School turns green into gold

School turns green into gold

Pongakawa School pupils have found a way to turn being green into gold.

The school has won the Bay of Plenty’s first Green-Gold Enviroschools Award – the highest award for Enviroschools, and one of only 17 throughout the country. The Enviroschools programme encourages students to explore real life challenges for environmental learning, action and sustainable communities.

As part of the Enviroschools programme a reflection process has been developed to help schools measure their progress towards sustainability and identify future opportunities for growth. Green-Gold - the highest award - recognises schools that are embedding sustainability throughout their school.

Pongakawa School has established long-term behaviour changes for sustainability both at the school and in the surrounding community.

Environment Bay of Plenty Councillor Raewyn Bennett presented the award to pupils this week, with Rotorua MP Todd McClay. She said she hoped the school’s example inspired other schools to take positive action in their own communities. Student representatives from each class, three teachers, the caretaker, a Board of Trustees representative and the principal were all involved in the reflection session to demonstrate whole-school sustainability.

At Green-Gold level the reflection team also includes a National Enviroschools representative and Environment Bay of Plenty’s Regional Enviroschools coordinator Kerry Gosling.

Councillor Bennett said Pongakawa students displayed a depth of understanding about linking their actions to wider sustainability issues.

“Students have thought beyond planting trees to consider how and why they are improving an ecosystem. They also see how this project naturally leads on to improving the neighbouring wetland ecosystem to provide for a wider range of fauna and flora.

“Facilitating the Enviroschools programme and the awards shows how our support is helping foster schools who are achieving at a national level. Pongakawa School is a model for other schools in the Bay, and students are actively involved in restoring and preserving the Pongakawa Reserve, a native bush area,” she said.

The students are working towards restoring a wetland area next to the school which is widely used by the school and local community.

“It’s exciting to see teachers' and parent volunteers' support for the Enviroschools programme,” Councillor Bennett said.

ENDS

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