10 Canadian schools look to get an 'A' for effort and win a new outdoor classroom

– Schools compete to win a $20,000 outdoor classroom as part of the MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge Competition –

DIEPPE, NB, April 7, 2014 /CNW/ - Ready…set…vote! With 10 Canadian schools in the running to win a $20,000 outdoor classroom as part of the 4^th annual MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge competition, it's now up to Canadians to vote online to determine who will come out on top. From April 7 to May 5, 2014, Canadians can vote daily at majestatreesofknowledge.ca for their favourite school. The school with the most votes at the end of the voting period will win $20,000 to bring their outdoor classroom to life. Additional prizes will also be awarded, including $5,000 for 2^nd, $3,000 for 3^rd, $2,000 for 4^th, $1,000 5^th - 10^th and $3,000 for the school with the most creative idea for garnering support during the voting period.

"For the past three years, this program has succeeded in getting Canadian schools and communities excited about the importance of getting outdoors and preserving the environment – the voting phase of the competition is a big part of that," says Jim Schedler, vice president of marketing for MAJESTA. "Announcing the winner of the program is exciting, but my favourite part of the competition is the voting phase. We get to see the finalist schools demonstrate endless amounts of creativity and hard work, and watch as the communities rally around their schools."

Representing communities from coast to coast, the 10 finalist schools include:

1.	Kimberley Independent School - Kimberley, British Columbia		6.	Glashan Public School - Ottawa, Ontario
2.	École Robb Road - Comox, British Columbia		7.	David Suzuki Secondary School - Brampton, Ontario
3.	Ralston School - Ralston, Alberta		8.	École Alternative Le Baluchon de Laval - Laval, Quebec
4.	St. Catherine's School - Picture Butte, Alberta		9.	South Shore Waldorf School - Blockhouse, Nova Scotia
5.	Cedarcrest School – Montreal, Quebec		10.	Nashwaak Valley School - Durham Bridge, New Brunswick

The MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge Competition was launched in 2011 in partnership with Tree Canada and Focus on Forests to help schools take learning outdoors by creating inspiring and interactive spaces for students to learn about nature, the environment and sustainability. Since then, Canadians have cast almost 750,000 votes to help three schools bring their own outdoor classroom to life. The winning schools include St. Paul Elementary School (Beaconsfield, QC), Central Elementary School (Swift Current, SK) and Island View School (Saint John, NB).

"The MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge Competition was an experience we will cherish at Island View," says Mark Blucher, Principal of Island View School, the 2013 Trees of Knowledge winner. "We love our outdoor classroom. Our win illustrates the power of collaboration and support that is possible when staff, students and community come together with a common goal."

To learn more about each of the finalist schools and their outdoor classroom design, please visit majestatreesofknowledge.ca.

About the 4^th Annual MAJESTA Trees of Knowledge Competition:
Schools from across the country submitted entries with a proposal for an outdoor classroom. A panel of expert judges, including representatives from MAJESTA, Tree Canada and Focus on Forests, narrowed the submissions down to a list of ten finalists. Now, a public vote online will determine which school comes out on top. The winning school will be announced in May and a celebratory event will be held to unveil the new space in the fall.

An outdoor classroom provides a unique space for teachers and students to learn about environmental sustainability. The winning classroom is designed by staff and students from the school.  Past designs have included a variety of trees, flowers, plants and shrubs, sheltered chalk boards, logs for furniture, water gardens and even checker boards built into stumps.

About MAJESTA:
MAJESTA, the soft and green choice for household paper products, offers an innovative line of e•z flush bathroom tissue that provides the perfect balance of softness and flushability. MAJESTA e•z flush breaks down quickly in water, making it ideal for homes with low flow and dual flush toilets. Learn more at www.majesta.com.

MAJESTA products are made from trees from J.D. Irving, Limited's forests. As part of its award-winning commitment to responsible forest management, J.D. Irving, Limited plants seedlings every spring and summer to reforest the woodlands. In the past 50+ years, J.D. Irving, Limited has planted more than 900 million trees. Since 2001, J.D. Irving, Limited's forests have been certified by The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. ("SFI"). In the U.S., the company's forests are also certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Part of the J.D. Irving Group of Companies, a family business in operation for more than 132 years, MAJESTA's head office is located in Dieppe, New Brunswick.

The MAJESTA promise: We plant three trees for every one we use to produce MAJESTA products. Both soft and green, MAJESTA delivers the softness you can feel and feel good about.

About Tree Canada:
Tree Canada is a not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1992. Under the direction of an 11-member volunteer Board of Directors, Tree Canada provides education, technical assistance, resources and financial support through working partnerships to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in rural and urban areas.

About Focus on Forests:
Focus on Forests provides hands-on activities and support materials to assist teachers of all grade levels. The lesson plans are well organized and designed to be easily adapted to any teaching environment or grade level. Focus on Forests is a program of the Ontario Forestry Association. Together with Tree Canada, these two groups have combined their efforts to bring this forest education program to a Canada-wide audience and highlight the value that Focus on Forests plays in introducing forests to Canadian classrooms. This exciting new partnership is supported by Irving Consumer Products, the makers of MAJESTA household paper products.

SOURCE: Majesta

Sheri Papps/ Andrea Hanft, Paradigm Public Relations, [email protected] / [email protected], 416-203-2223