Teaching environmental stewardship through stand-up paddling

Monday, August 16, 2021

Madelaine Leblanc
While attending the University of Waterloo, Madeline (Maddi) Leblanc (BES ’19) found a passion for outdoor education. Doing what she loves most, including stand-up paddling (SUP), environmental stewardship, and research, propelled her into a successful master’s thesis research program at Brock University. Today she balances her time studying with teaching stand-up paddling and outdoor education.

Maddi uses her knowledge of the environment and stand-up paddling to inspire the next generation of children to become environmental stewards. She directs and teaches at a children’s camp, SUPKids, in Niagara on the Lake. The camp teaches kids stand-up paddling, water safety and environmental education. Its mission: to create experiences for children that will enhance their appreciation, respect and understanding of the environment and sustainable living.

Maddi was an engaged community member while at Waterloo, acting as a Residence Don at St. Paul’s University College and as a Peer Mentor for the St. Paul’s GreenHouse program, all while working on initiatives such as raising funds for Brain Cancer research through the OnBoard project. She also ran several outreach and community service-oriented events and, on many occasions, ran workshops and seminars encouraging other students to move their entrepreneurial ideas forward.

When she is not working on her thesis or teaching SUP, Maddi is training to compete at the ICF World Stand-up Paddling and Paddle Board Championships in Hungary in September of 2021. Having competed on behalf of Team Canada already in China, Maddi was recognized in August of 2020 as SUPConnect’s Women of the Year, a highly recognized international award.