Student leaders to host community clean-up

SIX of Surf Coast Secondary College’s student leaders will conduct a community clean-up this Saturday, November 25 to help educate the community about keeping local beaches and the coastal environment clean.

Year 9 students Xas Cummins, Jasper Viner, Donovan Currie, Georgia Reif, Melody Nedelkoska and TaylorWoods produced the idea for a community-wide beach clean-up before the start of summer following an eight-week program at the School for Student Leadership, facilitated by the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

The clean-up begins from noon and will run until 3pm along Fisherman’s Beach with support from the local Lions Club of Torquay, who will conduct a sausage sizzle.

The clean-up area along the foreshore will stretch from Salty Dog Café to the beach opposite to Wyndham Resort on the corner of Darian Road.

Clean-up volunteers will receive a free sausage for every bucket of rubbish collected during the afternoon.

Surf Coast Secondary teacher Georgina Sheens said she has been extremely impressed by the students’ initiative in recent weeks.

“They’ve worked together collaboratively, not just with themselves, but also with community members.

“That is a major part of what we try to push during this program, getting the kids out there and out of their comfort zones.

“To see the students flourish and strive for their vision of cleaning up our coast is really exciting to see.

“It’s nice also to see other students be excited for them, everyone in the group has put in a big amount of effort and it’s easy to see.”

The students will have gazebos set up along the shoreline and will provide all the necessary clean-up tools.

The group hopes to see as many Surf Coast residents as possible join them on the day.