By Kirsty Ross
STUDENTS from one of the area’s model progressive sustainable schools are sharpening their shears to dazzle judges at the Royal Melbourne Show later this month.
Altona North Primary School pupils want a second consecutive win at the Doing the Right Thing Awards.
The school is one of nine in the state finals for the gardening and recycling competition sponsored by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, and gardening groups.
Last year, students won for their now famous worm juice fertiliser, Wormatage Estate, which is manufactured in the their old canteen, affectionately known as the worm factory.
Recycled wine bottles contain the juice which is sold for $5 from the school, $8 at nurseries and for the first time this year – on sale at the Royal Melbourne Show if all goes to plan.
All proceeds are put back into the school.
The school faculty is trying to organise volunteer and supervise the stall at the show.
However this year, all eyes will be on the school’s garden, albeit a miniature version as part of the show’s Wanyips Magical Mystical Garden.
The idea of the program is to encourage and reward children to do the right thing in the garden, their community and the environment.
Indigenous and native plants are the basis of the garden now sprinkled with colour and fragrance, which has led to a great return of bird life.
This is a stark contrast from the “blank canvas” they started with, said grade five/six teacher and coordinator Wally Raghdohas, who passionately took on the role as sustainable schools coordinator and turned the school around.
Now, virtually everything is recycled at the school, from bottles, paper, water and compost and even have a fitness track around the oval made out of recycled rubber.
In aid, the Federal Government recently handed over money to extend the school’s water-saving program.
The school will install storm water barrels for water collection, to water the garden.
Winner of the Doing the Right Thing Awards will be announced at the show, which runs from Thursday 21 September to Sunday 1 October.
