Manitoba Students Lead Province-Wide Cleanup
Winnipeg, MB — November 27, 2025 — Students across Manitoba stepped up in a major way this fall, participating in Recycle Everywhere’s first-ever Claim Your Corner Challenge, a province-wide initiative encouraging classrooms to clean up a meaningful “corner” in their community while learning about recycling and waste reduction.
In total, participating classes collected an impressive 102 bags of garbage and 44 bags of recyclables, showcasing the impact of hands-on environmental education.
“We’re incredibly proud of the students and teachers who took part,” said Ken Friesen, Executive Director of the Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA). “These cleanups show how beverage container recycling plays a vital role in reducing litter and keeping communities across Manitoba clean.”
Winning Classrooms Announced
Recycle Everywhere is pleased to congratulate the four classrooms selected as this year’s challenge winners:
Grade 8 — Boissevain School (Boissevain, Manitoba)
Teacher: Rylee Woods
Location: Main Street, Boissevain
Grade 11 — RD Parker Collegiate (Thompson, Manitoba)
Teacher: Eric Gallo-Paskey
Location: Thompson Millennium Trail & Cosway
Grade 9 — RD Parker Collegiate (Thompson, Manitoba)
Teacher: Hope Penner
Location: UCN Drive, Thompson
Grades 1 & 2 — Rockwood School (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
Teacher: Ranchelle Opena
Location: Harrow Park
Each winning class will receive $250 in school supplies and a class lunch in recognition of their meaningful contribution to community clean-up and beverage container recycling.
Photos of the winning cleanup events are available upon request.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Recyclers
The Claim Your Corner Challenge is part of Recycle Everywhere’s broader education mandate, including RE101, a free program supporting schools in establishing sustainable, long-term recycling habits.
“This challenge helps students see the direct impact of their efforts,” said Jill Knaggs, Director of Stakeholder Engagement at CBCRA. “They aren’t just learning about recycling, they’re taking action in their own neighbourhoods.”
All participating classrooms received access to a downloadable certificate to celebrate their contribution.
About CBCRA/Recycle Everywhere
Recycle Everywhere, operated by the Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA), works to increase beverage container recovery rates across Manitoba by providing free recycling bins, engaging Manitobans through education initiatives, and supporting recycling in public spaces, workplaces, homes, and schools. Manitoba achieved a 75% beverage container recovery rate in 2024, its strongest result to date.
For more information about Claim Your Corner or the RE101 school recycling program, visit RecycleEverywhere.ca.
Media Contact:
Jill Knaggs Director of Stakeholder Relations
JKnaggs@cbcra-acrcb.org
