C2C Winter Solstice Event

Thursday, December 15 | 4:30 – 6:00pm PST (on Zoom)

Success Stories in Place and Land-Based Learning

Thursday, December 15, 4:30 – 6:00pm PST (on Zoom)

On December 15, join teachers, community educators and other leaders online for our annual Winter Solstice Celebration to share successful practices, network and celebrate our work that connects learners with place, land and community.

Join us to…

  • Learn about innovative programs and resources across B.C.

  • Share ideas, inspiration and engaging strategies for teaching and learning linked to local places, the land and community

  • Network and explore opportunities for collaboration and mentorship in your region

Featured Success Stories:

Aesthetic Experience of Place: Embracing my Beginner's Mind to Tune into Children's Creativity

Sonya Rokosh

School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) and 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap)

Sonya is an educator in both School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson) and School District 83 (North Okanagan-Shuswap). She is passionate about finding ways to connect children with their local outdoor spaces, whether this is through cultivating school gardens, exploring forest trails, or drawing native flora. In her spare time, you can find her in the pottery studio or puttering around the garden. 

The Salmon Trip: A Multi-Agency Experience to Inspire Youth

Nara Riplinger

School District 27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin)

The Chilcotin grasslands outside of Williams Lake is where the early spark for Nara's love of nature started under the wing of her father and the bluebird box monitoring they did as a family. As a young sprout, she attended the daycare at Scout Island Nature Centre, and she would eventually grow into a teacher naturalist at the same location in future years. With a well-fostered passion, Nara pursued a degree in Conservation Biology at UBC and then a Master’s degree in Special Education. As a result, teaching for 22 years with early focus on Biology and a shift to Math education in the latter half have provided opportunities to inspire youth to find love for the outdoors, to engage in stewardship and to consider future roles in environmental sciences. Not one to grow moss, Nara is often immersed in running, cross-country skiing and hiking in the gorgeous Cariboo with her husband and 2 children (the eldest is also studying Biology at UBC!).