, Shelby S., says she is choosing to be involved in the conference because, “It only takes one person to make a difference, but as a group we’re stronger in our actions and impact. I went to the UNESCO schools conference last year and getting together with like minded people, knowing that we all had the same kind of desire to change the world was empowering and inspiring and I want to do that for others.”

EOHS is one of 130 designated UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Schools in Canada. Member schools work on local, national and international projects and initiatives in alignment to UNESCO’s values of global citizenship and sustainable development.

Specifically, UNESCO schools focus on the ideals of: “Learning to be all you can be, learning to know, learning to do, and learning to live together sustainably.”

Seed money to get planning for the conference underway came from the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

Toews says the conference theme is “Be the Change”. She says, “The purpose of the conference is to connect and learn about the world, and about how our actions impact others, then act on their knowledge” says Toews.

She says, “We want students to find ideas and be inspired to make a difference.