Students in Yellowknife and four other Northwest Territories communities have less than a week left to collect outdated Northwestel telephone directories for recycling. Fourteen schools, representing nearly 2,800 students, are participating in the ninth annual Northwestel Directory Recycling Program.

The students are raising money for their schools by collecting out-dated Northwestel directories to qualify for cash awards from Northwestel for school programs and activities. Students, teachers and support staff can obtain directories from family, friends and neighbours and bring them to collection boxes at their school. They have until April 19^th to collect the directories, which Northwestel then ships south for recycling.

The directory recycling program began by involving Yellowknife schools only. Schools in Hay River and Fort Smith joined the program in 2007 and 2008 respectively, followed by schools in Fort Providence and Fort Simpson in 2009.

“We urge residents of these five communities to help out by providing their out-dated directories to any of the schools involved in the program,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Communications. “It’s a wonderful way for students to raise money for their schools and to do something positive for our northern environment. Since the program began, students, schools and communities have been very committed to it and we are looking forward to yet another successful year.”

The participation of the schools outside Yellowknife is being assisted through a partnership with Wesclean Northern Sales of Hay River. Wesclean will pick up any directories collected by schools in Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith and Hay River, and deliver them to Yellowknife.

Under existing partnership arrangements, Northwestel provides the boxes for directory collection at each school and the City of Yellowknife coordinates the pickup of the directories from all schools within the city.

The Yellowknife schools which are taking part in the 2010 program are École Allain St-Cyr, École J.H. Sissons, École St. Joseph, N.J. MacPherson, Range Lake North, École Sir John Franklin High, Weledeh, William McDonald and Yellowknife Montessori School. In addition, Diamond Jenness Secondary and Chief Sunrise Education Centre in Hay River, J.B.T. Elementary in Fort Smith, Deh Gáh School in Fort Providence and Thomas Simpson Secondary School in Fort Simpson are also taking part.

Last year, 15 N.W.T. schools collected 6,092 out-dated Northwestel directories for recycling, earning donations from Northwestel of $9,950.00.

There are three levels of recognition in the 2010 Northwestel Directory Recycling Program:

·         Green Level: A cash award of $200 for each school meeting a target of one directory collected per student.

·         Jade Level: A cash award of $500 for each school meeting a target of 1.25 directories collected per student.

·         Emerald Level: A cash award of $750 for each school meeting a target of 2 directories collected per student.

Northwestel also provides a smaller cash award of $100.00 for schools which do not meet the minimum requirements of the program. This was established to encourage schools for their efforts, even when circumstances prevent them from meeting the requirements for the main cash awards.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.