Master McKenna and our Eco Team’s hard work was recognised last Wednesday when the school was awarded the prestigious Eco-Schools’ Green Flag by the environmental charity, ‘Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful’.
The Eco-Schools’ Programme is the world’s largest Environmental Education programme and aims to make environmental awareness and action an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of a school. Its participatory approach and combination of learning and action makes it an ideal way for schools to begin improving the environments of schools and their local communities.
Eco-Schools work through a seven-step process resulting in the programme becoming central to the school's ethos. Schools can choose from ten eco-topics ranging from litter and waste to energy, biodiversity and transport to name a few. Eco-Schools work towards achieving awards - bronze, silver and the prestigious Green Flag. More information can be found at www.eco-schoolsni.org
This year, our Eco Team focused on the topics: Water; Global Perspective; Biodiversity and Healthy Living. The dedicated Eco Team comprised of children from P4 to P7 and regularly met after school on a Thursday evening. Amongst many initiatives, they organised a very successful Lent Fundraiser that raised £273 for St. Ciaran’s Peregrini Projects in Zambia and are currently on a mission to get our children moving through the ‘Daily Mile Challenge’.
The internationally recognised Green Flag is this highest award given to Eco-Schools and symbolises excellence in the field of environmental activity so a huge congratulations to Rachel and Jack from P4, Sinead, Shane and Eamon from P5, Kyla-Rose, Olivia, Nathan and Callum from P6 and Aine, Mairead, Charlie, Peter and Shea from P7 who all played an important role in obtaining this award. Thanks also to Master McKenna who has put a tremendous amount of work to ensure the children are part of a very environmentally friendly school.
