Wednesday 9 November 2005

Students from schools throughout the Mackay education district will gather at Whitsunday Anglican School tomorrow (November 10) to participate in a Future Leaders Congress discussing the theme ‘Sustainable Oceans’.

The Future Leaders Congress has been run by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in collaboration with regional schools for the past four years, celebrating a different theme each year.

This year students from Slade Point State School, Pioneer State High School, Holy Spirit College and Whitsunday Anglican School will participate in the congress.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s National Education Programme Manager, Angela Colliver, said she was amazed at the ideas the students have presented in the past and the care they show for the Great Barrier Reef and its sustainability.

“The future leaders congress gives today’s students the opportunity to have a say in their future and the way they live it. Students are encouraged to act on best environmental practices shared throughout the day and spread their messages through the community,” Ms Colliver said.

Whitsunday Anglican School Reef Guardian Coordinating teacher Kathy Steggles organised the congress and believes all students who participate will take a great deal away from the day.

“The purpose of today is for students to educate their peers with presentations and plays covering certain key questions. Including how declining water quality can affect the Reef and the impact it has on industries that rely on the Reef, what can be done to look after our catchment areas and how their school is helping to improve water quality,” Ms Steggles said.

“The students then look at problem solving activities and develop their own charter of shared beliefs to address the issue of water quality and look at how they and their peers can take action to improve the problem of declining water quality.”

The Future Leaders Congress will be held at Whitsunday Anglican School on Thursday, 10th November from 10:30am – 2:15pm with Jane McAuliffe and Randall Owens from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Chairman of the Mackay Marine Advisory Committee, John Formosa attending.