By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
In an exciting new initiative to boost community awareness and promote health, students from Ferny Creek Primary School and Kallista Primary School kicked off a project called ‘my Yarra Ranges: Junior Health Researchers,’ the project aimed to get kids thinking about how their local environment affects their ability to stay active.
The kids created advocacy posters exploring how their local environment and infrastructure can impact both theirs and their communities’ ability to be active.
The participated students carried out an environmental audit of their communities where they looked at key things like how close parks are, the availability of shade and water facilities, the safety of walking paths to school, and access to public transport – the kids created advocacy posters exploring how their local environment and infrastructure can impact both theirs and their communities’ ability to be active.
Kallista Primary School acting principal Justin Benne said the school teamed up with Inspiro to help educate students in a more hands-on project about the importance of staying active in the community.
“Being a school in the Hills, the infrastructure for getting around was quite different, which meant our kids had different opportunities to be active in the community compared to others – I really loved the idea of partnering with Inspiro and their team to help our students explore new ways to be active in their area,” said Mr Benne.
As part of the project, the school conducted walk-to-school events and provided families with resources on safe strategies.
The acting principal is a local and often walks to school himself.
“It’s important for my own family to stay fit and as an educator, I know when kids come to school fitter and healthier, they’re more likely to learn – healthy kids are happy kids, and that’s what we want for our school – walking to school is a great way to start the day positively,” he said.
“By doing this project, I noticed that the students were really thinking deeply about their own lives and their communities, as well as about other people – they were showing empathy, collaborating, and being very creative.”
Kallista Primary School Grade 4 student Alice McMurray worked with her classmate Astrid Delio, she said they used vibrant colours and stickers on their posters to effectively convey their message.
“We’ve been making posters to encourage people to walk to school – or just to walk anywhere, really, because it makes you fitter and healthier,” Alice said.
“We’re trying to get the message across that walking to school is great and you can walk with a friend, listen to music, or even take your pet along – it’s fun and fit for both of you,” Astrid said.
Mason Denis Collard who worked with Dain Thomas McAllister said it’s healthier for parents and kids to get into the habit of walking to school especially if you live locally.
“If you live far away, you can drive but if you live close to your school or park, probably try and walk there,” Mason said.
Ferny Creek Primary School Grade 3 to 6 also participated in this health research project.
When Grade 5 and 6 students were asked about their posters, their responses were quite varied.
Ruby said her poster is about encouraging people to walk to school.
Evie said it’s encouraging people to look out for different things like plants and animals.
Toni said walking to school is fun.
James said you can see a bunch of different animals.
Eddie said looking out for cars that are going past.
Harry said their message was simple: get up off the couch, grab a bottle of water, and head outside.
A group of Grade 3 and 4 students was asked about what they learned from the project.
Elodie said she learned that walking to school can be much better than she initially thought.
“Sometimes you might not enjoy walking because it can make you tired, but when you really think about it, you can chat with your friends along the way or even ride your bike to school – it’s a lot more fun than some people might think,” she said.
Baxter said it’s easier to walk and play when the cars are going slow and there’s more footpaths.
The finished posters will be showcased in the window start of November at the Belgrave Hub and potentially with the Yarra Ranges Council.
Mr Benne said the school is looking forward to having the students’ posters up in Belgrave.
“It’s a great way for us as a school to engage with the community,” he said.
