Orana Schools Successful in Bid for Project Funding

FOUR schools from the Orana region have received $2500 from the NSW Environmental Trust after successfully applying for the 2013 Eco Schools grants.

Coonabarabran Public School (CPS), Dubbo College Delroy Campus (DCDC), Trangie Central School (TCS) and Warrumbungle Environmental Education Centre (WEEC) have been given $2500 to fund school environmental management projects.

The grant will help develop environmental education and innovative solutions to current issues.

TCS science and math teacher Dinesh Sarswat submitted the school’s application and said being one of sixty schools selected out of 130 grant applications is a fantastic opportunity for the school to learn about preserving the environment.

TCS will use the funding to explore a range of school projects in 2014.

A Bush Tucker Garden will connect young Indigenous people and communities with the environment and teach them about the importance of fresh fruit and vegetables in a healthy diet.

“With about 60 per cent of the school population being Aboriginal, the theme and aim is to learn and link Aboriginal cultural projects with science and Aboriginal history,” Dr Sarswat said.

“In addition to the garden there will be an Aboriginal language development project, an art exhibition of students’ works from a workshop with Wiradjuri Aboriginal artist David Dunn, and the creation of a booklet,” he said.

Other schools such as DCDC will use the $2500 to improve an outdoor meeting and learning space with a surrounding garden of plants, traditionally used by the Wiradjuri people for food and craft.

WEEC will fit logs to seat 30 students and create a comfortable outdoor place to gather students together for briefings while CPS will encourage all staff, students and any volunteer community members to engage in a food garden project.

The Environment Minister Robyn Parker said the benefits of the grants will be far reaching and support for educators and school projects will improve and help bring environmental understanding to the wider community.