Schools in Bandra are at the forefront when it comes to inculcating sustainable practices and lessons. Following the footsteps of Greta Thunberg, school kids are striving for saving the environment. Auxilium Convent High School in Pali Hill has taken it further ahead by bagging the coveted Greenest School Award 2020 in the Green Schools Campaign on 29 February 2020. The award comprises of memento and a cash prize of 1 lakh.
The Green Schools Campaign is an exciting hands-on programme, open to all schools in Mumbai, that educates children on their responsibility towards the environment while offering the opportunity to involve in relevant environmental projects. This campaign started in 2010 with 12 participating schools and now has over 50 schools. The topic for the year 2020 was ‘Breathe Free’. The activities were carried out by students of the Eco Club, under the guidance of Mrs. Yolanda Ferreira and Sr. Judy Gaikwad.
Eco club members went around the school and identified different signs of environmental issues like leakage of taps, moulds on the wall, cobwebs and construction work. Tr. Yolanda explained to the students which are the air pollutants and what causes pollution. Students from the 5th to the 10th participated in the event. Students wrote letters to the housing societies to repair and carry out maintenance of the affected part. They also went to several neighbouring societies to explain about the pollutants and its effects on human health. The activity taught students about various pollutants at home and at school. Students also learnt about phytoremediation, the importance of plant functions and so on.
Students of the Auxilium school are active participants in several environmental activities in the city. Students took part in a rally at Carter Road on the climate crisis. The School had also organized an eco-friendly Diwali Dhamaka and emphasis was given on ‘breath free’ and ‘climate crisis’. The students were asked to adopt trees which were not cared for and they started nurturing them. Students designed and created eco-signages for school to convey the message for ‘making eco-friendly choices.’
To enhance the green lifestyle, students grow outdoor plants and vegetables in the school premises. Vegetables like celery, broccoli, spinach, chillies, carrot, beetroot, rosemary, mint and coriander grow in their garden. These amazing works are carried out under the guidance of teachers Mrs. Yolanda and Sr. Judy Gaikwad and the support and cooperation of Principal Sr. Shiny Alphonse and Manager Sr. Leema Rose Joseph. Gathering motivation from Auxilians, let us hope for more participation from students in the city for creating a greener planet.
