Redfish School of Change - Studying sea, learning land, and leadership
The Salish Sea is a vibrant international region, teeming with change—so it should come as no surprise that an international field school which puts dynamic learning experiences at the heart of sustainability leadership reflects those characteristics as well.
For six weeks last summer, 13 students, two program assistants, and three instructors with the Redfish School of Change traveled by kayak, bicycle, ferry and foot, exploring and serving communities on both sides of the international border in the Salish Sea. The UVic School of Environmental Studies and GreenLearning Canada have partnered since 2008 to offer this three-course summer field school in various locations in BC. In 2015, for the first time, the group included students from Western Washington University (WWU) in Bellingham, Washington, and focused exclusively on this region. Ryan Hilperts, who directs the field school, wanted to go beyond borders and since the waters of the Salish Sea are shared between Canada and the United States, it made perfect sense.