Empowering Youth for a Greener Future: Inside the First GNS Generation Green Conference

Climate change can often feel overwhelming, especially for younger generations facing an uncertain future. But at the recent GNS Generation Green: Our Planet, Our Power Conference, students, educators and community members came together to transform anxiety into actionable hope.

This inaugural conference aimed to ignite passion, share practical knowledge, and foster collaboration among those dedicated to creating a greener future. Whether acting as a panellist sharing fresh perspectives or a workshop leader providing hands-on skills, every participant contributed to the day’s success.

The idea for the conference sparked at the beginning of the school year when a group of GNS staff members—including Ms. Jennie Greven, Ms. Kristina Thomson, Mr. Steve Basaraba and Mme. Catherine Bolduc-Beaulieu—began brainstorming ways to deeply engage the school community in environmental issues and climate action.

The primary goal? To cut through the noise and offer a tangible sense of hope. “It’s the overwhelm that causes us to disengage,” Ms. Greven explains. “We tried to make the issue more tangible by having people who are actually part of the change, which was so valuable.”

By bringing in real-world changemakers, the organizing team hoped to inspire students to see themselves in the presenters. They wanted students to realize there is a clear path forward and that they have the power to make a difference, despite how daunting global challenges can seem right now.

To make the content as relatable as possible to students, organizers worked hard to include as many youth perspectives as possible. Including experts under 30 was a priority as “we were hoping that it would feel more relevant to the students,” says Ms. Greven.

This approach paid off. The day started with a powerful keynote address by former GNS student Aysha Emmerson, who immediately connected with the students by sharing her memories of the Beach Drive Campus.

Aysha is now an activist-researcher who runs the local office of Canada’s Green Party Leader and is the Science-Policy Lead for the Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environment Programme. Her award-winning research spans corporate climate adaptation, urban resilience programs, and includes the first academic study of the Fairy Creek Blockade. Aysha is just 25 years old! Her local and global engagement proved to be a major source of inspiration for conference  attendees..

After the keynote and panel discussion, students broke out into a variety of interactive workshops that brought environmental science to life. Highlights from the sessions included:

Hands-on Hydroponics: Students got their hands dirty (or rather, clean!) learning about sustainable, soil-free growing systems.

Invasive Species Exploration: A visually rich presentation that captivated students by showing them exactly what is threatening local ecosystems.

The Sounds of the Sea: A highly entertaining and interactive session where students had to debate whether an audio clip was a fish sound—or a fart sound.

For an inaugural event, the logistical execution was remarkably smooth, but the team is already looking at ways to evolve and improve for next year.

After reviewing student and staff feedback, the organizers will consider  new formats to increase engagement. There are also exciting plans to integrate more science and technology-focused workshops, perhaps tapping into the incredible GNS alumni network to bring in geneticists, marine filmmakers and academic researchers.

This conference aligns with GNS’ strategic emphasis on sustainability and our ongoing work towards obtaining our EcoSchools Canada Platinum Certification. Ultimately, the goal is to create momentum. Our students “are so brilliant and passionate,” Ms. Greven says. “If we can get them to see themselves in this work, it’s a no-brainer.”