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Ruahine Linton Kindergarten has reached the Enviroschools’ Green Gold level.
Ruahine Linton Kindergarten near Palmerston North has become the first early childhood education centre in the region to reach the Enviroschools’ green gold level.
Enviroschools is a national programme that encourages young minds to build a sustainable world.
The programme works with schools, centres and teachers to support and empower young people to plan, design and implement sustainability projects that are important to them and their communities.
Horizons Regional Council runs the programme around the region and it is part-funded by city and district councils.
Horizons senior environmental educator Sarah Williams said reaching green gold status meant sustainability was central to all decisions within a school or centre.
“The Linton Kindergarten team and community have worked so hard and absolutely deserve this acknowledgement,” she said.
“Whānau voice is really strong at the kindergarten, which is amazing as we are wanting those sustainability outcomes to ripple into the community. An example of this is tamariki who have left the centre having learnt how to make worm shake (fertiliser for the garden), are now coming back to buy worms to set up their own worm farms at home.
“Enviroschools in the [early childhood] sector is really easy to do as the kaupapa fits really neatly with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Centres are already doing Enviroschools.”
She said children were involved in projects including water conservation, composting, vegetable gardening and maintaining a butterfly garden.
They had recently been learning about the Māori legend Whāngamokopuna, after the teachers attended a wānanga (forum) at Te Rangimarie Marae.
EMMA JAMES/STUFF
Nicola Turner explains the benefits of a worm farm. (First published July 2016)
Ruahine Kindergarten Association chief executive Alison Rudzki was proud of the achievement.
“Linton’s Enviroschools journey started several years ago, so this award is testament to the vision and mahi of many people over that time.
“Linton Kindergarten lives and breathes the principles of Enviroschools and now they have the certificate to prove it.
“All our Ruahine kindergartens and early learning centres empower tamariki to be kaitiaki (guardians) of our environment. It is an important aspect of our kaupapa, along with caring for each other.”
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