“So instead of having 32 lights in the ceiling, we have four lights for the whole room — and that’s ample light,” he said.

Ross said thermostats were shut right down in the hallways since enough heat was generated elsewhere in the school to keep the halls warm. Adjustments were made to toilets to reduce the amount of water being flushed.

His students not only reduced their ecological imprint at school, but also at home. Families, he said, have started adopting better environmental practices.

“One person needs to do it in the household and then the others will catch on and then it just becomes a normal routine and you don’t event think about it,” he said.

Kevin, who was a member of Team Paper, is now quick at home to shut off lights in rooms that are not in use. He is also taking shorter showers. As for his older brother and his older sister, he is “working them in.”

St. Teresa’s shared the spotlight with another Island school. Students and staff of Southern Kings consolidated school were recognized for their work in developing the Southern Kings Nature Trail.

Opened last June, the 2.2-kilometre trail serves as a unique outdoor classroom and a year-round exercise and entertainment facility for outdoor activities such as cross-country running, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

An emotional tribute was given in memory of Dave Biggar, who was posthumously named as one of this year’s P.E.I. Environmental Award recipients. Biggar, who died in early February, was lauded as the greatest environmental advocate in Prince County over the past two decades. He was the driving force behind stream enhancement work on the Mill and Trout Rivers. He was involved in developing a semi-natural rearing system for salmon and he established one of the first non-provincial wildlife management areas in the province.

Waldron Leard, a long-time environmental advocate, was clearly moved to be among this year’s recipients of the award.

“This means a great deal to our household,” he said, choking back emotion.

Leard was quick to share the award with others, including his daughter, who help with his website called Eastern Kings, P.E.I., Meeting Place. Each day, Leard takes photos of environmental scenes that serve as a daily record of the natural ecology in Eastern Kings. He uses the forum to spread positive environmental messages on topics such as recycling, littering, wildlife and environmental stewardship.

Gary Fournier, who is known for his work with the Winter River Environmental Committee, also received the award. The group is dedicated to preserve and protect the Winter River watershed, which is the source of water for a large portion of the Island population — all of those in the greater Charlottetown area.

Fournier was instrumental in launching the Winter River restoration project. He has led stream enhancement initiatives and worked to enhance the Hardy Mill Pond area with walking paths, a revitalized boat ramp and a wheelchair-accessible observation and fishing platform.