Boluwatife Ogunniyi is very passionate about the environment and she's hoping to do her part despite what the world is going through now.
The Grade 12 student at Eastview Secondary School started the Simcoe County Environmental Youth Alliance (SCEYA) last year and hopes to make changes in the community that she feels it needs.
While Ogunniyi has been involved with causes for many of her young years, she's now focused on saving the environment.
“I was always passionate about women’s rights and causes, but then in a Grade 10 geography class we watched a movie called Chasing Coral. It follows the loss of coral reefs through underwater photography,” Ogunniyi told BarrieToday. “It was very powerful.”
SCEYA is a youth-led organization made up of a team of people who are passionate about the environment.
The organization’s goal is to increase awareness about environmental issues, and to drive and inspire change in our communities.
“We need assistance as youth from adults when it comes to supporting our goals,” Ogunniyi said. “We were told that climate change is too political and we can’t make political statements. It isn't political; it's real and life or death.”
Ogunniyi has partnered with the Electronic Recycling Associate (ERA) for the Simcoe Tech Recycling event to raise awareness about the effects of improperly recycling our electronics and the impacts it has on the environment.
“My goal is to also collect old or damaged electronics that are no longer being used to be recycled by ERA,” Ogunniyi said. “This event will also grant me the chance to win $10,000 towards university.”
The $10,000 winner would be announced in January and the money would go toward post-secondary education for that person.
Ogunniyi is hoping to study either psychology or take pre-med courses, but admits that it's hard to predict the future as to what she will really want.
For now, she is focused on the recycling event and will be helping as best she can to take your unused electronics.
“I’m hoping to have a date where they can be dropped off, but for now I will come pick them up,” said Ogunniyi.
Anyone interested can email Ogunniyi at [email protected].
The $10,000 scholarship event is being hosted by the Electronic Recycling Associate and Ogunniyi is waiting on whether she will be allowed to use her school’s parking lot for collection.
