(ABOVE: Huntley Addie posing with a few of his Journalism One students in his classroom at JRHS)

High school teacher and writer for the Montreal Gazette, Huntley Addie takes leadership by bringing The 11th Hour into the classroom and beginning a conversation with the next generation of leaders.

Huntley Addie has written for the Gazette for over a year as a columnist for the West Island section of the newspaper. He writes as the "voice of the community" and his column about The 11th Hour encourages us all to adjust our perspective and take steps forward with the mentality that this is truly our "finest hour".

Huntley screened the film for his students at John Rennie High School where he has faithfully taught since 1995. He encouraged the students to ask if their parents felt that their career choices were actually helping or hindering the search for a sustainable future for our planet.

Huntley mentions that one of the key themes that his classes seized upon was that we need to create a new design of thinking that shifts from cradle to grave to cradle to cradle.

"My adolescent classes understand this clearly. Even though massive issues of global ecological collapse; human environmental footprints; rampant abuse of fossil fuels; extinction; exploitation; deforestation; over fishing; waste; pollution; military and corporate economic stranglehold on political decision making; frugality vs. consumerism vs. sustainability, and on and on and on with more and more big words on massive issues, one fact still remains the same: the 11th hour has arrived."

Huntley proceeds to discuss the importance in adjusting our perspectives. "This means, again, that it goes beyond us. And not just to and for our families, but to and for the family of the human race. ‘The race’ is now on to see how quickly we can catch on to this. “Reduce, reuse and recycle’ can no longer just be cliché buzz-words for the ‘next generation’. “I don’t care” and “careless” has to shift to I do care and will pay attention more to and for everything. Virtually every day, as a teacher and writer, I am forced to look at my reflection in the mirror. And then reflect on all the little things I do so that we all will have a future beyond my immediate life. Through my jobs, I thus try hardest not reflect ‘hypocrite’."

Read Huntley's full article here.

Before becoming a teacher, Huntley was a professional lifeguard, coached simming and taught the National Lifeguard course.

He attended both Concordia and McGill Universities (in Montreal) and has a BA in English Literature/History and a Diploma in Education.

Huntley is also the lead singer in a band called Shakin' & Stirred and one of their staple songs is a cover of Ten Year's After's "I'd love to change the world"... ain't it cool?