2020 ResourceSmart Schools Awards

Last updated: 20 September 2024
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The 2020 winners across 11 categories were announced during an online YouTube ceremony with radio personality Sammy J on World Environment Day – 5 June 2020.

Thank you and congratulations to all who entered. Across these categories, our finalists and winners showcased the incredible efforts of principals, teachers, students, parents and volunteers, and spotlighted the impactful and inspiring work of Victorian schools.

ResourceSmart School of the Year

Winner: Mount Waverley Primary School

A sustainability spirit inside and outside the classroom

Mount Waverley Primary School’s student green ambassadors are inspired and inspiring others to make a difference.

The school embeds climate change action, biodiversity conservation and knowledge sharing in the curriculum – teaching students to look after the planet, and demonstrating how this contributes to wellbeing in return.

Mount Waverley deeply connects its students to nature, with an ethos promoting outdoor learning and nature play while fostering environmentally-aware citizens. A constructed ‘national park’ is home to a frog bog, butterfly garden and wildlife corridor, bringing sustainability to life within school gates.

Students are taught a sustainability specialist subject, enhanced by a dedicated space for sensory learning, classes and parent workshops. The school runs tours of its sustainable campus, which is 5star certified under the ResourceSmart Schools program.

Mount Waverley demonstrated exceptional leadership and community connection by presenting at professional and student conferences, and by participating in sustainability projects such as Zoos Victoria’s Fighting Extinction Schools program and Wild Onesie Day, fundraising for endangered animals.

It’s not just Mount Waverley’s students and staff involved in environmental stewardship. The school also supports its local community to play an active role through waste drop-offs and the sale of student-grown produce. Being awarded School of Year in 2020 is a testament to Mount Waverley’s commitment to sustainability education both in and out of the classroom.

Highly commended: Warrnambool East Primary School

Connecting with community for positive change

Warrnambool East Primary has championed sustainability through a diverse and unique range of community partnerships.

The school’s Community Action Day brought together groups including Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria, Deakin University, Warrnambool City Council and Beach Patrol 3280 to inspire students to explore sustainability issues. Students are now working towards a national ban on plastic cotton buds after teaming up with community members.

The school delivers sustainability-focused enquiry units which include out-of-classroom experiences like working with Marine biology undergraduate students from Deakin University. Local schools are invited to participate in Community Action Days run by the school in partnership with organisations such as Parks Victoria.

The community also gets involved in sustainability at the school by helping to deliver the kitchen garden program.

Finalists

Campus Infrastructure and Operations School of the Year

Winner: Mentone Primary School

Students shape their sustainable campus

It’s all hands on deck at Mentone Primary School as students enthusiastically contribute ideas to improve their campus! Sustainability lessons are a community experience, supported by parents, Deloitte volunteers and CERES, who encourage students to take the lead. Unused school areas have already been transformed into productive spaces for compost and mulch.

Students have put classroom studies on the five senses into practice by designing their 'dream' sensory garden.

Students also planted over 100 plants with the help of a Landcare grant, after they worked to identify suitable drought-resistant Indigenous coastal plants.

Their positive impact extends beyond greening the environment. After researching lunchbox wastage and school energy usage, students wrote newsletter articles and investigated alternative energy options, resulting in the 2020 transition to ‘nude food’ and support for a future transition to solar power.

Finalists

Teacher of the Year (Primary)

Winner: Stephanie Young, St Columba’s Primary School, Elwood

Strong leadership for an ‘eco-excited’ community

Stephanie Young’s commitment, passion and dedication as the sustainability leader at St Columba’s Primary School in Elwood has seen her mentor student environment leaders, promote school achievements and lead engagement with the community.

Through her strong leadership and effective communication, Stephanie has developed deep connections to her school community, resulting in an active and engaged parent Green Team and eco‑excited students.

Stephanie oversees a range of programs including the Climate Change Choir, marine clean up initiatives and the kitchen garden classroom. She has minimised landfill waste by encouraging ‘nude food’ and introducing eWaste disposal.

Stephanie has cultivated flourishing working relationships with the Port Phillip Eco Centre, CERES, and local sustainability groups in the Elwood area, and has shared St Columba’s sustainability successes with other schools at a range of conferences and professional development activities over the past year.

Finalists

Teacher of the Year (Secondary)

Winner: Judith Stewart, Lowanna College, Newborough

A globally-connected sustainability classroom

Judith Stewart has enriched the sustainability activities she coordinates at Lowanna College by establishing learning connections interstate and overseas.

Judith championed her school’s campaign for the Zayed Sustainability Prize in 2019 and travelled to the World Sustainability Expo in Abu Dhabi. Judith later arranged a learning
exchange with Huonville Secondary School in Tasmania, including a guest to speak on 'what a mere student can achieve'!

Judith has forged strong connections with community organisations. She organised a Green Tradies program with community volunteers and developed a student-led sustainability program linked with the Rotary Club of Moe. Judith spearheaded the school’s organic waste collection and sustainability policy development, and worked with
Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute to introduce a Climate Change Solution Pilot Program, which includes carbon capture techniques.

The scale and range of Judith’s achievements is truly remarkable.

Finalists

Student Action Team of the Year (Primary)

Winner: Coburg North Primary School, Coburg

Strengthening school identity and embracing energy transformation

A desire to learn more about the environment inspired a dedicated Grade 4 cohort to create lasting impact at Coburg North Primary School.

