5th Green School Flag for Travel Awarded

The Green School Programme is student-led and it promotes long term, whole school action to protect the environment. Ms Killington began the programme with Transition Year students 10 years ago along with Mary O Sullivan (Housekeeping)and Maurice Casey (Care taker) when the school obtained its first flag for litter and waste. This was followed by the energy, water, biodiversity and travel flags. The travel flag (which was awarded this year) aims to create awareness of pollution caused by travel e.g. car and bus pollution. One of their initiatives for this flag was to take part in the International Global Air Quality Campaign funded by NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency. This involved assessing the air quality of the school in three different locations. The air quality found on the school grounds was one of the best readings recorded by an Irish school. The promotion of a healthier and more active lifestyle was also encouraged and students took part in a photography competition during the national lockdown in 2021. Students took photographs of nature for this competition that were within walking distance of their home. The Green School Committee has begun work this year on the 6th Green Flag- Global Citizenship for Litter and Waste.

The success of the Green School Programme in the school has resulted in many cross curricular projects taking place. The promoting of a sustainable environment and climate action is strongly embedded in the school ethos and this resulted in the school being recognised by the Department of Education last year. Students presented to the Minister of Education- Norma Foley, Department of Education Inspectors and Unicef Ireland for the World’s Largest Lesson and relayed the various projects undertaken since the Green School Programme began in the school.