September 1, 2026How one A.P.E. Fund project inspired a student to reflect: “Plants are like people. We all need love.” Photos: Cara LaudonAt Florence Nightingale Elementary in Vancouver, the Green Team meets every week to develop and implement projects focused on the community and the environment – guided by the First Peoples Principles for Learning.This past year, with support from our A.P.E. Fund, 50 students took part in smudging circles, made medicine pouches with an Indigenous educator, planted an Indigenous food and medicine garden, created signage for the garden, and much more.“Many people in our school community are not familiar with local Indigenous food and medicine plants. They often see them as weeds and trample them or let dogs and kids play in the garden area,” one of the educators involved in the project reported.“By placing simple kid-made signs alongside the plants and creating some natural borders with logs and rocks, we made space for the plants to grow, and a space to share the common names and Indigenous names of the plants that thrive in our community.”All of the students involved seemed to be impacted by the work they had done over the year, too.One student said that they “can’t wait to plant the garden more,” while another said that the project “helped [them] to understand Indigenous ways of learning.” Another student remarked: “Plants are like people. We all need love.”To learn more about the A.P.E. Fund, and to see how you can apply when the process opens later this year, go to APEFund.ca.Explore Related Content From The Field, Good News Stories“This helped us to […] improve our lives:” The impact of Femmes en ActionSeptember 1, 2026 Read more Dr. Jane, Good News StoriesFrom the Desk of Dr. Jane: Farm animals are sentient – and often sapientSeptember 1, 2026 Read more News and Updates, Youth VoicesThe Roots & Shoots Climate Leaders Days of Action program, supported by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) is a beacon of hope.September 1, 2026 Read more
