Pictured above representatives of the Coláiste Young Environmentalists who won the Overall Junior Winner at the EcoUnesco Environmental Awards in the National conference Centre in Dublin.
The group includes Kate Duson, Kate Harty, Sophie Rynne, Keira Loftus, Sara Liani, Jennifer Weston, Aisling Conway, Aoibhinn O’Sullivan, Lucy O’Connor, Rose Carter and Ciara Miesle.
This is a well deserved award for this dedicated, innovative and enterprising group of students who have worked hard all this year on their theme : Biodiversity – Being Part of the Solution Not part of the Problem.
Their work this year has included holding talks in school to help with their pollinator plan, planting flowers, creating new wildlife habitats and organising a tree planting day in orchards around the town.
They worked with the student council to change people’s habits around plastic consumption and succeeded in implementing a school wide plastic ban. They set up social media accounts and used poster campaigns and a stall in the school canteen to raise awareness at every stage. They addressed the politicians in the local Council Chamber and proposed several changes and are continuing to follow through on the action points.
Thanks to all teachers involved in Green Schools in particular Ms Nicola Meere, Ms Colette Redington , Ms Susan Griffin and all those who have supported the Green Schools throughout the year.