Grade 12 Lockerby Composite School student Adam Selalmatzidis has received the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement, only one of two students in the province to receive the honour this year.
These are annual juried awards administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust to recognize remarkable achievements in heritage conservation.
Maude Rose Craig, who is from the Kawartha area, is the other winner of the youth achievement award.
Both Selalmatzidis and Craig will receive the Young Heritage Leaders Scholarship, worth $3,500 toward their post-secondary education.
Selalmatzidis isn’t the first area student to win the award. Manitoulin Secondary School student Jocelyn Kuntsi won the same award last year.
A 2023 Sudbury.com article said Selalmatzidis is a volunteer with the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee and for Lockerby Composite School’s Environmental Council.
“My work with Junction Creek has been very rewarding,” Adam said. “Initially I thought it was just about litter removal, but it’s so much more. I’ve participated in the release of brook trout, the monitoring of turtles, tree planting and invasive species removal. The creek’s health is vital to the community’s health. I feel happy in knowing that I’m making a difference.”
His work with Lockerby Composite School’s Environmental Council has kept him educated on larger world issues, and promoting positive change through waste reduction initiatives and education. Adam explained in 2023 how he became involved.
“I was inspired by these activities at a school level and integrated it into a program now offered by the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee,” he said. “Sitting as the lead for the Junction Creek Youth Council, which comprises high school students within the Greater Sudbury area, we have been working on building our ranks and speaking for youth on local environmental issues.”
A biography of Selalmatzidis on the award program’s website said he is driven by an unwavering commitment to natural heritage conservation and protecting biodiversity.
Selalmatzidis’ dedication to the natural environment is seen in his many hands-on conservation efforts, including litter clean-ups, invasive species removal and the reintroduction of biodiversity.
His creativity and dedication to environmental health shine through in his study of microplastic contamination in Junction Creek in Greater Sudbury — begun in 2020, when he was only 13.
In 2023, he presented his findings at the Ontario Nature Gathering, sparking a renewed conversation about the health of the creek and surrounding community.
Selalmatzidis has also organized educational campaigns to lead by example, such as a Youth Council that he initiated in 2022. He has led engaging presentations for local stakeholders in his community and beyond.
“His efforts demonstrate the meaningful role that youth can play in environmental stewardship,” said his biography.
“I am so glad to join the Ontario Heritage Trust in celebrating this year’s exceptional award recipients,” said Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, in a press release. “It is more important than ever that we take the time to recognize the people who are working to preserve our heritage, build connections and unite Ontarians.”
The Rainbow District School Board also offered its congratulations to the student.
"Adam Selalmatzidis has made an exceptional contribution to his school and to his community," said Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Bruce Bourget, in a press release.
"He is not only an outstanding student, he is also a champion for environmental education and sustainability. A natural leader, Adam is most deserving of this provincial recognition. Congratulations!"
