Council celebrates climate champions
Children and young people from schools across East Ayrshire gathered together to share ideas and celebrate success at the second annual Clean, Green Education Awards.
The children and young people of East Ayrshire have played a vital role in tackling the climate emergency locally, by helping to shape the Council’s Clean Green Climate Change Strategy through the work of the Youth Climate Change Conferences.
At the virtual Youth Climate Conference held in 2021, the children and young people pledged to develop Climate Action Plans for their individual schools and to influence behaviour change in their wider communities. The event also gave a commitment to recognise the achievements of young people in tackling Climate Change and launched the Clean Green Education Awards, which were designed to encourage action across the key themes of the climate change strategy: Energy, Transport, Waste and Natural Environment and recognise their journey towards achieving net zero.
All of our schools are being supported to work towards Bronze, Silver and Gold accreditation and to acknowledge the progress made this year, a highly commended accreditation was introduced for each of the three award categories.
Four schools received a silver award – New Cumnock Primary School, Ochiltree Primary School, Park School and Netherthird Primary School, which also received the Chair’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. Onthank Primary School, which was the only school to achieve Silver accreditation last year, received a Highly Commended Silver award for outstanding action across each of the four themes and for their wider engagement and work with the local community including litter picks and a local Climate Change Conference.
Councillor Graham Barton, the Council’s spokesperson for Children and Young People, Net Zero, Environment, Climate Change and Equalities and Inclusion, officially welcomed the young people to the Chambers and presented the Awards.
He said: “One of my first duties as an Elected Member was to host last year’s Clean, Green Education Awards. It meant so much to me to congratulate our children and young people and thank them for their passion, commitment and creativity to drive forward change to help save our planet. And this year was just as special.
“Following the progress of our schools on their journey towards net zero is inspirational. The ideas that have been put into action have been incredible from reducing food waste to encouraging active travel to reaching out to their local communities to encourage recycling - our children and young people have been working hard with their schools and partners including ASDA to introduce positive change.
“Our Climate Change Principal Teacher and one of our Climate Change Graduate interns have led our Mission to the Moon initiative. I was honoured to launch this at Mount Carmel Primary School and thanks to all pupils, staff and parents and carers for walking, cycling and scooting to school, fingers crossed for the big reveal at the end of June. Initial analysis indicates that this project has already saved around 50 tonnes of carbon emissions and I applaud everyone on this incredible achievement.
“Special mention must also go to Onthank Primary School for being the first school to achieve Silver Highly Commended for their exceptional climate change work and to Netherthird Primary School that received my award for Outstanding Achievement. The team from Netherthird Primary have ensured that sustainable education is embedded in the curriculum and that every age group has an opportunity to participate in environmental projects. It is particularly impressive as this work continued and flourished even when they were moving to their new school!
“This year we also introduced staff awards and I was delighted to congratulate Logan Primary School teacher Arthur Clarence and Home Link Worker for Onthank and James Hamilton Primary Schools Steven Swan; for their commitment to sustainable education and to driving forward positive change within their schools.”
Councillor Barton continued: “As a Council we have responded to the call for action, creating a £1 million Climate Change Investment Fund. Earlier this month, Cabinet agreed to employ a full time Principal teacher to develop sustainable education across all East Ayrshire schools. This teacher will link with national officers around Scotland, working with Zero Waste Scotland and other organisations to determine and deliver best practice through training for both staff and pupils.
“They will also review the East Ayrshire Curriculum content to make sure it fits with net zero ambitions and the local context and develop parent/carer workshops to promote behaviour change in the wider community and will work with Developing the Young Workforce to support positive work destinations with greener careers.
“Working together with our partners including Eco Schools and Keep Scotland Beautiful, our children and young people will help to introduce the behaviour change that is needed to achieve our net zero targets. They are our future and we have a responsibility to encourage them to achieve positive change through sustainable education.
“I was delighted to see 18 schools receive their first Green Flag and seven renew their Green Flag. I am delighted that EcoSchools and Keep Scotland Beautiful have recognised the robustness of our award process and enabled our establishments to use our planning and evidence for their submissions.”
Thanks go to the main sponsors of the Clean Green Awards – East Ayrshire Leisure, McGills buses, Enva Waste and Vattenfall and to our partners from Keep Scotland Beautiful and Eco Schools who attended the special ceremony.
Full list of winners
Bronze and Highly Commended Bronze Awards
Annanhill Primary School
Auchinleck Primary School
Crosshouse Primary School and Communication Centre
Dalmellington Primary School
Darvel Primary School
Drongan Primary School with special recognition for energy
Dunlop Primary School
Fenwick Primary School with Special recognition for partnership working
Hillhead Primary School with special recognition for natural environment
Hurlford Primary School with special recognition for embedding Sustainable education in the curriculum
James Hamilton Primary School and Sgoil Na Coille Nuaidh
Kilmaurs Primary School with special recognition for pupil leadership (primary)
Kilmarnock Academy
Lochnorris Primary School
Logan Primary School
Nether Robertland Primary School
Patna Primary School with special recognition for Transport
The Robert Burns Support Learning Centre
St Joseph’s Academy with special recognition for pupil leadership (secondary)
St Sophia’s Primary School
St. Xavier’s Primary School
Stewarton Academy
Willowbank School
Whatriggs Primary School
Silver and Highly Commended Silver Awards
Ochiltree Primary School
Netherthird Primary School
New Cumnock Primary School
Park School
Onthank Primary School
Staff Awards
Steven Swan – Onthank and James Hamilton Primary Schools – Outstanding Commitment and Enthusiasm for Climate Change
Arthur Clarence – Logan Primary School – Outstanding Service to Sustainable Education