„You collect waste paper, you choose health and greenery"

 

Implementer: Primary School No. 5 in Oława.

 

Problem: What was on offer in terms of sport facilities and recreational opportunities in the school grounds fell short of expectations - the football fields were not properly equipped, while the school grounds had been neglected and in their present state could not serve as a resting place or as a place for holding environmental education lessons and activities. The local community was meanwhile largely unaware of the threats that arose from human activities that cause harm to the environment.

 

Objective: The main objective that inspired this project was the integration of teachers, pupils, parents and other local community members around activities aimed at improving the school's sports facilities/recreational spaces and at imparting the necessary knowledge and skills for a more economical use of natural resources.

 

The particular goals set out were as follows:

·         to bring the local community closer together through activities designed to improve the state of the local environment;

·         to promote the image of the school as a center for environmental activity;

·         to continue a systematic programme of collection of recycleable waste;

·         to create a nature garden together with a rock garden as a appropriate place for environmental education;

·         to add 3 benches and 5 rubbish bins on the school grounds;

·         to add a ping-pong table to the school's sports and recreation offer;

·         to organise 6 environmental competitions with participants from among the pupils and local community

·         to improve the aesthetic appeal of the school grounds

 

Project implementation and results: Project work included the following activities:

1. Organising a festival under the slogan of  "Study, work and play safely" as the kick-off event for the project, with information about the project and its goals being promoted via posters and leaflets, and a portion of the revenue from the event going toward the renovation of the school football fields.

2. Environmental education and learning practical skills related to nature protection; also, organising a number of competitions for pupils:

·         Designing bins for wastepaper - learning how to separate waste,

·         "Something...from nothing" - making use of waste,

·         A Photography exhibit from waste collection and separation - fostering pro-environmental behaviour,

·         A literary competition - "Let's take care of the Earth" - awareness-raising about threats to the environment deriving from human activity.

3. Organising a field trip to the local waste disposal and treatment facility for active members of the school's environmental club and pupils participating in competitions and other awareness-raising waste collection events.

4. A street event under the slogan "Save trees - collect wastepaper".

5. Setting up wastepaper containers in the school and using the funds from the sale of wastepaper to purchase seedlings for the school garden.

6. A community-wide competition for the most beautifully flowered balcony.

7. Installing 3 benches and 5 rubbish bins, purchasing grass seeds, plant seedlings, soil and garden tools; digging the earth, sowing the grass and planting the seedlings.

8. A competition for pupils to design a rock garden; competition results and the making of the rock garden.

9. Assembling the table tennis table.

10. An event to sum up project work, an exhibit highlighting the year-long project effort and results, an album and calendar publication with the most interesting pictures from the project included.

 

 

Project partners (and contribution)

1.      Honorary patron -  District Authority Office in Oława - paid for the competition prizes, covered the expenses related to the printing of the leaflets.

2.      Toyota Motor Industries Poland Sp. z o. o. - Ms. Marta Pajor - Kaczyńska - organised the exhibit, paid for the prizes, printed the albums and calendars.

3.      ZNTK - Rolling Stock Repair Workshops - constructed the 3 benches, covered the costs related to purchasing 2 of the benches.

4.      Building and Property Administration „Wspólnota" - Mr. Bronisław Paszyński - purchased 5 rubbish bins, printed the diplomas.

5.      EKOGOK - Environmental Municipal Waste Management Union - Mr. Mirosław Kierecki - prepared the wastepaper container, purchased the wastepaper and recycleable material collected by the school, provided a guide during the field trip.

6.      Mr. Jacek Jackiewicz - transported the wastepaper.

7.      Mr. Wiesław Bielecki - purchased grass seeds.

8.      Oława Forest Inspectorate - donated 20 tree saplings.

9.      The GiT company - a sanitation equipment wholesaler from Oława - transported the soil and rocks.

10.  Oława Metallurgical Works - funded plants for the rock garden.

11.  „Odra" Building Society - funded competition prizes.

12.  Local newspaper - published a press release about the project.

13.  Polish Motor Transport Oława - rented bus for field trip.

14.  Parent Association at Primary School No. 5 in Oława - funded prizes for competition winners.

 

Grant amount, other sources of funding: