Students from across Saskatoon spent the day working on various ecology projects at the Ecohackathon.
They are part of a high school program called WILD Outside, which takes them on various field trips across the province to learn about ecology.
On Saturday, they gathered for the “Eco hackathon” to speak with experts in ecology and conservation.
Diego Pajuelo is only 17-years-old, but he's already working with the University of Saskatchewan on green energy solutions.
"We've picked a topic that we think is the most pressing issue that we can solve as youth leaders in our community, and we've been able to speak with community leaders, speak with experts, speak with university researchers, speak with everyone really."
They gathered in groups for their projects and put their minds together.
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Taking young minds and putting them together can get interesting results, according to organizer Meg Schmieder with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, which created the program.
"That’s the whole idea of hacking a problem as a group. You're going to get a lot of ingenuity, and different lenses that you as an individual or even an organization wouldn't consider when you're used to your own ways," she said.
The students are young, but the Canadian Wildlife Federation believes this is their strength, and that they can learn a lot from the “Eco hackathon.”
"We want them to learn teambuilding; we want them to learn about collaboration, we want them to make connections," Schmeider said.
WILD Outside, which is funded in part by the federal government, is open to students across the province.
