Southern Flinders Upper North students YEL and tell
The final Southern Flinders Upper North Young Environmental Leaders (YEL) forum for 2017 was held recently at the Melrose Showgrounds.
Twenty-two students and six teachers from Wilmington and Melrose Primary Schools, Quorn and Orroroo Area Schools and Jamestown Community School attended the workshop, rounding out a year of learning about the local natural environment through a range of hands-on, enquiry-based activities.
Natural Resources Northern and Yorke Ranger Perri Carter said the final forum for the year provided an opportunity for students to present their schools year-long environmental project to other young leaders.
“Our young leaders were really creative with the ways they presented the ‘at school’ projects they have implemented, including a slide show and video about bird netting over fruit trees at Wilmington Primary School, a slideshow about the recycling program at Jamestown Community School and a video about the new ‘Bee Hotel’ at Quorn Area School.”
Ms Carter said the YEL program has covered a wide variety of topics throughout the year, and the final workshop offered a chance for students to pull together the skills and knowledge they had gained.
“At the past three workshops we have looked at ‘nude foods’, recycling, bees and local waterways, not to mention the leadership skills that students have developed over the past year,” Ms Carter said.
“Students enjoyed a number of activities at the final workshop including Aussie Bee Bingo, to coincide with Australian Pollinator Week, and a lunch box audit, to coincide with National Recycling Week.
“The Aussie Bee Bingo tested students’ knowledge of the distinguishing features and habits of eight different families of our native Australian bees in an interactive bingo-like game.
“The lunch box audit involved students keeping their recess and lunch rubbish to show how much waste we unconsciously create, and identifying how we can use more sustainable, reusable and recyclable containers in future, instead of single use packaging.”
Ms Carter said the final forum for the year was always a favourite with Natural Resources Northern and Yorke staff.
“The last workshop gives us an opportunity to hear what the students have learnt throughout the year, and how they have been able to apply their knowledge to their ‘at school’ environmental project,” Ms Carter said.
“We also gain feedback from the students about what they enjoyed the most throughout the year - bugs and slugs always comes up as a highlight.”
Funding and support for the Young Environmental Leaders program is provided by the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board through funding from the National Landcare Programme.
Schools interested in learning more about the Young Environmental Leaders program should contact the Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Centre in Clare on 8841 3444 or visit http://www.landscape.sa.gov.au/ny/get-involved/education
