Pupils start saving the world through sustainability challenge

PUPILS from Surf Coast primary schools were asked to answer a difficult question in this year’s Quiksilver Sustainability Challenge: “How are you going to save the world?”

The challenge, in its fourth year, involved prep to grade 6 pupils from Torquay College Primary School, Bellbrae Primary School, Aireys Inlet Primary School and St Therese Catholic Primary School working on throughout the year.

Projects for the challenge – which could be entered as an individual, a team or a school – needed to identify the negative impacts on the ecosystem, a health or social issue.

The projects were to include a solution focused action plan, or assisted with raising awareness of the environmental/social issue.

Submissions included short films, artwork or signage that sent a clear message.

However, some of the most impressive projects were those that stopped the single use of plastic and are now being used in the Surf Coast community.

Surf Coast Shire environmental sustainability co-ordinator Lauren Watt said she was personally impressed by the work the students presented.

“What an incredibly inspiring bunch of young people talking local!”

The submissions were judged by a selected panel with the official awards taking place at Quiksilver’s auditorium in Torquay earlier this month.

The overall winning school for 2018 was Torquay College for their commitment to sustainability, and the school can now proudly show off the surfboard perpetual trophy for the next 12 months.

“Boardriders recognises the children of our community as our future guardians, so events like these are considered crucial,” Eve Hollenkamp from the Boardriders Foundation said.

“It was really wonderful this year to see an exceptional number of supportive friends and families being part of the presentation day, a further reiteration that our community is heading in the right direction.”