The Year 4 students at St Bernard’s Upper Primary School recently held an inspiring assembly on reducing our carbon footprint, highlighting the importance of the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

After researching ways to make a positive environmental impact, the pupils decided to join the global initiative: Meat-Free Mondays. As part of this, the school encourages them to shop for locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and help prepare their own meals at home whenever possible. Their commitment extends beyond food choices, as they have also been collecting plastic wrappers from the playground to create eco-bricks. These eco-bricks have been used to craft classroom bins and even a functional stool, reinforcing the importance of reusing materials in creative and practical ways.

The assembly delivered a powerful message through a dynamic blend of dance, drama, song, and speech, allowing each student to contribute using their strengths. A slideshow featuring photos and videos further emphasized their environmental journey and showcased their hands-on learning experiences. In addition to promoting sustainable habits, the children have been actively recycling materials, demonstrating their dedication to a greener future. By engaging young minds in environmental education early on, St Bernard’s is fostering a generation of eco-conscious individuals committed to protecting our planet.

Minister for Education and Environment, the Hon Prof John Cortes, who was a guest at the assembly, said: “I was hugely impressed by the presentation, both in its quality and in the depth of knowledge and understanding that it showed from such young children.  It says a great deal about them, their school and their teachers, in particular Ms Wendy Brown who coordinated the project.  We are grateful to all of them.”