Students at Lathallan School recently earned the school an international award for being green.
The Green Flag Award is part of an international educational program called Eco-Schools.
Keep Scotland Beautiful, an environmental charity group, delivers the program in Scotland.
This year marks the fifth time that Eco-Schools has recognised Lathallan for its sustainable initiatives.
Learning outside the box
Throughout the school year, Lathallan pupils worked towards sustainability in their classrooms and their community. In addition to saving energy by being mindful of switching off sockets and regularly getting out to clean up the local beach, the students’ other environmentally-friendly activities included:
- Forming their own Eco Club
- Planting trees
- Organising an in-school eco fashion show
- Picking up litter in the community
- Growing fruits and vegetables for lunch
- Bird watching
- Limiting single-use plastics
Fashionably sustainable
Another hands-on project this year was the Lathallan 2020 Eco Fashion Show.
Junior and senior pupils used recycled materials to make their own outfits. Then, they took part in a fashion show to highlight the benefits of recycling and raise money for future green projects.
Setting an example for the future
Lathallan S6 Oliver Noordermeer said that taking part in the sustainable projects provided students with a sense of responsibility.
“It makes us feel that we can all play a part in the fight against Climate Change and create a better future for us and future generations.”
And Headmaster Richard Toley said that the most recent award shows that students are making a lasting difference.
“Eco-schools has been an excellent programme for educating and informing our young people, connecting them to nature and empowering them to create change on our journey towards a sustainable school for the environment.”
Lathallan School has a website dedicated to the students’ sustainable activities. Students not only share updates on their projects, they also provide helpful tips about recycling and other sustainable choices.
In one video from 2019, Lathallan students collected a week’s worth of plastic to find out how much was single-use and how much was recyclable.
Part of an international movement
The Eco-Schools program is delivered in Scotland by the Keep Scotland Beautiful charity. The program is in place in schools in 67 countries around the world.
To earn the Green Flag Award, students must submit an application and showcase their commitment to sustainability across multiple fronts: both at their school and in their community.
The Lathallan students’ ongoing efforts showcase the importance of prolonged sustainable practices, said Jamie Spalding, education and learning officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful.
“I commend the work that Lathallan School has been doing over the last few years as they renew their Green Flag Award again. As a school community Lathallan has worked hard to ensure that what they do has an impact both within the school but also in the local community.”
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