The students worked collaboratively to research energy use and production, laying the foundation for the successful planning and execution of the school’s Solar Day fundraiser, where over $3000 was raised for a new 100Kw solar system. Through their fundraiser, students increased peer and community awareness of sustainability with renewable energy-themed activities, stalls and music performances.

The peer-to-peer learning involved in this process empowered the entire school community to undertake energy audits in classrooms, and to explore creative ways to inspire behaviour change around sustainability issues.

The sustainability advocacy of the Grade 4 cohort has continued to motivate the school community into 2020, with the Parents and Friends Committee continuing fundraising efforts for the school’s solar system – a testament to the lasting impact of student initiative and leadership.

Finalists

Student Action Team of the Year (Secondary)

Winner: Viewbank College, Rosanna

Working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Viewbank College has a team of enthusiastic students actively contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals through the ‘Young Person’s Plan for the Planet’ program. Through this initiative, students experience first-hand how policy is shaped and mobilise the community to act on sustainability.

Using their STEM and research skills, Viewbank students investigated state and community-level approaches to sustainable development and created an action plan in collaboration with Kolbe Catholic College. Their plan was presented to the Prime Minister’s representative at the inaugural Young Person’s Plan for the Planet conference in Canberra.

The students also made and sold beeswax wraps to promote UN Sustainable Development Goals related to responsible consumption and sustainable land use, while increasing biodiversity awareness and fundraising for the Wheen Bee Foundation.

Finalists

Community Leadership School of the Year (Primary)

Winner: Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Ocean Grove

Celebrating sustainability with the community

In 2019, Our Lady Star of the Sea hosted their very first EarthFest. Over 1700 parents, staff and locals attended this exciting event designed to connect the local community with the environment. Almost 50 stands showcased community projects, sustainable businesses and student advocacy for climate action and conservation. The festival was not complete without a parents’ musical performance, concluding with the band ‘The Formidable Vegetables’!

Our Lady Star of the Sea’s community leadership extends beyond the school gate, and includes a decade-long partnership with the Bellarine Catchment Network. They jointly undertake local planting, Waterwatch and litter management activities, including the revegetation of 3000 Indigenous plants in the Bonnyvale wetlands.

Participation in activities like Zoos Victoria’s Fighting Extinction program and maintenance of the school’s Indigenous garden are among many other achievements.

Finalists

Community Leadership School of the Year (Secondary)

Winner: Melbourne Girls’ College, Richmond

Sustainability in the spotlight: activism and policy

Melbourne Girls’ College (MGC) is engaging with its community by fostering student voice as it introduces ambitious waste policies.

In 2019, MGC banned landfill bins – a move with unwavering support from the school community, but considered bold enough to attract media interest.

The ban created robust dialogue about zero waste policy and aspirational waste reduction targets, and put the school’s sustainability efforts in the spotlight, inspiring MGC staff
and students to talk at conferences about their waste practices. It was an opportunity to strengthen the school’s connection to local community organisation Burnley Backyard through a program of shared composting.

MGC students lead Schools Climate Rallies (SS4C) activities, represented youth at the City of Yarra’s community panel discussion on how to talk to children about climate change, and annually organise the Student Environment Conference.

Finalists

Curriculum Leadership School of the Year (Primary)

Winner: Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Ocean Grove

Community action begins with the curriculum

Our Lady Star of the Sea’s innovative approach to sustainability in the curriculum prioritises student voice and the great outdoors, while supporting the achievement of ResourceSmart Schools modules.

Significant sustainability events and milestones are integrated in the curriculum. Teachers include sustainability in their fortnightly planning, and staff meetings showcase sustainability successes and ideas.

The school’s curriculum approach built the foundation for EarthFest, a festival inspiring the community on environmental issues and solutions, which created a local ‘ripple effect’ around sustainability awareness.

The school’s Sustainability Day was another valuable learning opportunity. Students welcomed guest speakers who conducted interactive sessions championing environmental issues.

Students took the lead when Year 6 completed the Rotary Junior Leadership Award focused on the environment, while senior students created businesses with sustainability elements.

Finalists

Curriculum Leadership School of the Year (Secondary)

Winner: MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Werribee

A curriculum rich in opportunity

Mackillop Catholic Regional College provides students with a holistic understanding of sustainability by designing and teaching multiple units centred on sustainability, resource efficiency and biodiversity.

The school’s project-based learning model incorporates sustainability in multiple areas including art, design and science. It culminates in VCE Environmental Science, where students conduct soil, water and wildlife monitoring and contribute data to citizen science initiatives such as Backyard Bird Blitz and the frog census app.

Student engagement has increased dramatically where sustainability has been incorporated in classroom activities. A green chemistry unit in Year 10 science saw students design, manufacture and test environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Students also participated in bottle cap collection as part of their unit on biomimicry and prosthesis manufacture, while conservation and land management students participated in a range of horticultural and environmental activities.

Finalists

School Volunteer of the Year

Winner: St Columba’s Green Team, St Columba’s Primary School, Elwood

Finalists:

2020 Awards booklet

Read the stories behind the schools in this beautiful booklet.

Future awards

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Want to know more?

Get in touch:

ResourceSmart Schools Awards, Sustainability Victoria
03 8626 8844
resourcesmartawards@sustainability.vic.gov.au