UPEI students hope tree prompts conversation

Today, the UPEI Student Union (UPEISU) wrapped up its annual Education Week Campaign on campus. The Campaign helped raise student awareness on the importance of being invested in their post-secondary education. The week was spent mobilizing students to reach out and connect with staff, faculty, administration, and government.

'This week was the perfect time to present this initiative because students were back on campus and eager to get involved,' said UPEISU Executive Vice-President Danielle MacDonald. 'The Education Week Campaign is all about creating awareness. We wanted to publicly display that students care about their education.'

The theme, 'Money Doesn't Grow on Trees' was a main focus throughout the week, which featured a bank showcase, a society fair, and a campout. The standout event included the formation of a UPEI tree where students were encouraged to come together to present a unified statement representing their understanding of the concerns to access for post-secondary education.

'The theme of the project was all about collaboration,' continued MacDonald. 'It was important that both students and local politicians could view something tangible as a representation of issues relevant to students, particularly the financial impact pursuing a post-secondary education entails.'

The tree, which landed on the lawn of Province House this morning, represented a statement from students. Throughout the week, students were asked to sign their names on ribbons to represent their support for access to post-secondary education.

'We need to start advocating for our school, advocating for our programs, and advocating for each other,' concluded MacDonald. 'Student debt is the reality of what's happening. Let's support each other and create communication. We can make this work, but we need the support of our elected politicians, too.'