Champions for Change
Champions for Change
Kids in Action!
This year in Year 5, we have formed a group of 25 Champions for Change, who are passionate about protecting our environment, supporting sustainable practises and are attempting to create change within their own environment. To further their passion, we joined the Sunshine Coast Council’s Kids in Action initiative, which is currently in its eighth year. Kids in Action is a hands-on and engaging environmental education program where kids become the teachers! Participating schools are supported by Sunshine Coast Council to undertake an environmental project in their school or community. They then present their project at a kids-teaching-kids conference.
Last Friday 10th May, an Immersion Day was held for students with the theme, ‘Connecting to Country’. Mrs Lu Pollard, Mrs Pia Foxlow and our 25 young, passionate Champions for Change set off to learn more about their local environment from the first custodians of this land, our local Kabi Kabi, Gubbi Gubbi and Jindera tribes’ people.
Our first stop was Happy Valley, where we were mesmerised by Zeke telling tales of the mullet hunts of times past. He delighted us with the dance that tribe folk did for hours to call upon the mullet pods and drive in the schools of fish. We learnt of the trees and their purpose and the birds and their messages.
Our next stop was the Bora Rings of Beerwah, where boys and girls went for up to three months at a time, only to return to their families as men and women. We were amazed by the tales of transition and growth over this period, where the children were not permitted to speak a word for the duration of their separation. Lastly, we arrived at the Brannoch Reserve, where we met with students from 26 other schools across the Sunshine Coast. We watched an opening ceremony before we traversed into the bushland and took part in nine different activities from rope making and spear throwing to stone knapping and land management. The day was full of respect and mindfulness as we learnt more about our local environment, our connection to country and the importance of protecting this land for the future. Stay tuned as our champions set forth to participate in the Kids in Action Conference in September. In the meantime, they have commenced the STARS program with the Sunshine Coast Council and with the help of Prep H and Year 4E, are trying to create a clear picture of our carbon footprint, through a waste audit. More information regarding this will follow.
Containers for Change
Our students are continuing to champion for change by collecting and collating data on our container collection across the Junior College. Every week, this group of passionate environmentalists collect our green wheelies, empty, sort and clean out the contents and make the most of our waste. So far this year, we have raised $500 for a Junior College water bubbler!
We will accept recyclable container donations (except glass bottles) from sporting events, social events or home habits! Just bring them to school and place them into the green wheelie bins located outside each year group. Alternatively, families are welcome to take their containers directly to ‘Return It’ (Mark Street, off Caloundra Road) and use the Pacific pin: C10026221.
Mrs Lu Pollard, Year 5 Teacher