Grade 7 and 8 students at Russell High School (RHS) are gaining real-world entrepreneurial experience while promoting sustainability through an innovative initiative called Thrifty T’s.
This student-led project, inspired by the school’s Timberwolves moniker, involves upcycling old clothing and materials to reduce waste and raise awareness about the environmental impact of consumer trends.
Thrifty T’s focuses on repurposing used clothing and materials in creative ways. The initiative includes five sub-groups, each dedicated to a different aspect of sustainability and student interest.
One sub-group, the Paper Cutters, is collecting paper waste from the school and transforming it into high-end cardstock. The process involves cutting and shredding paper, adding water to form a pulp, and pressing it into craft paper sheets. The resulting paper is ideal for making gift tags, greeting cards and book covers, which students plan to sell at the RHS Store. Proceeds will support tree-planting efforts at the school and throughout the broader community. Jacob Lopes, a Grade 8 student and member of Paper Cutters, said he joined the group after seeing how much paper was being wasted—including blank sheets—and wanting to make a difference.
“When I think of how much paper I’ve seen just being wasted—I’ve seen kids throw out blank pieces of paper—I wanted to help with that,” said Lopes.
Another sub-group, FINCH Clothing, gives old T-shirts a second life by printing custom graphics on them. Students collect shirts, create designs using Canva, and transfer the graphics onto fabric. The shirts are sold to fellow students, with half the profits reinvested into the project and the other half donated to homeless shelters and food banks.
Other Thrifty T’s sub-groups include Sustainable Styles and The Quilting Project. In these groups, students use donated clothing, scissors and sewing machines to design new fashion items and quilts. These activities highlight the environmental impact of fast fashion while giving students hands-on experience in textile design and sewing. Grade 8 student Zoe Coutlee, a member of Sustainable Styles, said the initiative helps counter the problem of cheap, low-quality clothing and allows students to create comfortable, long-lasting pieces to donate to those in need.
“Sustainable Styles helps with fast fashion and cheap, low-quality clothing,” said Coutlee. “I love fashion, so being able to create clothing is great, and we’re giving some away so people have clothes to wear that are comfortable and will last. It’s just really nice to see.”
A clothing rack displaying upcycled garments has been placed in the school foyer for students to access for free. One of the most popular items so far has been reversible bucket hats. Completed quilts and sensory blankets are also being donated to seniors and to individuals living with Alzheimer’s or dementia in the community.
A student-driven program with real-world impact
Thrifty T’s was born out of the Student Specialist Program at RHS—an initiative that offers students opportunities to develop skills and explore the curriculum through extracurricular, high-interest activities. At the beginning of each school year, teachers present a range of options, including robotics, athletics, cooking, drama, hair and makeup, and creative writing. Students choose what interests them, and as the year progresses, they are encouraged to provide feedback and help shape future programming.
After participating in several rounds of the program, some students gravitated toward sustainability-focused activities that fostered creativity, community involvement and entrepreneurship. This led to the creation of Thrifty T’s, which has quickly become a popular choice among Grade 7 and 8 students.
“It’s been a lot of fun working with the Grade 7s and 8s and seeing their ideas actually become something,” said Samantha Berube, a Grade 11 student in the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. “It’s been a great experience because we’ve been mentoring, but we’ve been learning stuff too.”
The initiative’s impact has extended to other grades and courses. SHSM business students in Grade 11 have joined as mentors, helping oversee financial and organizational aspects of the project. Berube said it’s been rewarding to guide younger students and watch their ideas grow into real, meaningful projects. Fellow SHSM student Serenity Prieur said it’s fulfilling to support others in reaching their goals and making a difference.
“Knowing that you’re playing a part in helping people make a difference and helping them achieve what they want to do,” said Prieur.
Support and future growth
Thrifty T’s aligns with the Upper Canada District School Board’s (UCDSB) focus on Real-World Learning—an approach that connects classroom knowledge to real-life application. Earlier this year, Thrifty T’s students presented their project to the UCDSB Real-World Learning Team and successfully secured funding to purchase sewing machines, paper shredders and other materials.
“The biggest goal of the Student Specialist Program here at RHS is to increase student engagement in their learning,” said Jennifer Dobbin, Grade 7/8 resource and special education teacher. “It’s very much student-led and based on interest, so they are creating these groups where they get to focus on something they’re actually passionate about.”
Looking ahead, Thrifty T’s students hope to expand their initiative by involving feeder schools and future RHS students. They also plan to build new community partnerships and introduce additional sustainability-focused activities in the years to come.
