Avery Konda receives Co-op of the Year Award

June 15, 2017

A trip to India in November sparked an entrepreneurial idea that quickly built momentum. Avery Konda, president of the Georgian College Students’ Association in Barrie, returned home with a vision – to address food insecurity and ensure no student at the college goes hungry.

Through an eight-month entrepreneurial co-op he founded Growing Georgian, an on-campus garden that provides students with sustainable and nutritious food alternatives while promoting conscious consumption, ethical growing practices and the resurgence of a local food economy.

In recognition of his outstanding efforts, Avery was recognized with the 2017 Co-op of the Year Award.

Nick Laferriere, Growing Georgian Garden Co-ordinator, will continue to move the project forward. He’s working locally in the Barrie and extended area to encourage more community involvement, partnerships with sustainable businesses, and student-led changemaking opportunities.

Avery will be back overseas next month – this time in Germany – to spread awareness of Growing Georgian through Global Citizen.

​Did you know? Georgian is Ontario’s #1 co-op college.

We have the most Ontario college students enrolled in co-op programs and the highest percentage of programs with co-op.

6,200 employers partner with Georgian to offer student work experiences.

Georgian is the only Ontario college with programs accredited by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education; this represents the highest standard of achievement for co-op programs in Canada.