Schools and students are being urged to express their interest in a program that connects children with the local environment and culture.
Limited spaces are available for the 10th running of Sunshine Coast Council’s Kids in Action initiative.
The award-winning, hands-on environmental education program is suitable for students in Years 5-8.
It connects young custodians with the environment, culture, community mentors and each other, while developing their leadership and citizenship skills.
This year’s theme, ‘Catchment Connections: Mountains to the Sea’, will explore the movements and relationships of the Coast’s waterways, plants, and animals.
The students will also discover cultural knowledge and places of significance that are woven within these pathways across high country and low country landscapes.
The theme will be further unpacked with Traditional Custodians and community mentors at the Environmental Projects Day on Friday, May 6.
From these learnings, school students will build project presentations to deliver and inspire each other at the outdoor Kids Teaching Conference on Friday, September 9 at the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden.
Last year, Buddina State School students volunteered to become ‘Rubbish Rejectors’ for the 2021 Kids in Action Conference.
The ‘Rubbish Rejectors’ were mentored by council’s waste education officer to develop a plan to work towards a zero-waste event.
The ‘Rubbish Rejectors’ created a presentation to identify themselves and their role.
They explained the colour-coded waste-stream bin systems used at the conference and demonstrated to attendees how to use the bins correctly.
Students monitored and supervised the waste station, supporting participants in making good waste separation choices and working towards a zero-waste event.
They have provided recommendations for the 2022 program to further reduce waste.
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Sunshine Coast Council Environmental and Sustainability Portfolio Councillor Maria Suarez said the program continued to be a success.
“I would like to thank all of the team involved in the Kids in Action program and express my gratitude for everyone’s work in rising to the challenges and uncertainty that 2021 presented,” Cr Suarez said.
“The main stage presentation and the accompanying props were extremely effective and we received amazing feedback from many people regarding the students’ performance.
“The expressions of interest for Kids in Action are open again so I would encourage schools to register for 2022.”
The program won the Queensland Reconciliation Award (Partnerships) in 2020, for partnering with Sunshine Coast First Nations communities to build skills and share knowledge about caring for Country.
Express your interest for the program via Sunshine Coast Council – Kids in Action, Expression of Interest.
For more information, contact the Kids in Action Team at kidsinaction@sushinecoast.qld.gov.au.
