2024 Tidy Towns & Cities Shortlisted Entries:
Young Legends
Crib Point – Mornington Peninsula Shire
Grade 3 and 4 students from St Joseph’s Primary School mentor local kinder kids down at Woolleys beach. The children have worked with the different local kinder children in the ‘Sea is our Best Friend’ program to be mentors for the sessions, helping the kinder children to be young scientists and explore Woolley’s beach during some morning exploring sessions.
Cowes – Bass Coast Shire
The Science and Sustainability students at Our Lady Star of the Sea (OLSS), Cowes, are environmental stewards. Working alongside the local Phillip Island community and environmental organizations, the students are empowered to care for their common home, creating wildlife corridors and sustainability initiatives within the school.
Lilydale – Yarra Ranges Shire
Sustainable Futures is a key focus at Victoria Road Primary School, with students across all cohorts working to enhance school sustainability and share key messages at home. Over the past year, students have tackled environmental issues, becoming gardeners, leaders, and activists. Each class has a weekly lesson on sustainability principles, with Senior Sustainability Captains leading by example in caring for the environment and community.
Wyndham City
Joslyn Barendregt, a standout IPYG volunteer, leads impactful clean-up events and tree planting campaigns. Her efforts have mobilized volunteers to remove litter, restore natural beauty, and plant thousands of trees, combating deforestation and enhancing green spaces. Joslyn’s leadership fosters environmental responsibility and community collaboration, aligning with IPYG’s vision of global harmony and sustainable coexistence.
Hume City
Led by Year 6 Environmental Team members at St. Anne’s Primary School this project aims to revitalize the Sensory Garden. The 2023 focus included planting new flora, starting a vegetable and herb garden for snacks and chicken feed, setting up a bee hotel and insect spa, and creating a whimsical fairy garden to engage younger students.
City of Monash
The student-led Brentwood Green Team has implemented sustainability initiatives college-wide and is coaching other schools through webinars, tours, and events. Key measures include local student engagement, participation in sustainability festivals, and regional and national presentations. The team’s website attracts global attention, with plans for international expansion and ISO 14001 certification. Their projects, like Towards Zero Bremissions, aim to inspire global climate action.