Students Go Green with the Sandals Foundation in Observance of Earth Day 2010

It was a different learning scene for Jamaican youngsters who joined thousands of students across the Caribbean on Thursday April 22, when the Sandals Foundation took the classroom outside in observation of the 40^th Anniversary of World Earth Day.

With the assistance of volunteer teams from the resorts, students aged 3-15 years from nine schools in Westmoreland, St. James and St. Ann benefited from interactive lessons focusing particularly on climate change, responsible garbage disposal and recycling.

The older students were largely engaged in creating worm composts that help to recycle food scraps and other organic material for use as plant fertilisers.

Kindergarteners, such as those at the Golden Pre-School in Ocho Rios, Happy Venture Basic in Montego Bay and Whitehall Early Childhood in Negril, were creatively occupied in art projects, which saw them utilising recycled materials to make Smiley Faces, small cardboard pets called ‘Litter Bugs’ and large replicas of the earth respectively. In addition to this, tots from the Culloden and Whitehouse Early Childhood Schools in Westmoreland also planted fruit trees at Auchindown, an old pimento plantation close to the resort.

While addressing students in St. Ann, Director of Programmes for the Sandals Foundation Mrs. Heidi Clarke charged the youngsters to put what they learned into practice to make their schools, homes and communities more environmentally friendly.

“Although we are having this special event today, for all of you every day should be Earth Day. Make a concerted effort to conserve electricity, save water and stop the littering, “Mrs. Clarke said.

The students in turn were enthusiastic about the lessons and activities.

Seven-year-old Sasha Walton of Negril’s Whitehall Basic & Preparatory School, said “I like art and craft. I never used recycled items before. It was fun to use the shredded paper and pencil shavings in art class.”

Tajae Johnson, an 11-year-old at the school added: “I am going to tell my dad about what I have learnt because I can help him to make the plants grow at home. The class was fun. I don’t like worms but understand why we used them today.”

His counterpart Chantel Pryce of Boscobel Primary was also impressed. According to the Grade 6 student, she is now much more aware of her role “in the preservation of mother earth.”

“I learnt so much. I now understand the importance of ensuring that we don’t destroy the ozone layer, that we don’t waste water and electricity. Also we have to stop cutting down the trees as they create the oxygen which we breathe,” Chantel said.

Teachers at the institutions also lauded the Sandals Foundation for this initiative.

“This was definitely worth it. The lesson that the Sandals environmental manager gave was very relevant to our curriculum at the school. It even went a step ahead of where we are in our lesson plan, but easily understood by the students. The hands-on activity was really informative too and a definite plus for them to be able to link issues surrounding global warming to a particular project. So it was definitely worth it,” commented Miss Denisha Smith, teacher and coordinator of the Montego Bay-based John Rollins Primary School’s Environment Club as she observed her students creating Worm Composts.

Similar sentiments echoed in Ocho Rios: “Today was very interesting and informative and will go a far way towards us becoming a more environmentally friendly school. We will strive to ensure that the students stop littering and use environmentally best practices in our day-to-day operations,” said Miss Andrea Tracey, senior teacher with responsibility for the environment programme at Boscobel Primary.

Grade Six teacher at the Whitehall School in Negril, Georgeth Atkinson was also appreciative of the lesson course and commended the Sandals Foundation.

“It was a different and interesting methodology which was used to teach students about recycling. I have never taught worm composting to my students before. To bring the students outside the classroom and bring to life how to recycle food items and use them as fertilisers was a good idea. Thanks to the Sandals Foundation for hosting this activity.”

Further south, a comprehensive three part environmental campaign involving art, worm composting and tree planting found favour with Principal of Culloden Early Childhood School, Mrs. Janet Briggs.

“It was a great program and the children really enjoyed it. We will definitely consider implementing such a program as a regular part of our curriculum.”