By Tanya Steele
Tecoma Primary School was a hive of action this week as the whole school got together to clean up in the community for Clean Up Australia Day.
Without wasting any time, the primary school kids got together on Thursday 27 February to join in for Clean up Australia Day for 2025.
The clean up initiative was instigated by the grade six 2025 Sustainability Leaders, Lachlan, Aryo, Hunter, Marlie, Scarlett, Chloe, Zara and Amber, who are full of ideas and enthusiasm for sustainability in the school.
“Clean up Australia day is important because the turtles will be saved, and we are stopping the pollution from flowing into the ocean,” said Aryo.
“It means that we are helping to clean up the world and therefore we are saving the animals too,” said Zara.
Hunter said cleaning up the local area impacts our environment, and the school have helped to clean up the world.
On the sunny day, foundation to grade two students, teachers, and helpers cleaned up inside the school yard while the grade three to six students, along with their teachers, parents and community members, took on the rail trail from Glenfern Road, Tecoma through to Blacksmiths Lane, Belgrave.
This is the second year the school has participated in the event in recent years and students, teachers and parents banded together on the day, led by the school’s Sustainability Leaders.
Teacher and Sustainable Schools Leader Deb Langford said this year’s leaders are more determined than ever.
“After achieving our second Resource Smart Schools star in January, this dynamic group of young leaders have their sights set on achieving at least one more star this year,”she said.
ResourceSmart Schools program is a program run by the Victorian Government, which helps schools add sustainability across all their activities.
It offers practical guidance to reduce resource consumption, save costs, and integrate sustainability into daily school life.
After a big effort , the sustainability leaders all reported back on the clean up and student Amber said Clean up Australia day means that everyone is helping the community and saving the environment.
“This is a lot of rubbish that we have collected from around Tecoma, but if I’m being honest, I was expecting a lot more,” said Chloe.
Marlie said her favourite thing about being a sustainability leader at Tecoma is that they get to do fun things with younger kids.
“We love looking after the chickens,” she said.
Scarlett said part of their leadership role is spending time each week with the younger kids at the school.
“We do things like plant seeds and seedlings, water and weed and I’m hoping we can add a kitchen garden programme soon,” she said.
The sustainability leaders have more projects and plans in mind and are aiming to get their third Resource Smart Star later this year.
“I would like to see a frog pond/frog bog, which will help increase the different types of wildlife,” said Lachlan.
