Willows State School have taken out the ‘Learning Legends Award’ and a one thousand dollar grant from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

20 February 2009

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett announced late last year that the students were receiving a Reef Guardian School Award for their outstanding environmental efforts.

Senator Jan McLucas, who presented the award, said the ‘Learning Legends Award’ was given for the exceptional work Willows State School was doing by promoting environmental messages in the community.

“Our Great Barrier Reef is a natural treasure and it is fantastic to recognise future generations helping to protect this great Australian icon,” Senator McLucas said.

“Students from the Willows State School are to be applauded for the work they are doing with their community to raise awareness of threatened marine species.”

The grant funding will provide for actions such as development of community education initiatives to raise the profile of sea turtle conservation issues.

Senator Jan McLucas said the students sold chocolate ‘turtle crackles’ to raise money to rehabilitate Willow, a rescued green sea turtle at ReefHQ Aquarium.

“In addition to educating their local community on marine issues, students adopted a range of activities to reduce their school’s impact on the Great Barrier Reef.

“Students participated in walk to school days to reduce carbon emissions from transport, worked to minimise energy consumption both at school and at home, used compost bins and worm farming to reduce carbon emissions created by waste, recycled and reused materials where possible to reduce waste and possible marine pollution, and planted trees and minimised water use to improve their school’s sustainability.

“These students have demonstrated a firm commitment to safeguarding the Reef and are getting their communities onboard in the process,” Senator McLucas said.

Everybody can do their part to look after the Great Barrier Reef by replicating these actions at home.

The award will be presented on Friday 20 February at 9am at Willows State School, on the corner Bilberry & Sandstone Drive Kirwan.