Nap Girls wins environmental award

LAST October students from 45 participating schools were challenged to design a project capable of reducing waste in their classrooms, schools or homes.

Participants, not exceeding four students plus a teacher, were asked to document the highlights of this project based on the three R’s In Action – Reducing, Reusing and Recycling in a short seven minutes or less video.

The videos had to be presented to the organiser of The Protect and Nurture (PAN) project which included the Asa Wright Nature Centre in collaboration with other students and professors from the Widener University, USA. The project was supported by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA).

Finalists were selected and asked to present their projects at an environmental fair and prize-giving function at the Brazil Secondary School on February 29.

Naparima Girls' High School (NGHS) Eco-Activist Club was declared the winner.

President of the club Sesha Dookeran was elated by the win as participants received iPads and vouchers to restaurants.

The lower six student told the Newsday, “This is not a victory for the club, but for the school.

“It’s just one step closer to us achieving our goal of spreading environmental awareness to our nation because awareness brings change. Change whether big or small contributes to the betterment of our country and our world. There are so many easy, simple ways we can improve our lives to be more eco-friendly, we just need that push with knowledge.”

She observed, “The world is desperate for help and it is suffering because of the damage we have done in past generations. We are at a point of no return if something is not done now.”

Dookeran said NGHS has been engaged in environmental awareness projects all of her school life, through its many annual walkathons, to simple things like putting recycling bins in the school, to declaring the compound a No Idle Zone where parents, students and staff have been mandated to turn off their vehicles all in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

“I am lucky to be part of a school system that encourages us, the future leaders of the world, to be aware of our surroundings and of our natural environment. Our school is surrounded by nature. This builds our appreciation for nature and makes us realise that we need to preserve it as much as possible. It is vital for life.”

She lauded the efforts of the club’s patron teacher, Sarsha Lall-Soobrattee, without whose support the project would not have been developed.

“Miss Lall-Soobrattee always amazes me with her knowledge and the passion she has for the environment."

Dookeran said it is her wish that NGHS will continue to help the nation environmentally, “as our nation is filled with endless natural wonders that need to be protected and preserved for future generations.”

Lall-Soobrattee said the video presentation merely showcased what the school has been doing and will continue to do to help the environment.

She said the students, Ashlynn Bridglal, Amaya John-Budhoo, Sophia Ragobar and Nareesa Rampath, were able to inform the viewers of past, present and future projects and goals the school has and will achieve.

Sesha Dookeran, club vice president Sashi Dookeran, secretary Maliha Ramnarine-Misir and other members, videographer Sarah Leonard and Sariyah Boodhram also created an informative yet catchy song to accompany the video which awarded additional points resulting in the school’s victory.