Student representative Reiner acknowledges DECCW's continued support of Enviro Inspiro! Bernard Carlon, Divisional Director, Sustainability Programs, DECCW (right) and Megan Craig (left)
Enviro Inspiro! is a school environmental learning competition for secondary students from government schools run by the NSW Student Representative Council (NSW SRC) using funding provided by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (DECCW).
Each year teams of students create a five minute DVD to showcase their successful student-led school environment projects. A judging panel comprising student leaders from the NSW SRC and staff members from DECCW and the Department of Education and Training meet to review the entries.
On Tuesday 11 August Mr Bernard Carlon, Divisional Director, Sustainability Programs Division, DECCW announced the winning entries at the State Student Representative Council Conference at Vision Valley Conference Centre, Arcadia. In his address Mr Carlon emphasised the important role of students in adopting sustainable actions both at home and school and encouraged students to make a pledge to reduce their energy use at savepower.nsw.gov.au
Keira High School was awarded $3,000 for the efforts of a group of students who created a working organic garden in the school. The project had a very clear focus on the benefits of growing organic produce. Students researched school recycling processes, developed a school improvement plan and implemented a construction project for a school compost heap and organic garden for use by secondary students studying courses such as Food Technology.
Second place was awarded to Callaghan College for their Climate Change Needs Us to Change campaign. The entry was commended for bringing together a learning community of three local high schools and three primary schools. The students identified and promoted ways to reduce energy consumption in the six school sites and reported that they reduced energy usage in their schools.
In third place, Southern Cross School K-12 reduced water usage in the school. The group of students used funds to purchase a water tank for the school's support unit and this is now being used by the students to maintain their garden.
High commendations in Enviro Inspiro! 2009 went to:
- Tomorrow, Today, Caringbah High School
- Save our awesome planet, Narara Valley High School
- Schoolyard Blitz, Cardiff High School
- Lisarow's Enviro Inspiro Week, Lisarow High School
- Don't Flounder, Get Hooked, Warrawong High School
- Lean on Me Year 8 Initiative Day, Armidale High School
- Platypus of the Sapphire City, Inverell High School.
The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW will be sponsoring Enviro Inspiro! again in 2010. Posters and competition details will be sent to all schools in Term 1 next year.