In the heart of Victoria, a powerful voice emerges from the halls of SMUS. Beatrice Sharpe ’25, a Grade 12 student, is making waves in the fight against climate change. On September 20, Beatrice led a climate protest at the BC Legislature, joining the global Fridays for Future movement and preceding a crucial United Nations Climate Summit.
From Beach Cleanups to Legislative Steps
Beatrice's journey into climate activism began in the most fitting place for a coastal city resident – the ocean.
"When I was in Grade 7, I was fortunate enough to join the Ocean Studies program at my middle school," Beatrice recalls.
Those kayaking expeditions and beach cleanups planted the seeds of her passion for sustainability. What started as picking up litter became a problem Beatrice wanted to solve and she wasted no time taking action. Beatrice founded the EcoKeepers, a student environmental group, at her previous school.
"We picked up garbage around the school twice a week at lunchtime," Beatrice says about the early days of EcoKeepers. "It was disheartening to see all the litter around the playground, so, I decided that I wanted to change that."
Inspired by Global Youth Voices
While local action sparked her interest, it was global voices that ignited her activism. Beatrice credits Greta Thunberg's book, "No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference," as a turning point.
"It showed me how one person could have so much of an impact even if they didn't have any kind of support or shoulders to stand on," she reflects. "There haven't been any major [protests] for four years, which is sad because it's still a thing that will affect our lives and is affecting our lives."
Nurturing Activism in School and Beyond
At SMUS, Beatrice found a supportive environment to grow her activism. As head of the Sustainability Council, she is planning initiatives like an upcoming clothing swap. Her contributions continue to expand beyond campus borders.
"I've met people at the school who have informed me of external opportunities," Beatrice explains, including one lead that resulted in a summer job with a local political party.
Climate activism can be overwhelming, but Beatrice remains focused.
"This is my future. This is the future of the planet and it's a cause you keep fighting for," she asserts.
Her moral compass guides her, reminding her of the sacred life on this planet, and we should be doing all we can to protect it.
