Saint John Student Aims to Complete 17 UN Goals Before Birthday

A dedicated high school student from Saint John, New Brunswick, is on a mission to complete actions aligned with all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before her 17th birthday. Grace Totten, a Grade 11 student at St. Malachy’s Memorial High School, has set herself the ambitious challenge and has less than 140 days to fulfil it.

Grace, who turns 17 on June 24, 2024, began this initiative, named “17 by Seventeen,” after realizing the significance of her age coinciding with the number of SDGs established by the United Nations in 2015. The goals are designed to address pressing global issues, including poverty, hunger, and climate change, with a target completion date of 2030.

“I wanted to do something impactful,” Grace said. “Originally, I considered organizing a fundraiser due to my previous experience. Then my mother pointed out the connection between my upcoming birthday and the 17 goals. It inspired me to create various events to promote these objectives in my community.”

As of now, Grace has successfully completed actions corresponding to seven of the goals, while five others are currently in progress. Her achievements include initiatives for eradicating poverty through clothing drives and collaborating with Street Team Saint John to prepare meals for the homeless, addressing zero hunger.

Inspiring Youth Across Canada

A key aspect of Grace’s project is to inspire other young people to engage in similar initiatives. “The bigger idea behind 17 by Seventeen is to motivate youth across Canada and eventually worldwide to take action in their communities,” she explained. Grace has enlisted representatives from various regions, including Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and even Argentina, to extend the reach of her campaign.

Grace also plans to revisit previous initiatives she organized before launching the project, such as the Cardboard for Kitty event. This fundraiser invites teams in Saint John to compete in building cardboard cat houses, which are then donated to local animal rescue organizations. She sees this event as fitting the goal of responsible consumption and production, as it promotes recycling.

Later this month, Grace will host a panel featuring experts from N.B. Power and Saint John Energy to discuss important topics such as affordable clean energy and sustainable urban development. Brad Stevens, the principal of St. Malachy’s, believes this event will be beneficial not only for Grace but for all students who will engage with these critical discussions.

“It’s exciting to see a student so young take such initiative and demonstrate a broader awareness of her community,” Stevens noted. He emphasized the importance of young people becoming informed and involved in societal issues, stating, “We need youth who are ready to champion causes and are educated on the challenges our communities will face.”

Empowering the Next Generation

Grace has also created a social media hashtag to encourage others to take action in their own communities. “Many young people see these challenges and wonder how they can make a difference,” she said. “I hope that by sharing my actions, I can inspire them to believe in their ability to effect change.”

She believes it is crucial for young voices to be heard as they engage with the UN’s goals, which aim to create a better future for their generation. “Youth voices are being recognized more than ever,” Grace remarked. “It’s important that we step up now rather than later.”

As Grace continues her journey, she exemplifies the power of individual determination in addressing global challenges, demonstrating that local actions can contribute to worldwide efforts. With her remarkable initiative, she not only aims to achieve her personal goal but also hopes to ignite a wave of activism among her peers.