At a school assembly last week, the pupils and staff of Clough National School celebrated the awarding of their sixth Green Flag for Global Citizenship: Litter and Waste.
The flag was awarded by An Taisce and raised by Loughmore-Castleiney clubman Mr Joey Hennessy, dual player, double County Champion 2021 and a member of the teaching staff in the school.
Clough National School has enjoyed the status of “Green School” for many years and the first step in obtaining a flag is to form a committee.
The Green School Committee was made up of children from each classroom in the school as well as one staff member.
The Committee included the following children: Mollie Bergin, Kasey Dunne, Conor McEvoy, Anna Burke, Elle Maher, Luke Hayes, Abbey McIlroy, Canice Meade, Alan Fitzpatrick, Dennis Phelan, Fergal Brennan (Joint Secretary) Ciara Breslin (Joint Secretary) and Mrs Teresa McDonnell (Green School Coordinator).
Obtaining a Green Flag in the midst of Covid-19 restrictions wasn’t always easy, however the Green School Committee in the school were up for the challenge.
Meetings were conducted outdoors at lunchtime, the assessment was completed online via Zoom and activities such as litter picking were conducted in individual class bubbles.
The Committee are grateful for the support received from Laois County Council Environmental Awareness Officer Suzanne Dempsey for her advice and support throughout the entire process.
Reduction of waste in the school, re using items where possible and separation of rubbish into the correct bins were among the key objectives of the Green School Committee in their pursuit of this flag.
Activities such as a Battery Collection for W.E.E.E Ireland, a Litter Pick in the Community and the planting of a tree (kindly sponsored by Seamus Brennan Landscaping) were completed during the year also.
The primary objective of Green Schools is to develop an awareness of Environmental Issues among the school going population.
It is hoped that by developing an appreciation for the environment at a young age, one is more likely to carry that positive attitude into adulthood.
Undoubtedly, the challenges posed by Climate Change on a Global scale are immense.
However, the Clough National School Community are playing their small part and they will soon begin work on their seventh Green Flag Global Citizenship: Energy.
As the saying goes: “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito”.
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