Victoria’s largest sustainability awards for schools has recognised some of the amazing work being done to make a positive impact on the environment.
From making homemade muesli bars to cut plastic waste to participating in pollinator counts, yesterday the ResourceSmart Schools Awards recognised Victoria’s leading schools in sustainability.
Eastwood Primary School and Deaf Facility in Ringwood East won the ResourceSmart School of the Year award and the Community Leadership School of the Year (Primary) – for their work dedicating a whole term focussing on sustainability and the environment.
Also acknowledged at the Awards was Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten, for creating a wetland and Bushfood Island to promote biodiversity, which attracted 120 bird species.
Teacher Danielle Lamport from Monbulk Primary School was recognised for creating solar pizza ovens as part of the science curriculum, introducing rubbish free lunchboxes and educating parents on package-free snacks.
While Rowena Archer from Braybrook College received the award for Secondary Teacher of the Year for her work establishing a Climate Emergency program involving 500 students.
The ResourceSmart Schools program supports all Victorian primary and secondary schools to embed sustainability across school facilities, community and curriculum.
Over the past 15 years, more than 1,400 schools have participated in the program, saving more than $41 million on bills, reducing more than 118,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases through energy, water and waste efficiencies, diverting 194,000 cubic metres of waste from landfill, and planting more than 5 million trees.
As stated by Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt
“This year’s Resource Smart Schools finalists have demonstrated excellence in sustainability leadership, in school activities outside the classroom, or beyond the school gate and out in the community.”
“Victoria is proud to be a world leader on climate action and we have set strong renewable energy targets that will create a more climate-resilient and prosperous future for the next generation. The leadership being shown by Victorian schools is having a real impact on meeting these targets.”
2023 ResourceSmart School Award winners
- ResourceSmart School of the Year – Eastwood Primary School & Deaf Facility, Ringwood East
- Emerging School of the Year – Ardeer South Primary School, Sunshine West
- Campus Infrastructure and Operations School of the Year – Castlemaine Steiner School and Kindergarten, Muckleford – St Therese School, Essendon
- School Volunteer of the Year – St Therese’s School, Essendon
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Ms Danielle Lamport, Monbulk Primary School, Monbulk
- Secondary Teacher of the Year – Ms Rowena Archer, Braybrook College, Braybrook
- Primary Student Action Team of the Year – Overnewton Anglican Community College, Keilor
- Secondary Student Action Team of the Year – Victory Lutheran College, Wodonga
- Community Leadership School of the Year (Secondary) – Braybrook College, Braybrook
- Community Leadership School of the Year (Primary) – Eastwood Primary School & Deaf Facility, Ringwood East
- Curriculum Leadership School of the Year (Secondary) – Lilydale Heights College, Lilydale
- Curriculum Leadership School of the Year (Primary) – Chewton Primary School, Chewton
