Auckland Enviroschools efforts honoured

Eighteen environmentally aware schools across Auckland will be recognised for their long-term commitment to sustainability at an Enviroschools celebration on Friday 2 December.

At the annual event, this year being held at Owairaka Primary School in Mt Albert, the schools’ ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability will be recognised with bronze, silver or green-gold certificates of achievement.

Facilitated in the Auckland region by Auckland Council, Enviroschools is a national environmental education programme that encourages children, their schools and their families to think and act sustainably.

“The programme gives young people the opportunity to become role models and make a difference in their communities by applying their ideas and energy to real life situations,” says Auckland Council Environment and Sustainability Forum Chairman Wayne Walker, who will present the Enviroschool certificates on Friday along with Albert-Eden Local Board Chair Peter Haynes.

“This involves working on a range of sustainable community projects including community gardens, native tree planting and stream clean-ups,” he says.

As well as helping their wider community, students introduce initiatives to improve their own schools such as reducing waste going into landfill by recycling, saving water by installing water tanks and planting their own vegetable gardens.

The programme also teaches important life skills and encourages young people to become the environmental leaders of the future by making informed decisions and taking appropriate action.

At Friday’s event - from 10am at Owairaka Primary School in Richardson Rd, Mt Albert - certificates of achievement will be given to the following schools:

• Bronze - Glenfield Primary School; Manurewa Intermediate School; Mission Heights Primary School in Flatbush.

• Silver - Birkenhead School; Elm Park School in Pakuranga Heights; Flanshaw Road School in Te Atatu South; Forrest Hill School; Mairangi Bay School; Mission Heights Junior College in Flatbush; Sunnybrae Normal School in Hillcrest and Western Springs College.

• Green-Gold – Drury School; Newmarket School; Otahuhu Intermediate School; Pigeon Mountain School in Bucklands Beach; Royal Road School in Massey and Woodlands Park School, Titirangi.

The celebrations will be attended by the schools’ current and former pupils, teachers and parents along with representatives of Auckland Council.

In total, there are 784 Enviroschools in New Zealand, of which 139 are in Auckland. Early childhood centres, primary, intermediate and secondary schools are all part of the nationwide programme.