Three schools in Northern Ireland won top prizes in this year’s Young Environmentalist Awards, while a further five schools were finalists. The focus of the event later this month will be the participants of the EHS sponsored All-Ireland Eco-Unesco Young Environmentalist Awards and other recognised national and international schemes, including Eco-Schools.
In addition, nine schools have achieved Green Flags in the internationally recognised Eco-Schools programme so far this year bringing the total of Northern Ireland schools achieving this award to 96. Northern Ireland is ranked 3rd in Europe in Eco-Schools, leading the way over the rest of the United Kingdom.
Anne Hayes EHS Education Manager said: “EHS is happy to support the Eco-Unesco Awards and others, including Eco-Schools. We are always saying that young people are the future. However, these schemes demonstrate clearly that they are already working in environmental conservation and protection. Moreover, they see straight to the core of the issues and come up with practical and real solutions for their communities. We can learn a lot from their perspective of these issues.”
Notes to Editors:
The schools will celebrate their work in environmental protection and conservation on 19 September in Belfast.
Eco-Unesco's Young Environmentalist Awards Programme has been running since 1999 and has attracted the participation of over 8,000 young people and reached countless others with awareness raising campaigns in over 750 schools and communities in Ireland.
The Eco-Unesco Young Environmentalist Awards 2007 received 150 registered projects from all over Ireland including 15 from Northern Ireland. 34 finalists attended the Awards final in Dublin in May - 8 from Northern Ireland, along with 26 other schools from the Republic of Ireland.
The overall Junior Young Environmentalist Award 2007 was won by pupils from St. Catherine’s College, Co Armagh with their project called ‘Green Christmas and Recycle Light’. They won the Junior Waste category also.
The Junior Biodiversity category prize was won by St. Joseph’s Boys School, Co Londonderry with the project ‘Increasing Biodiversity in an Urban Area’.
The Junior Energy category went to Banbridge High School, Co Down with their project ‘Get Switched on to Switching off’.
The five finalist schools were Holy Cross College, Strabane (Junior Waste); St Louise’s Comprehensive, Belfast (Junior Biodiversity), St Paul’s College, Kilrea, Co Londonderry (Junior Biodiversity), St Patrick’s College, Banbridge (Junior Climate Change), Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor (Junior Waste).
The Schools participating in the Awards were:
- St Catherine’s College, Armagh – Junior Waste Winner; Junior Overall Winner
- Banbridge High School – Junior Energy Winner
- St Joseph’s Boy’s School, Creggan – Junior Biodiversity Winner
- Holy Cross College, Strabane – Finalist – Junior Waste
- St Louise’s Comprehensive, Belfast – Finalist – Junior Biodiversity
- St Paul’s College, Kilrea, Co Londonderry – Finalist – Junior Biodiversity
- St Patrick’s College, Banbridge – Finalist – Junior Climate Change
- Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor – Finalist – Junior Waste
- St Columb’s College, Londonderry – Entrant – Senior Waste
- Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor – Entrant – Senior Waste
- St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon – Entrant – Senior Waste
- Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry – Entrant – Junior Waste
- Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry – Entrant – Junior Water
- St Mary’s High School, Newry – Entrant – Junior Waste
- Dalriada School, Ballymoney – Entrant – Junior Biodiversity
Further information on the Awards programmes, on Eco-Schools and other environmental education programmes can be obtained from Anne Hayes, EHS Education Manager on 9056 9270 and on www.ehsni.gov.uk .
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